[Sust-mar] Project Coordinator, f/t, Back To Our Roots Urban Farm, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

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JOB POSTING

Position: Project Coordinator
Organization: Back To Our Roots Urban Farm
Location: Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

April 2015

Project Coordinator
Job Description

Job Posting

Back to Our Roots Urban Farm (BTOR) is a brand new urban farm in Dartmouth Nova Scotia, at the Nova Scotia Hospital which services patients/clients of the Addictions & Mental Health Program, and their loved ones, for the Provincial Health Authority (Halifax Area, Eastern Shore, West Hants). It is a community farm as a piece of health infrastructure. This farm is a seed now, and we are looking for a strong but gentle leader to grow it into a strong community asset. This farm mimics the Common Roots Urban Farm in Halifax, and has full access to all the organizational core documents of theirs to adapt to BTOR. There are multiple parts of the garden: the community garden, the market garden, and commons.

We are looking for an energetic and competent person to take the lead developing the farm this first year. This means starting the community garden section through laying out, building the first 20 plots, finding community members to fill them, allocating them and getting that going; finding a shed and getting it filled with tools; siting elements as per the design; connecting and working with the therapeutic staff at the Nova Scotia Hospital to identify patient and program opportunities to develop the market garden and commons areas of the farm. The position includes partnership and program development, including grant writing.

The farm is still in its formation phase; this will be a dynamic and challenging work opportunity. The successful candidate needs to be organized, motivated, passionate, a good convenor and garden creator. This is a demanding role with many unanswered questions and some guidance in the form of a new Steering Committee. We need some flexible, fun and hardworking person with social, organizational, and landscaping skills.

Position will be supervised by the Steering Committee of BToR which meets monthly. The direct supervisor will be Shauna Blundon, supported by Jayme Melrose of CRUF. This is a contract position managed by Brian Rankine.

Start date: May 11, 2015

End date: December 15, 2015

Compensation: $1600 every two weeks, for 36 weeks. ($28,800)

Continuity: Potential for contract renewal dependant upon securing funding and goal satisfaction.

Goals
• To begin the BTOR Urban Farm in its physical form, as per the final design, within our budget, with as much grace, joy and inspiration as possible.
• Creation of a healthy culture of joyful fun, safe, creative, and collaborative working together.
• Development of core organizational structures for governance, administration, and communication.
• To get a nucleus of Plotters to start the community garden.
• To cultivate a nucleus of Market Garden, and explore which groups could farm what produce, for what markets. Deliverable: Business Model Canvas.
• To pilot a Host program.
• To install a nucleus of commons areas.

Duties Include
• Initiate a branding process to develop an identity including a logo, facebook page, twitter account, website, letterhead, etc.
• Create a file-sharing and communications mechanism, including a Weekly Update system.
• Siting and guiding the building of farm elements including beds, pathways, compost and shed.
• Guiding, empowering, and supporting people - staff, patients, and community members in building the farm.
• Assist the Evaluation Working Group in developing an evaluation plan including keeping detailed records as per the CRUF evaluation plan.
• Research a feasibility study for the market garden. Creation of a Business Model Canvas for the Market Garden built on exploring many options for labour, product, and market for produce.
• Development of a financial accounting and reporting system.
• Assist with social media photographic and written content.

Required Skills and Experience
• Four summers working full time in farm, community farm, or public garden environments.
• Minimum two successful years at a post-secondary institution. Must have confident clear communication skills in written, mathematical, and professional.
• Minimum two years working in a leadership role.
• Self-motivated, organized, very willing to ask questions, develop and implement systems.
• Deeply interested in urban farms, community farms, and community food systems including researching governance and funding models.
• Willing and able to work outside for many hours in various weather conditions.
• GoogleDrive and MS Office efficient.
• Own vehicle an asset.

Workplan Timeline

Monthly Schedule

May:
• Orientation to CRUF & NSH.
• Assist plowing and cover cropping.
• Development of Plot system.
• Develop core organizational structures.

June:
• Install first plots, and shed.
• Develop first market garden block.
• Create the Weekly Update.
• Develop core organizational structures.

July:
• Develop the Host program with volunteer services: begin intake.
• Explore market garden potential.

August: (The month NS is on vacation)
• Make plans with NSCC.
• Plant crops for fall harvest.
• Build compost system.

September:
• Engage new NSCC students.
• Engage with the community.
• Work with Steering Committee to develop funds for 2016.

October: 
• Order mulch, cover crop empty areas.
• Keep growing greens for late harvests.
• Install a few season extension elements.

November:
• Gathering all the data, putting it into reports.
• Putting the farm to bed for the winter.

December:
• Submit all documents. Make workplan for 2016.

To Apply:

Apply by 4:00pm Sunday April 27th. Email a cover letter and resume (including contact information for two references) to Jayme Melrose at:
commonroots at partnersforcare.ca

Call (902) 441-4288 with any questions.

Back to Our Roots Roots Urban Farm is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from traditionally under-represented groups such as women, visible minorities, First Nations, and persons with disabilities.

We thank all applicants for their time and interest, but only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

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Posting ID: 29705

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