Company description

Food Works Group (FWG) is a woman-owned food systems consultancy that helps regional food organizations and businesses be more impactful and sustainable. We are a small but mighty and growing team of 8 individuals across the US. Our work focuses on four buckets to support regional food systems: food access, food businesses, food systems, and food investments. We work with a broad range of clients, from individual farms to food system networks and from small nonprofits to large public-private partnerships. FWG focuses on systems-level and infrastructure issues, and we advise clients on business planning and development, as well as project feasibility, need, best practices, and evaluation. For descriptions of FWG’s recent projects, please have a look at our website.

FWG’s work runs the gamut from research-heavy to more implementation-focused. Much of our recent work has focused on food security and access as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but we also do work related to economic and workforce development through food and farming enterprises, regenerative agriculture, food system infrastructure, food hubs, and network creation. We love to think outside the box, address root causes, and foster change that will lead to a more just, sustainable, resilient, healthful, and delicious food system.

Our team has witnessed the fast-paced evolution of regional food systems in recent years. And our depth of experience as operators in the food space, combined with our proven ability to guide clients through dynamic, effective planning for mission success, set us apart from other firms.

FWG is committed to uncovering and disrupting the tenets of white supremacy that underpin our food system. We recognize the multiple, intersectional barriers that prevent Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) farmers, food vendors, and food system leaders from achieving their full potential, and we strive to identify, address, and work to eliminate these barriers whenever possible. We recognize that access to economic opportunity, health, and mainstream social capital often fall along racial lines. We work to elevate the voices of marginalized communities through thoughtful, informed engagement.

Job description

WHO WE ARE

We are a dynamic team that values each individual’s skills, interests, and needs. Our dream teammate is kind, passionate about food (whether eating, growing, cooking, moving, processing, or selling it), experienced in on-the-ground food systems work, and committed to doing good work.

WHO YOU ARE

We are looking for an associate to plug into our existing and upcoming projects. If you like work that rarely looks the same from one day to the next, that requires creative thinking and adaptability, and that balances ownership and independence with a supportive team, this role could be for you. If you are looking for predictability and ready-made, plug-and-play frameworks and toolkits, this role is not for you. There is no hard and fast list, but here are some of our desired qualifications:

• Experience as an operator in one or more food facilities, e.g., food banks, food hubs, processing facilities, commercial kitchens. We welcome a broad range of operator experience in food facilities

• Excellent research, analysis, and/or writing skills
• Self-possessed, quick thinking, and has agency to lead projects and represent the company when interfacing with clients and partners
• Organized and thorough — things rarely fall through the cracks
• Innovative, visionary approach to solving problems
• Applies creativity in advancing concepts into actionable strategies
• Able to meet client deadlines 100% of the time (with grace for the realities of life)
• Offers a warm, kind, positive, and collaborative approach
• Curious about and committed to the work
• Proficiency in Google workspace, Excel, Powerpoint, Canva (or other design platforms) and other software packages

Additional qualifications that are plus include:

• Fluency or strong conversational skills in non-English languages, e.g., Spanish
• Established network of thought partners in the food space and adjacent arenas
• Experience with federal and state grants, including grant-writing, implementation, reporting, and monitoring and evaluation
• Data management and analysis skills, e.g., GIS mapping, advanced proficiency with spreadsheets
• DEI training and background
• Graphic design experience

WHAT YOU’LL DO

FWG’s work is project-based. Typically, FWG team members work on a handful of projects at a time. Most projects have a Project Lead and Project Support with a FWG Partner in an advisory role. As an associate, you will support existing and prospective projects. Your day-to-day work can involve activities such as stakeholder interviews, facilitation, online research, data gathering and analysis, work plan management, and client meetings. Our projects often result in deliverables or outputs like feasibility studies, landscape analyses, business plans, or project implementation toolkits. You can expect to spend half your time working independently and half your time working collaboratively with FWG’s team and partners readily available for input, collaborative work, and feedback.

LOCATION AND SCHEDULE

This role is entirely remote and FWG has team members spanning the US. You will attend virtual meetings with the FWG team and with clients and work collaboratively with the FWG team, but otherwise we allow and support very flexible schedules. You will be able to set your own work hours day-to-day and manage your own time out of office, while being mindful to schedule around client meetings. There is occasional travel for on-site client work and retreats.

POSITION DETAILS

As a team-member of FWG, we are looking for individuals who are committed to being part of the team

• Our projects range from a few months to up to five years. We are looking for a long-term commitment; you must be able to commit for the duration of a shorter project or, for longer projects, the project phase where your work is mission critical.
• You cannot be engaged with another firm concurrently or independently consulting in our subject areas during your time with FWG.
• A one-year non-compete agreement with current FWG clients is required.

COMPENSATION

• Hourly 1099 contract position. Weekly time commitment is flexible, but FWG team members average 25-30 hours/week to start
• Starting at $30 per hour/$60,000 annual FT, possibility to be substantially higher based on experience
• Profit-sharing when earnings allow

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $30.00 - $45.00

Location

job can be done remotely

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline