Position Announcement: Southeast Chapter Coordinator

The Kansas Rural Center is seeking a contractor to serve as the Our Local Food–Southeast Chapter Coordinator. The Southeast Chapter encompasses the following twelve counties: Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Franklin, Labette, Linn, Miami, Montgomery, Neosho, and Wilson.

Contract Dates: March 2012 - October 31, 2012
Payment: $9,000
Application Deadline: Friday, Feb. 24, 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this part-time contract position (15 to 20 hours per week) is to fulfill duties of work plan for Our Local Food 2012 for the Southeast region, with the overall goal of nurturing relationships between producers and buyers of local food, assisting them in increasing sales, and generating awareness among consumers to increase local foods demand.

Work Location: Home-based within Southeast Chapter region with occasional travel to meeting and event sites within the chapter region. The successful candidate will be expected to provide his/her own computer with internet, mobile telephone for communication, and be a licensed and insured Kansas driver with access to an automobile. The work hours are flexible with the exception of events.

How to apply: Submit cover letter, resume, three writing samples and three references no later than 5:00 pm, Friday, February 24, 2012 to ourlocalfood@gmail.com. KRC expects to hold interviews and make a hiring decision by March 5, 2012.

Summary of Work to be Contracted:

• Establish steering and partner committees; hold regular meetings to design and accomplish regional work plans; work with committee members to leverage volunteer contributions
• Execute regional media and publicity plan for chapter, in conjunction with steering and partner committees
• Promote Our Local Food program at community and regional events
• Provide marketing consultations to at least 2 specialty crop producers, 2 farm members, 3 food business members within chapter
• Visit member farms, markets and businesses. Develop profiles; assign to interns as needed. Distribute with e-news. Identify farms and businesses for profiles illustrating tip sheet topic success stories; write profiles for chapter materials and newsletters
• Plan and conduct regional networking workshop focused on local food purchasing relationships, based on survey
• Plan and conduct regional “meet and greet” networking sessions throughout the year for food producers and buyers
• Contribute content to chapter website, newsletters, other communications as needed and assigned
• Maintain chapter member database
• Announce chapter intern positions, accept applications, interview and select interns; manage in execution of desired work plans
• Distribute banners, brochures and printed toolkit items to member farms, markets, businesses
• Oversee maintenance of chapter social media sites
• Other responsibilities as assigned

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Preferred:

• Excellent written and interpersonal communications skills
• Knowledge of small family farming practices and challenges
• Understanding of and passion for sustainable and ecological small farming practices
• Passion for and experience with local food and/or restaurant - food business
• Events planning skills
• Ability to manage people, especially volunteers, effectively for results

Credentials and Experience Preferred:

• Job experience performing related activities to those required in this position
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, liberal arts or related field
• Farming experience and/or education in agriculture and or food/health/nutrition

Thank you for your interest in working with us to grow our local and regional food and farming system in Kansas. Click here to learn more about the Our Local Food Program our program activities for 2012.

The Kansas Rural Center is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that has worked since 1979 to strengthen independent family farms and rural communities by promoting sustainable farming methods and a strong regional food systems.