Company description

REAP Food Group connects producers, consumers, and businesses to grow a healthful, just, and sustainable local food system in Southern Wisconsin. REAP believes in good food, grown well, available to all. Pioneers in the local and sustainable food movement, REAP’s initiatives include Farm to School activities in the Madison Metropolitan School District; Southern Wisconsin Buy Fresh Buy Local, a certification program for restaurants and institutions; and the Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas, a consumer guide to local food.

Job description

Join a team that is passionate about creating a just, local and sustainable food system in Southern Wisconsin. REAP Food Group, a non-profit organization based in Madison, WI, believes that increasing access of local and sustainably grown food by all residents strengthens our regional economy, improves health outcomes of all and builds deep connections between our rural and urban neighbors.

The Farm to Business Director will provide strategic direction, management and implementation of REAP’s Farm to Business initiatives including 1) development of a Farm to Hospital initiative with area healthcare facilities, 2) coordination of a pilot vegetable processing project in 2019 for several institutional buyers, and 3) cultivation of the Buy Fresh Buy Local program, a restaurant and institutions partnership program committed to supporting a just, sustainable, local food system.

The ideal candidate will be excited to work in a positive, mission-based non-profit culture where we work hard as a team, laugh often and have each other’s backs.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead strategic oversight and goals for Farm to Business initiatives;
• Partner with Farm to School staff on procurement efforts;
• Build our initiative with area healthcare facilities to establish sustainable purchasing policies and increase procurement and promotion of local and sustainably grown foods;
• Coordinate a pilot processing project to provide minimally-processed local and sustainably grown foods to healthcare and school institutional buyers;
• Direct the Buy Fresh, Buy Local Program. This includes leading strategic development of the program, recruitment and renewal of partners, collection and evaluation of purchasing data and marketing and support of partners.
• Hire, manage and guide program assistants and interns;
• Identify funding opportunities, work with Executive Director to write and submit grants, and oversee grant reporting requirements. Participate in REAP’s fundraising activities;
• Represent REAP on relevant coalitions and committees.

Required Professional and Personal Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree – or equivalent training and experience – in food science, agriculture, food studies, or related field;
• Demonstrated experience with program development and management.
• Dedication and enthusiasm for building collaborative partnerships;
• Entrepreneurial, with a creative drive to solve problems and identify and fill gaps.
• Excellent self-direction, organization and follow through;
• Strong quantitative skills to evaluate program effectiveness.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, this is a program built on good relationships with farmers and buyers.

Desired Professional and Personal Qualifications

• Experience with farms and food producers that directly serve the Madison area;
• Experience with food safety, food processing, and/or institutional food production;
• Knowledge of local food procurement, school food procurement, and the farm to institution movement;
• Familiarity with farms and food producers that directly serve the Madison area;
• MBA or demonstrated experience with business strategy development.

Appointment Type: This is a full-time appointment reporting to the Executive Director. Salary $42,000 – $45,000, commensurate with experience and includes a comprehensive benefits package (health and dental insurance, 401(k) and paid time off). Depending on experience, we will consider less than full-time proposals.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $42,000.00 - $45,000.00

Application instructions

Deadline

July 22, 2018