Company description

Thimbleberry Collaborative Farm (TCF) is a nonprofit, educational farm located in Boring, Oregon (about 45 min outside of Portland, Oregon). Our mission is to advance individual, community, and environmental health in East Multnomah County by providing access to healthy, local produce; access to land; educational programs; and community-led events. In 2024 we provided over 9,400 lbs of produce to our local community, at no cost to recipients. About half of this produce was used for a farm-to-table meal delivery program, in collaboration with Milk Crate Kitchen and Wallace, and the other half was donated to food pantries. We also served over 670 community members through our educational programs, which include K-12 field trips with local schools and co-hosted community workshops, all offered on a sliding scale fee system. Our educational programs focus on growing and cooking with seasonal produce, and on the social, environmental, and health impacts of our food system, and what we can do to improve it.

Job description

TCF is seeking an Acting Executive Director to fill in for our Executive Director when she is out on maternity leave from April through July 2025. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in nonprofit management, excellent organizational skills, and a passion for food access and farm-based education work. As a small organization, we often have “all hands on deck” projects and events at the farm. Therefore, the Acting Executive Director will support the Farm Operations Manager, Education Programs Manager, and Development Manager with their departments’ activities, as well. This position will report to TCF’s Board President, Laura Beving.

TCF’s Values:

• TCF is a community-focused organization that brings people together around food and farming, in a collaborative learning environment.
• TCF strives to create a sense of belonging and a welcoming, respectful, inclusive, and safe environment for everyone at the farm.
• TCF is committed to humility, learning and growth in order to best serve our community.
• TCF aims to help create a regenerative and equitable food system that is good for people and good for the planet.
• TCF believes joy and fun contribute to the sustainability of our organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• Team Management
  • Lead weekly manager meetings and host monthly 1:1s with managers (weekly with Development Manager).
  • Present updates at board meetings once every six weeks and host bi-monthly 1:1s with board members.
  • Provide coverage for absent staff.
  • Recruit, onboard, and train new staff as needed.
  • Facilitate equity and food systems education for staff and board.
  • Assist in data collection, program evaluation, and goal setting.
• Administrative Tasks
  • Payroll: Run biweekly payroll via OnPay.
    Bookkeeping and Accounting: Use Quickbooks to record transactions, reconcile accounts, and prepare monthly financial reports for the Board.
  • Financial Management: Update cash flow forecast, manage budget with staff, and make financial decisions with the board.
  • Compliance: Renew insurance policies and ensure compliance with federal and local laws.
• Development Support
  • Collaborate with Development and Grant Managers on grant strategy, budgets, and application edits.
  • Support the Development Manager and Ambassador Board in planning and executing the Earth Month campaign (April), the Mid-Summer Soirée (July), the Harvest Celebration (September) and other small fundraisers.
  • Cultivate and maintain relationships with donors, community partners, and supporters via outreach, events, and farm tours.
  • Ensure accurate donor information and reporting via our CRM (Givebutter).
• Education Programs Support
  • Ensure that the Education Programs Manager has adequate support for all field trips, workshops, farmers market days, and other educational activities.
  • Assist in coordinating with partner organizations to co-host workshops.
• Farm Operations Support
  • Ensure that the Farm Operations Manager has adequate support with growing, harvesting, and delivering produce throughout the growing season.
  • Support the Farm Operations Manager in managing our farm-to-table partnership with Wallace Medical Concern and Milk Crate Kitchen, including related grant management.
• Other:
  • Plan and coordinate the Summer Series of family-friendly events at the farm (likely one movie screening, one comedy show, and one live music event, each with potlucks involved). Tentatively scheduled for July 26, August 23, and September 27.
  • Oversee the driveway installation project.
  • Perform other related duties as needed to support TCF’s mission.

Ideal Skills and Qualifications:

• • • Minimum 3 years of nonprofit management experience.
    • Understanding of nonprofit governance, board relations, and stakeholder management.
    • Familiarity with nonprofit financials, including budgeting, financial reporting, and fundraising.
      Experience with using Quickbooks for nonprofit bookkeeping/ accounting.
    • Demonstrated track record of successful fundraising and program development.
    • Excellent leadership and communication skills.
    • Strong decision-making skills and the ability to manage a wide range of tasks and priorities.
    • Ability to solve problems and resolve interpersonal conflicts effectively.
    • Exceptional attention to detail and organization skills.
    • Knowledge of food systems, regenerative agriculture, and food access/security issues.
    • Demonstrated commitment to:
      • Advancing all forms of social justice, especially food justice
      • Responsible environmental stewardship
      • Working with a diverse team to serve a multicultural community
    • Must be legally eligible to work in the United States.

Opportunities Associated With this Job:

• Work with a small team of passionate nonprofit professionals in a fun, energetic start-up environment!
• Strike a balance between working from home and working at our beautiful, 5-acre farm with plenty of produce to take home, and charismatic chickens to visit.

Time Requirements: 20 hrs per week, late March through early August 2025. Average of one weekend day per month to assist with volunteer days, workshops and events both on and off farm.

Work Model: Hybrid; ideally 2-3 days per week at the farm. Which days of the week are spent at the farm can be flexible but should accommodate the team’s needs. The only consistently required day at the farm is Tuesday for staff lunch and the weekly managers meeting.

Benefits: Stipend for healthcare provided, plus 1.25 PTO days per month.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, varies DOE, $35.00 - $50.00

Application instructions

Deadline

March 07, 2025