Company description The National Farm to School Network (NFSN) is an information, advocacy and networking hub for communities working to bring local food sourcing and food and agriculture education (including school gardens) into all schools and early care and education (ECE) settings. Farm to school creates opportunities for children and families to make informed food choices, while strengthening the local economy and contributing to vibrant communities. NFSN has provided vision, leadership and support at the state and national levels to connect and expand the farm to school movement since its establishment in 2007. Our network includes national staff, more than 200 Core and Supporting Partners in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. Territories, an advisory board and thousands of farm to school supporters. NFSN’s tagline “Growing Stronger Together” reinforces an organizational approach and belief that robust movement building is possible only when we work collaboratively across sectors and locations.

What we value: NFSN’s core values are centered on the vision that vibrant local and regional food systems are essential to the health of our children, farms, environment, economy and communities. We strive to build sustainable food systems to nourish children and communities of all races and ethnicities, economic standing and geographic locations. We support living wages and safe working conditions for those involved in the production, processing, packaging, distribution and serving of food. Our goal is to strengthen the national farm to school movement, while keeping intact the diversity of individual farm to school sites across the country. We operate in the spirit of inclusivity and collaboration by leveraging shared resources, ideas and strategies, and creative problem solving. NFSN stakeholders participate in democratic decision-making for our collective work and NFSN’s role implementing a collective vision.

What we've accomplished: NFSN’s focus for the last decade has been on developing a strong network of partnerships across sectors, building awareness about farm to school, and increasing activities at the state and regional levels through training, capacity building, and policy advocacy. This approach resulted in the unprecedented growth of farm to school from a handful of sites in the late 1990s to more than 42,000 schools in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and U.S. Territories – or 42% of all schools – benefiting more than 23.6 million children (United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Farm to School Census, 2015). Hosted by NFSN, the biennial National Farm to Cafeteria Conference consistently gathers close to 1,000 stakeholders from across the country and international locations for learning, networking and movement building. Since 2011, NFSN has prioritized ECE settings and Native communities as touch points for expanding our network and activities. A 2018 survey of early care and education providers conducted by NFSN indicates farm to ECE activity in 2,030 sites reaching 255,257 young children in 46 states. NFSN was instrumental in passing a Congressional Resolution in 2010 to establish October as National Farm to School Month, and in that same year in establishing the USDA Farm to School Grant program that has disbursed $25 million in federal grants in the last five years, and has institutionalized national and regional farm to school staffing within USDA.

For more information, please visit www.farmtoschool.org. NFSN is a project of Tides, the nation’s largest fiscal sponsor. Tides is a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco, CA that works with individuals, groups and funders to implement and accelerate positive social change in the nonprofit sector. For more information, please visit www.tides.org. Job description Position Summary
NFSN is seeking a dynamic, values-driven and collaborative leader as Executive Director. The Executive Director leads innovation and strategic growth toward accomplishing the mission of the organization. In partnership with the NFSN Advisory Board, Core and Supporting Partners and national staff, the Executive Director is responsible for implementation of the NFSN strategic plan through organizational programming and operations, ensuring long term financial sustainability and advancement of the farm to school movement. Responsible for shaping the vision and future direction of the organization, the Executive Director will seek opportunities for expanding partnerships and funders and for scaling up impact so that farm to school and ECE are a norm in all communities across the U.S. The ideal candidate will possess a commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, access and belonging, as demonstrated through career, educational and life experience. The position reports directly to the NFSN Advisory Board. Location is flexible (anywhere within the U.S., with preference for proximity to Washington, D.C.). Estimated start date is April 2019.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Executive Director will provide strategic leadership and direction for accomplishing current programming and operations, and will explore new opportunities for organizational growth and sustainability:

Organizational Leadership

• Articulate and promote a clear strategy and vision for farm to school and NFSN’s role in advancing the movement. 
• Set annual organizational goals to accomplish vision and guide staff, Advisory Board and Partners in navigating growth and innovation opportunities. 
• Ensure the effective implementation of NFSN’s three core functions: information services, networking opportunities, and policy advocacy for farm to school stakeholders. 
• Embed values of equity, diversity, access and belonging across policies and procedures of both organizational systems and program implementation; champion the importance and value of a diverse and inclusive environment in the farm to school movement. 
• Lead and manage the NFSN Leadership Team with a focus on creating leadership opportunities for staff, integration across teams and function areas, and addressing organizational feedback. 
• Serve as the Project Director for Tides: Ensure compliance on rules and regulations, assess potential risks related to new organizational initiatives, and take action on all notices and changes in project procedures.

Financial Oversight and Fundraising

• Review and approve organizational annual operating budget to successfully carry out organizational mission, activities, and commitment to diversity, equity, access and belonging. 
• Oversee all financial and fundraising activities to ensure long-term financial stability for NFSN; report on status of financial health and revenue planning to Advisory Board, and take proactive action with planning for cash flow or revenue gaps. 
• Maintain and cultivate relationships with existing and new funders; advise the Development Director on fundraising strategies for diversifying revenue streams; contribute to prospecting, grant writing, proposal submissions and reporting. 
• Maintain a culture of philanthropy, both for staff and Advisory Board members. 

Staff and Advisory Board Engagement

• Set the tone for appropriate work standards, ensure an equitable and healthy work environment, and foster a spirit of collaboration, trust, and team building within NFSN staff. 
• Supervise senior directors, providing clear direction through work plans and accountability measures; conduct regular communication and check-ins to problem-solve bottlenecks and plan for growth. 
• Develop and nurture a strong Advisory Board to inform and guide good decision-making for NFSN’s current and future direction. Support Advisory Board meetings and committees, and maintain frequent and regular communications. 

Partnership and Outreach

• Maintain an open line of communication with network stakeholders; listen and incorporate feedback in strategic decisions. 
• Seek out and facilitate new partnerships and collaborations to promote and strengthen NFSN’s mission. Ensure demographic and geographic diversity in the network’s partnerships and communities engaged. 
• Guide development and implementation of successful promotion and outreach strategies to raise NFSN’s profile and expand membership, including the National Farm to Cafeteria Conference, and the annual National Farm to School Month campaign. 
• Develop a public presence in the farm to school movement to represent NFSN through speaking engagements, social media, and traditional media channels. 

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Prepare for and participate in NFSN staff meetings; attend partner meetings as needed 
• Travel as needed for conducting the duties of the position and for representing NFSN 
• Complete organizational reporting as required by all staff to monitor and track progress and activities 

Education and/or Experience
Advanced degree in public health, nutrition, agriculture, nonprofit management, public administration or related fields, or five years equivalent work experience, plus;

Minimum of seven years in a senior management position, including experience with the following: 

• Program ideation and development o Policy advocacy at the local, state or federal levels 
• Fundraising and donor relationship management 
• Financial planning and budgeting 
• Staff management including performance reviews
• Interacting with and incorporating perspectives from a diverse set of stakeholders, including groups most impacted by systemic inequities, communities of color, farmer-focused organizations, school food service professionals, corporations, government agencies, and policy makers 

To view the full job description, visit: www.farmtoschool.org/employment Compensation this position is : salaried, varies DOE, $100,000.00 - $125,000.00 Location job can be done remotely Application instructions DeadlineJanuary 07, 2019