Company description

City Slicker Farms increases wellness and builds community through equitable access to healthy food, thriving gardens, and urban green space. Based in West Oakland and working all over the East Bay, we partner with people who are striving to eat and live healthier despite systemic and structural barriers, including low and fixed-income residents, people experiencing food insecurity, people with disabilities, and people of color. Since 2001, we have been working towards a more just and equitable food system where everyone is nourished and has access to healthy, high quality, and culturally celebrated food.

Job description

Position Description

The Urban Farm Manager (UFM) is in charge of running and managing the West Oakland Farm Park, including growing food for the Farm to Fridge Food Sharing Program, maintaining park facilities, and overseeing volunteers. The person who will excel in this role is farmer or gardener who loves to be outside, connect with community members, share their skills and knowledge while also being excited to learn from the community.

Duties & Responsibilities

Farming – 70%

• Practice organizationally-accepted farming, animal care, and carpentry practices at the WOFP
• Running the farm, including: creating crop plans, obtaining supplies, propagating, planting, harvesting, etc.
• Operate and maintain irrigation equipment
• Use and maintain hand and power tools
• Use and/or prepare compost, mulch, soil amendments, and soil
• Monitor and maintain tools and toolshed
• Monitor and maintain vehicle fleet
• Document and/or record pertinent data (ie, harvest quantities, program participants served, task protocols, etc.)
• Manage the Greenhouse and planting schedule
• Create and maintain program protocols
• Lead volunteer workdays, including volunteer orientations and training
• Supervise staff and contractors, as needed

Park Maintenance – 15%

• Plan, plant and maintain park, lawn and perimeter plantings
• Facilities maintenance, including: irrigation repair, fence repair, keeping site clean and well maintained.

Organizational and Cross-Program Support – 10% of time

• Assist with special events and Backyard Garden Program builds and mentor visits, as needed
• Weekly staff meetings and regular community building events with staff, Board and Community Council
• Work as a member of the CSF team to create and maintain a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accountable organizational culture

Communications & Public Relations – 5% of time

• Lead volunteer workdays, including volunteer orientations and training
• Share the story of the Farm and Farm Park through social media and other CSF channels
• Attend any community outreach, collaborative or other pertinent meetings as needed

Skills & Experience

• 3 years professional vegetable gardening or farming experience, with at least one year of leadership or management experience, preferred
• Degree in urban agriculture, sustainable agriculture or horticulture, preferred
• Good communication skills (written and oral) and leadership skills
• Organized, efficient, punctual
• Conflict resolution skills

Abilities & Attributes

• Commitment to values of social justice, inclusion and anti-racism
• Cultural competency and sensitivity in working with gardeners from diverse socioeconomic, ethnic, cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds
• Patience and respect for elders, children and youth and neurodivergent individuals
• Strong motivation to serve Oakland and greater Bay Area communities; familiarity with the area or desire to learn
• Comfortable setting boundaries
• Conscientious, hard worker, good problem solver
• Warm, people-oriented, approachable
• Comfortable in a fast-paced and changing environment
• Embraces evidence-based practices
• All candidates must undergo a background check and a TB test prior to start date to ensure that they do not have a history of convictions that could put children's health and safety at risk
• Bi-lingual would be a plus

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Must possess a valid drivers license, and is comfortable driving or learning to drive dump truck
• Experience using, or comfortable learning how to use, power tools
• Experience with basic carpentry, or learning basic carpentry skills
• Up to date on vaccinations, including Covid-19 booster and seasonal flu shot
• Ability to lift 50 pounds

Hours

This is a full time position, 40 hours per week with a Tuesday – Saturday schedule.

Compensation

$45,000 – $48,000

Benefits include medical, dental and $40 a month cell phone stipend. New staff receive 17 paid days off each year, 12 sick days and 3 paid holidays.

City Slicker Farms is an equal opportunity employer. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including bilingual and bicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $24.05 - $26.45

Application instructions

Deadline

March 01, 2022