Company description

The Texas Center for Local Food hires people who are committed to creating local, sustainable and equitable food systems. We provide education, research, and technical assistance to create regional food systems in Texas that support prosperous family farms, healthy Texans, and vibrant rural economies. We know that passion alone isn't sufficient; so if you've got the skills, we'd love to hear from you.

Job description

The Texas Center for Local Food (TCLF) created Beyond Fresh Online, a series of online courses to increase Texas specialty crop farmers’ economic opportunity through. Self-paced courses are easily accessible on the existing and well-established online peer-to-peer training platform TXFED.org that farmers can access remotely on their own time on any device.

The project aims to enroll 200 producers in the training, including beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, and create or maintain 50 small businesses and 50 jobs.

This project is funded by the Texas Department of Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

This temporary part-time marketing position offers a unique opportunity for individuals looking to gain hands-on experience in the dynamic field of marketing, specifically within the context of promoting sustainable food systems and supporting local agriculture in Texas.

This position is part-time remote, 20-30 hours weekly with a flexible schedule from June 1st, 2024 until September 30th, 2024. Texas residency is required.

Activities and Responsibilities

Working closely with the TXFED.org Coordinator, the Marketing Specialist will:

• Establish partnerships and collaborations to promote Beyond Fresh Online courses within target communities.
• Identify and reach out to community groups and initiatives across Texas, including community gardens, homestead groups, farmers markets, and agricultural organizations to reach the goal of 200 enrolled students.
• Attend relevant events to network and advocate TXFED.org learning opportunities.
• Develop compelling graphic designs and messaging for outreach materials, including social media posts, email newsletters, and promotional flyers.
• Collaborate with the TCLF team to create engaging content that resonates with farmers.
• Encourage and support equity and inclusion in outreach including historically disadvantaged producers and food business owners.
• Strategize ways to expand the reach of Beyond Fresh Online courses to target audiences, including farmers, gardeners, and local food processors.
• Utilize digital marketing tools and platforms to maximize visibility and engagement.
• Analyze marketing metrics and adjust strategies accordingly to optimize performance.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for targeted advertising campaigns and analyze campaign performance to optimize results.

Additional activities and responsibilities include:

• Present and store resource materials in a well-organized format to ensure they are easily usable by others.
• Work cooperatively with clients, funders, and the project team to continuously improve services.
• Participate in TCLF staff meetings weekly and project team meetings at least monthly.
• Use effective verbal communication to present information accurately and clearly.
• Be a positive role model and support the missions of TCLF.
• Follow all policies and procedures of the Texas Center for Local Food.
• Other related assignments as necessary

Skills, knowledge, and talents required

• Pursuing or holding a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field or equivalent experience (internship opportunities available for current students)..
• Demonstrated experience in marketing, outreach, or community engagement.
• At least one (1) year experience in local food production, farmers market organizing, or local food business operations.
• Proficiency in graphic design software and social media platforms.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Well-organized and able to work independently to the delight of customers.
• Passion for sustainable, equitable agriculture and local food systems.
• Demonstrated awareness of the social, political, and economic context that has led to inequity in service to some farmers, particularly farmers of color.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Ability to discover and learn new things. Problem solver.
• Action oriented. Patient, humble, personable, and yet firm. Coachable, lifelong learner.
• Strong customer service orientation; affable.

Skills and knowledge preferred:

• Speak and write Spanish fluently.
• More than two (2) years experience with food, farming, agriculture or related fields.
• At least 1-year personal work to dismantle racism.
• Intermediate level skills using social media Facebook, Instagram, etc.

The Texas Center for Local Food is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, political orientation, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and veterans to apply.

Work location: Remote in Texas

Salary range for this part-time, 20-30 hours/week temporary position is $25 hourly with potential raise to $30. This position is grant funded until September 30th, 2024. Employment is contingent on sufficient funding.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Location

job can be done remotely

Application instructions

Deadline

June 03, 2024