Program Director
Farm Aid
Job Description
Deeply rooted and at a time of exciting growth, Farm Aid seeks a Program Director to provide strategic leadership and coordination, expand our engagement with partners and farmers in the farm movement, and lead Farm Aid’s work with and for farmers into the future. As an organization led by artists and with an annual food and farm festival, Farm Aid is a broad popular cultural platform, offering creative ways to celebrate farmers. The Program Director will lead program staff in connecting with farmers and grassroots organizations from a stance of empathy and listening. We seek to understand and articulate the issues, challenges and opportunities of our farm and food systems, and to leverage Farm Aid’s unique position to influence positive change. The Program Director will help build and manage a growing staff who carry out Farm Aid’s programmatic activities, including:
1. Grantmaking – to bolster grassroots farm and food organizations, support farmers directly in time of crisis and natural disasters, and to facilitate opportunities for farmer leadership (led by grant program manager to be hired);
2. Advocacy – issues and policy analysis; grassroots advocacy; and some direct lobbying in coalition with partners to advocate for fair farm policies (led by policy and advocacy manager to be hired); and
3. Farmer Services – direct service to farmers through our Hotline Program, Farmer Resource Network and the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (the latter in collaboration with other organizations) (led by Farmer Services Network Manager and Hotline Program Manager and supported by a team of four Hotline Operators).
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Program Director is a member of Farm Aid’s leadership team and collaboratively participates in organization-wide decision making and priority-setting. The Program Director is responsible for leading the vision and direction for the organization’s programs, ensuring that Farm Aid’s grantmaking, advocacy and direct services are coordinated and maximized as catalysts for social change.
Key responsibilities include:
· Participate as a leadership team member in articulating and building alignment and commitment to Farm Aid’s vision and mission and ensuring that the appropriate resources, structures and systems are in place to achieve the greatest organizational impact;
· Provide coaching, support, thought leadership and a collaborative environment for program staff, facilitating productive and effective coordination across the organization;
· Champion Farm Aid’s work and brand through stakeholder engagement, coalition building and thought leadership, identifying and advancing key opportunities for movement building and systems change in alignment with anti-racist, social, economic and environmental justice values.
1. Grantmaking – to bolster grassroots farm and food organizations, support farmers directly in time of crisis and natural disasters, and to facilitate opportunities for farmer leadership (led by grant program manager to be hired);
2. Advocacy – issues and policy analysis; grassroots advocacy; and some direct lobbying in coalition with partners to advocate for fair farm policies (led by policy and advocacy manager to be hired); and
3. Farmer Services – direct service to farmers through our Hotline Program, Farmer Resource Network and the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network (the latter in collaboration with other organizations) (led by Farmer Services Network Manager and Hotline Program Manager and supported by a team of four Hotline Operators).
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Program Director is a member of Farm Aid’s leadership team and collaboratively participates in organization-wide decision making and priority-setting. The Program Director is responsible for leading the vision and direction for the organization’s programs, ensuring that Farm Aid’s grantmaking, advocacy and direct services are coordinated and maximized as catalysts for social change.
Key responsibilities include:
· Participate as a leadership team member in articulating and building alignment and commitment to Farm Aid’s vision and mission and ensuring that the appropriate resources, structures and systems are in place to achieve the greatest organizational impact;
· Provide coaching, support, thought leadership and a collaborative environment for program staff, facilitating productive and effective coordination across the organization;
· Champion Farm Aid’s work and brand through stakeholder engagement, coalition building and thought leadership, identifying and advancing key opportunities for movement building and systems change in alignment with anti-racist, social, economic and environmental justice values.
Compensation, Hours, and Location
While Farm Aid continues to operate predominantly on a remote basis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we strongly prefer that the Program Director be able to work regularly from our Cambridge, Massachusetts, office when public health and safety guidelines allow for our office reopening in a remote-hybrid model.
Compensation is $85-95K based on experience.
Benefits include 100% health insurance premium coverage (for up to full family coverage, ranging in value of up to $30K+ annually depending on coverage); 20 days (4 weeks) of paid vacation; 10 days paid sick and excused time; 2 civic engagement days; 11 holidays (including the day after Thanksgiving) + office closure from December 24 through January 1; option to participate in company IRA, FSA and Employee Assistance plans; longevity bonus program rewarding each year of service and including a paid, twelve-week sabbatical after seven years of service; as well as an exciting work environment with smart, passionate people seeking to make change in our food and farm system.
For a full job description, including detailed responsibilities, qualifications, and how to apply, please see the Careers Page of our website: www.farmaid.org/careers