Company description The Organic Agronomy Training Service (OATS) is a collaboratively managed, programmatically independent consortium of universities, NGOs, and industry representatives who envision a future where families, farms, and ecosystems are viable, healthy, and resilient. Our mission is to train agricultural professionals in the practices and principles of organic crop production so that every farmer has access to science-based agronomic support.

Our training programs focus on agricultural professionals who serve farmers on the organic spectrum, from considering, through transition, and maintaining certification. These professionals include agronomists, Certified Crop Advisors, agri-business and retail service, independent consultants, and university extension educators. We educate this audience through regionally adapted trainings across five agricultural production areas: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest East, Midwest Central, Midwest West, and Rocky Mountain West.

OATS is fiscally sponsored by the Organic Trade Association who provides non-profit oversight, financial accounting and reporting, grant administration, and general guidance. The Organic Trade Association also serves as an anchor fundraiser for OATS programming activities through its industry-invested GRO Organic Voluntary Research, Promotion, and Education Program. Job description Position Responsibilities

The Design and Communications Specialist will assist OATS organic grain agronomy training programs by providing graphic design and communications support. In close collaboration with the National Program Director, the Specialist will graphically design copy provided by the OATS team for inclusion in OATS training materials and curriculum. The Specialist will also develop and implement communications and promotional strategies and assets to market OATS programs.

Scope of Services

The Design and Communications Specialist position is a part-time contract from November 2, 2020 through December 31, 2021.

• Develop a marketing and communications plan for promoting OATS to our target audience and raising the brand awareness of the program - Q4 2020 - Q1 2021
• Design and implement a promotional campaign and assets for the OATS podcast - Q4 2020
• Design and implement a promotional campaign and assets for the hybrid course - Q2 & Q3 2021
• Design and implement a promotional campaign and assets for OATS’ online services (resources directory, directory of agricultural professionals, etc) - Q4 2020
• Provide graphic design support for OATS training materials - Ongoing
• Attend regular team meetings and periodic project specific meetings - Ongoing

Qualifications

Required

• Excellent graphic design and layout skills
• Experience creating marketing and promotional campaigns
• Ability to communicate complex information in an engaging way
• Proficiency with the following technical platforms: Zoom, Microsoft Word and PowerPoint, Google Suite including Docs, Sheet, Gmail, and Calendar

Preferred

• Experience providing services to agriculture industry clients
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing organic agriculture
• Understanding of OATS target audience of agricultural professionals and network

Specifications

• 13-month part-time contract running November 2, 2020 to December 31, 2021, with possible renewal subject to quality of work product and funding
• Approximate 300 hour time commitment
• Reports to the National Program Director
• Contractor to provide own office space, computer, phone, internet, equipment, supplies, and graphic design programs
• Legal status to work in the U.S.
• No travel required

 
Proposal Review Process

OATS is committed to a thorough and objective review of all qualifying proposals. All submitted proposals will be reviewed and ranked by a hiring committee composed of the National Program Director and members of the OATS Steering Committee. A short list of candidates will be invited to interview by Zoom the week of September 28, 2020. The full Steering Committee will review the hiring committee’s recommendation and make the final hiring decision by October 5, 2020. These dates are approximate and subject to change if needed. Consideration will be given to the following criteria, which are not necessarily exhaustive:

1. Qualifications and experience
2. Quality and timeliness of the proposal
3. Fee structure of the bid

OATS has multiple Requests for Proposals open concurrently. Contractors are eligible and encouraged to submit a proposal for multiple positions and will receive full consideration for each so long as the scopes of work can be completed as proposed. No penalty will be applied for submitting proposals to multiple open positions.

Compensation this position is : contract Location job can be done remotely Application instructions DeadlineSeptember 27, 2020