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URL to article: http://www.farmpolicy.com/?p=741

15.     Communications Director - Organic Farming Research Foundation.
Santa Cruz, CA

Background
The Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF), based in Santa Cruz, CA,
is recruiting a Communications Director. OFRF's mission is the
improvement and widespread adoption of organic farming systems. OFRF's
staff and farmer-led board value the social and environmental benefits
to society that organic farming contributes, thus OFRF works to secure
and sustain the livelihood of organic farm families and individuals. To
achieve this mission, OFRF sponsors and conducts research, education,
outreach, and analysis on organic farming systems, and promotes federal-
and state-level policies that support organic farming.

The Communications Director is a newly created professional position
reporting to the Executive Director. The Communications Director will
supervise OFRF's Communications Project Manager and work closely and
collaboratively with the Deputy Executive Director and with other OFRF
program staff and Board committee members. The Communications Director
will also provide organizational and technical leadership for OFRF to
achieve OFRF's strategic communications objectives, as follows:

- Meet the growing demand for organic farming systems research and
practical information

- Create a better-informed public and policy community on organic
farming issues.   

- Provide information to other organizations who work on organic farming
issues.

- Raise awareness about OFRF's programs among strategic audiences.

Professional Duties
The Communication Director will bring high-quality writing and editing
skills to OFRF, the highest priority for this position. Working in
partnership with program staff, and coordinating a portfolio of external
consultants, the Communications Director will manage OFRF's
communications processes and products. This means that the
Communications Director will perform the following principal duties:

- Develop, implement, and manage a comprehensive communication plan that
includes public relations strategies and tactics for the various program
activities of OFRF.

- Direct OFRF's Communications Program including the supervision of
other staff whose primary role is the production of specialized
information products related to OFRF-supported research.

- Develop and implement an on-going assessment of OFRF's information
products and processes.

- Design, edit, and contribute to the writing of OFRF's information
products using basic content input from program staff.

- Craft, write, and edit media messages to reach OFRF's various
audiences.

- Identify op-ed placement opportunities and write or edit the pieces
themselves.

- Develop and manage OFRF's capability to respond quickly to breaking
news items and stories

- Provide creative and technical guidance for OFRF's web and email
messaging and including changes to OFRF's intranet and external
websites' form and content.

- Maintain relationships with media professionals, arranging interviews
when such opportunities arise

- Oversee and manage OFRF's media and image archives

- Ensure that OFRF uses professionally-recognized communications
standards and best practices

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Required
- Excellent writing, editing, proofreading listening, and leadership
skills as demonstrated by professional experiences and achievements. The
writing and editing skills are a top priority and these will be
specifically evaluated during the hiring process at the interview stage.

- Knowledge of the broad field of communications gained from at least
five years of professional experience and responsibility for the design,
implementation, and management of communications strategies in the
non-profit or for-profit world

- Proven capability to effectively communicate with culturally and
economically diverse audiences particularly those involved in farming
and public policy.

- Demonstrated capability and understanding of new communications
technologies, strategies, and tactics that respond to the internal and
external needs of a medium-scale organization.

- Proven experience and skills in time management, budgeting, and
program effectiveness.

- Demonstrated ability to generate and deliver persuasive and clear
verbal and written communications in a variety of media forms and
channels.

- Ability to communicate effectively with farmers and farming advocates.


- Experience working with graphic designers, printers, and website
developers.

- Ability to meet deadlines, problem-solve, and work well with
management and consultants.

- Ability to work in a high-energy environment and manage multiple tasks
and priorities.

- University degree or recognized professional training in a field
related to communications, marketing, or a related field of expertise
and study.

Desired
- Experience in the professional world of communications related to
organic farming.

- Experience working with or for non-profit environmental or
agricultural organizations.

- Knowledge of environmental or agricultural issues and affiliated
public advocacy issues.

- Experience working collaboratively in a team environment with success.

- Demonstrated superior supervisory skills.

- Demonstrated ability to work and produce creative quality material
independently.

- Advanced proficiency with a range of computer software.

- Ability and will to work some weekends, evening, and occasionally
travel on short notice.

- Professional, friendly, and enthusiastic personality.

- Superior attention to detail.

- U.S. citizen or legal right to work in the U.S.

- Fluency in Spanish as a second language

Compensation and Benefits
Health and retirement benefits and compensation commensurate with
experience. The posted salary for this position is $55,000. This is a
full-time, exempt position located in Santa Cruz, CA.

Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit a cover letter,
resume, and writing and/or graphics design samples via email to:

Jonathon Landeck, Deputy Executive Director, [log in to unmask] by May 1,
2008.

For related inquiries, call Jonathon Landeck @ 831-426-6606.

OFRF is committed to providing equal opportunity employment
opportunities to candidates and employees without regard to race,
religion, creed, age, sex, or national origin citizenship. OFRF
encourages women and minorities to apply for employment opportunities
with our organization.



16.     Wallace Research Intern - Arlington, VA


 

Effective with the release of this position announcement, Winrock
International will be recruiting applicants for an internship with the
Wallace Center.  The responsibilities, duties and qualifications are
described in the attached position description.   



GENERAL:

Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people
in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged,
increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources. Winrock
matches innovative approaches in agriculture, natural resources
management, clean energy, and leadership development with the unique
needs of its partners.  By linking local individuals and communities
with new ideas and technology, Winrock is increasing long-term
productivity, equity, and responsible resource management to benefit the
poor and disadvantaged of the world.

 

The Wallace Center at Winrock International has been a key organization
in fostering a more sustainable food and agricultural system in the U.S.
since 1983. During this time it has employed research, policy analysis
and education in order to drive change that benefits farmers, urban and
rural communities, our natural resources and the health of our citizens.
Today, the Center continues to provide leadership to further the
development of sustainable and equitable agriculture and food systems
through national and regional program design and implementation, policy
analysis, research and technical assistance. Current focus is on
developing market-based solutions that link a larger number people and
communities to healthy and sustainably produced food that supports a
viable farm community, development of capacity among non-profits to
facilitate enterprise development, building capacity for community-based
food systems and expanding marketing channels to link urban and rural
communities. In support of this work, the Center hosts national
conferences and convenes regional working groups and networks.

SALARY: Winrock is able to offer a stipend to cover living expenses.

APPLICATIONS: Applicants should send current resume and cover letter
(maximum of 2 pages total) referencing HRM/Wallace-Intern by May 2, 2008
to:  [log in to unmask] 


POSITION DESCRIPTION


POSITION TITLE:           Intern

Location:                          Arlington, VA

UNIT:                         Wallace Center 

REPORTS TO:          Director, Wallace Center 

 

BACKGROUND:

The Wallace Center currently leads a collaborative effort of nearly 20
farmers' market leaders and practitioners from around the country. This
geographically and organizationally diverse group is actively engaged in
the development of resources that benefit direct-marketing farmers and
farmers' market managers. In 2007 this consensus effort produced a pair
of handbooks that use plain language and abundant photography to help
farmers and market managers succeed and an ongoing series of regional
farmers' market conferences for market managers and direct-marketing
farmers.  

 

The Wallace Center will continue its collaborative development of
resources with a Risk Mitigation Tool-Kit for direct-marketing farmers
that will include information on liability insurance, food safety,
marketing and crop insurance.    The Wallace Center is also researching
case studies on successful direct-marketing entrepreneurs who have used
farmers' markets to scale up their agricultural enterprises.  

 

POSITION SUMMARY:

The intern would assist with research and collecting of materials for
the Risk Mitigation Tool-Kit and the case study series.  This would
include constructing a document library of currently available materials
developed by farmers' markets at a local, state and regional level
across the country for review and evaluation.  This will involve
contacting and networking with state organizations, regional market
networks and local market managers.  In addition to building the
document library, the intern will assist with the research for the case
study interviews and writing.  Finally the intern would assist with some
data entry for a 2007 farmers' market survey that was conducted by the
Wallace Center as part of the first year of the project.   


QUALIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND:


*
Fast and accurate research skills.  Research will include Internet,
phone calls, in-person interviews and possibly library and on-line
database sources.

*
Excellent writing skills, including ability to distill large amounts of
information into concise memos.

*
Organization skills, including ability to catalogue and store large
numbers of files accurately.  

*
Interest in farmers' markets, sustainable agriculture/environment
issues, and/or community development demonstrated by undergraduate or
graduate study.

*
Must not require sponsorship to work in the U.S.

END

 

 

Vicki Morrone

Organic Vegetable and Crop Outreach Specialist

Michigan State University

C.S. Mott Group for Sustainable Food Systems

303 Natural Resources Bldg.

East Lansing, MI 48824

517-353-3542

517-282-3557 (cell)

517-353-3834 (fax)

For information on organic agriculture production please visit:
http://www.MichiganOrganic.msu.edu/

P Please consider the environment before printing this email

 

 


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