Company description

Dreaming Out Loud’s mission is to create economic opportunities for the DC metro region’s marginalized communities through building a healthy, equitable food system. We are rebuilding urban, community-based food systems through cooperative social enterprise: increasing access to healthy food, improving community health, supporting entrepreneurs and cooperatives from low-income communities, and creating opportunities for at-risk residents to earn sustainable, family-supporting wages and build wealth. We believe that all communities deserve equal access to fresh, healthy food choices, but that achieving this requires moving beyond the “access” paradigm to a focus on community self-determination and food sovereignty. Utilizing the food system as a catalyst, we are working to create an integrated pipeline to jobs, economic opportunity, and community wealth-building for our most marginalized communities.

Job description

The DREAM Program is a food and agriculture business incubator designed to support entrepreneurs in developing and scaling their ventures. The program provides education, mentorship, resources, and business opportunities to help participants navigate the food industry successfully.

Dreaming Out Loud Technical Assistance services are provided to new/small food and agriculture businesses looking to grow, entrepreneurs with grant or funding needs, businesses pursuing economic sustainability, and entities looking to expand their impact on the local food ecosystem.

The Specialist of Technical Assistance (Food Enterprise) at Dreaming Out Loud Inc. (DOL) ensures the successful implementation and evaluation of our technical assistance services to DREAM program participants and our farming partners in the DC metropolitan region. This role plays a critical part in the collaborative efforts across programs and teams to deliver tailored support to value-added food, beverage, and agriculture business. The Specialist manages data for program evaluation, participates in strategic planning and community engagement, and has a deep knowledge of the local agricultural and food entrepreneur landscape.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Assistance and Program Support

• Oversee Dreaming Out Loud’s Technical Assistance (TA) services, involving the DREAM Program, and including Farmer TA initiative
• Act as a coach and mentor to DREAM program participants through relationship building, identifying business growth opportunities, and connecting them with the resources.
• Identify and address technical assistance implementation issues, leveraging internal and external stakeholders for support.
• Develop a realistic and clear implementation framework and establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to effectively deploy and measure the success of various TA approaches.
• Maintain updated, organized, and accurate information about the status of technical assistance supports.

Data Management

• Develop data systems and reports to ensure TA goals are being met. 
• Participate in strategic and operational planning, advising on programmatic priorities and strategies to achieve annual goals with a focus on data and research on TA successes, challenges, and needs.
• Work with the DREAM Program manager to develop and implement comprehensive data systems to support long-term program evaluation, ensuring accurate data collection, analysis, and reporting to assess program impact and drive continuous improvement.
• Monitor program compliance with federal and local government requirements related to Dreaming Out Loud's program funding.
• Prepare proposals and progress reports and facilitate program evaluation activities.

Program Operations

• Develop and pursue TA goals, ensuring alignment with organizational strategic goals.
• Collaborate with other team members to develop and consolidate resources. 
• Stay informed on existing and emerging topics and the relevant political landscape.
• Work in collaboration with various team members and external stakeholders to carry out special projects as needed.

Required Skills and Experience

• 3+ years of relevant experience (program management, data evaluation, delivering technical assistance and/or other related experience)
• Strong understanding of agriculture and local food businesses. Understanding of the DC metro region’s agriculture and food landscape preferred.
• Knowledge and/or ability to learn about the regional food safety requirements, business licensing procedures, and DC government entities such as the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) and the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD).
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with all stakeholders and meaningfully engage with the community.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills.
• Experience using software and tools to manage data and complete program reports.
• Excellent organizational, planning, and time management skills.
• Skilled in inquiring, assessing, and interpreting programs and systems.
• Proven track record of working independently to achieve key results.
• Passion for social justice, equity, and working with marginalized communities.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, or a related field preferred but not required.

Benefits

• Generous Paid Time Off
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Monthly Cell Phone Stipend
• Flexible Spending Accounts for Transit, Parking, and Healthcare
• Transit Assistance through SmartBenefits
• Automatic salary increases with tenure milestones
• 401(k) match up to 5%
• 100% Employer Sponsored Life Insurance
• 100% Employer Sponsored Short and Long-Term Disability
• Occasional and circumstantial work from home

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $58,350.00 - $63,650.00

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline