Project GROWS (PG) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational farm with a  mission is to improve the overall health of children, youth, and families in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County, Virginia by connecting our community to nutritious food through 1) hands-on, garden-based education and 2) increased access to healthy local food.

The Project GROWS (PG) farm stewards soil life to support a healthy ecosystem that yields nutrient-dense and accessible food as well as beautiful, engaging natural spaces that promote self-discovery and joy. The farm is situated on a 10-acre parcel of land in the rolling hills of Augusta County where we grow over 15,000 pounds of mixed vegetables and perennial fruit annually. A portion of our produce is donated or used in educational programs and the remaining is sold in order to sustain our programming. PG’s produce is sold through our mobile market program (multiple sites) and through wholesale arrangements with local public schools, afterschool programs, community food access initiatives, and restaurants/catering businesses.

Through partnerships with local agencies, schools, and afterschool programs, PG’s educational programs serve area youth each year on food programs including field trips, summer camps, school garden projects, cooking programs, farm to school tastings, and online education lessons and videos.

As part of PGs’ Food Access programming, we operate and manage multiple farmers market locations in the Staunton, Waynesboro, and the Augusta County community including the Waynesboro Farmers Market, the PG Farm Stand, and the PG Mobile Market.

Our farmers markets seek to improve food security, individual and family health, and the overall local food economy by connecting local producers to the community and the community to nourishing foods. We partner with local, state, and federal nutrition assistance programs (Virginia Fresh Match, SNAP, WIC, Senior FMNP) to make our markets financially accessible to customers of all income levels. In addition, we  operate a mobile farmers market program to reduce transportation barriers to communities with limited access to affordable nutritious foods.

The Marketing and Communications Specialist will work across all areas of Project GROWS to develop and implement impactful marketing strategies that will tell the story of our mission, increase engagement with our programs, and effectively communicate with our community. The ideal candidate will have experience in overseeing various forms and combinations of digital and print content creation and management and have a strong, self-motivated work ethic. It is essential that this candidate has a desire to work collaboratively with others to help tell the story of our interwoven program areas of our organization (food education, food access, and food production). The Marketing and Communications Specialist is directly responsible for the following: 

Marketing and Social Media (50%)

• Write, design, schedule and disseminate e-newsletters and social media posts, coordinating with appropriate team members as needed; maintain platforms and stay up to date on the latest capabilities and trends (currently using Facebook, Instagram, and Mailchimp)
• Coordinate projects outsourced to graphic design and public relations consultants to ensure that project goals are met
• Develop marketing campaign in collaboration with food access team to increase engagement at our farmers market locations
• Write and disseminate press releases for major events and announcements
• Attend PG events to take pictures for social media posts as needed

Content Management (25%)

• Responsible for reviewing and maintaining content updates on all PG media platforms
• Oversee photo storage and organization (Flickr)
• Assist with editing and finalizing publications including the annual Impact Report
• Oversee integration and implementation of new branding guidelines and logo into all existing current marketing materials and platforms
• Assist with writing, editing, and reviewing copy for media kit and sponsor-related prospectus

Strategy (15%)

• Develop strategy with leadership team for marketing fundraisers, programs, and events
• Provide insight and recommendations on modern marketing strategies (e.g., digital retargeting, A/B campaigns, etc.)
• Use data from communication platforms (email, social media, website, etc.) to inform next steps; create data reports and share analysis from platforms
• Recommend strategy on how to increase social media presence, tailor content to audience and partners, and leverage PG content across all channels

Other Responsibilities (10%)

• Respond to all incoming emails and messages from the public in a timely manner; coordinate with appropriate team member to design or delegate a reply; and follow up to close communication loop
• Attend regular check-in meetings with supervisor; attend bi-weekly all staff meetings and other program meetings as needed
• Represent PG at conferences, meetings, and networking events as needed
• Participate in other programs and farm work as needed in order to build integration and collaboration across our diverse programs and teams

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Passionate about storytelling and sharing our impact in the community through professional, beautiful, and eye-catching visuals and engaging narrative
• Excellent writer and editor with an extreme attention to detail as well as skills in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Minimum 2 years experience in marketing and communications
• Experience in project management (develop timelines, ensure adherence to deadlines, ability to manage multiple projects at once)
• Well-organized with ability to work independently as well as collaborate on a team
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills including a strong work ethic and positive attitude, collaboration, receptiveness to feedback, and conflict management
• Strong knowledge of Google Workspace (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Hangouts, etc.) and marketing platforms required (Facebook, Instagram, Mailchimp, Canva, etc.) 
• A desire to continue to learn and grow as a person and as a professional. Continuous personal and professional development is encouraged and supported at Project GROWS 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Background in non-profit marketing or marketing for organizations/companies with complex missions
• Experience in graphic design
• Photography and/or photojournalism skills 
• Fluency in Spanish and/or written Spanish translation a plus
• Familiarity with WordPress

OTHER REQUIREMENTS 

• Because our farm is located in an area without access to reliable public transportation, we recommend that applicants with access to a vehicle apply. In addition, a valid driver’s license is required to fulfill job duties as is a clean driving record, for insurance purposes. 
• Criminal, child protective service, and state police background checks will be required for final applicants
• Compliance with random drug screening

This is a year-round, 30 hr/week paid position starting at $18-$20/hr, depending on experience. Benefits include paid time off (plus the week between December 24-January 1), health insurance, share of farm produce, and the opportunity to work with an engaged and supportive team. This position may require occasional weekend and/or evening work during the growing season and for special events. Additionally, partial teleworking options are negotiable.