Job Description

OVERVIEW

The FarmLink Coordinator works to advance farmland access in Northeast Illinois as part of the Foundation’s Northeast Illinois FarmLink program.

The FarmLink Coordinator’s primary job goals are to connect farmers and farmland owners in the region and improve their ability to create mutually beneficial land tenure arrangements, whether that be a lease, purchase, or a creative partnership. This is done through administering and marketing the Northeast Illinois FarmLink website (www.illinoisfarmlink.org), advising farmers and farmland owners on their land access searches, organizing education events, generating communications for our FarmLink network, and matchmaking landowners and farmers. Through the Northeast Illinois FarmLink program, we seek to advance local sustainable/organic/regenerative farming in the greater Chicago area and beyond for the benefit of people, communities, wildlife, and the planet.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Market, manage, and improve the Northeast Illinois FarmLink website.

• Provide advice to farmers and farmland owners related to their land access searches

• Market and help organize educational workshops, programs, and networking gatherings for farmers & farmland owners (including website registration)

• Help farmers and landowners connect directly

• Partner with other organizations in existing work and in new initiatives

SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, PERSONAL QUALITIES

•Required: A minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent work experience)

• Required: Knowledge & interest in farming, especially sustainable farming (experience strongly preferred)

• Familiarity and comfort with websites, social media, Google ecosystem, and other digital communication tools

• Strong communicator in written and spoken word

• Friendly and relationship-oriented with strong service ethic

• Organized and detail-oriented • Able to present, teach, and explain in clear ways for diverse audiences

• Self-directed and autonomous while also being good team player

• Interest in real estate strongly welcomed

• Passionate about moving our food system towards sustainable/regenerative agriculture that is good for farmers, communities, the land, and food consumers

• Aptitude for marketing and building interest in topics and events

• Strong learning orientation

• Other skills and knowledge related to farming and farming infrastructure welcome

BENEFITS

• This is a part-time, grant-funded position with a pay rate in the range of $18-$22/hour, based on experience and qualifications.

• Weekly hours to average 25 hours with a flexible schedule to be mutually agreed on with the Director of Conservation and Working Lands.

• FarmLink Coordinator must have own vehicle for travel purposes.

• The position’s working location is a hybrid model – the majority of working hours can be carried out remotely with attendance required for in-person meetings at the Foundation office or other locations when needed.

• Benefits include: (1) One week of paid vacation and paid observed holidays, (2)  Expense reimbursement for all work travel (travel to workshops, meeting with farmers and farmland owners, and conferences is required at times), and (3) Continuing education opportunities

• The USDA grant funding that partially funds this position will expire at the end of August 2022. We will be seeking renewal of that grant.

BACKGROUND

The Liberty Prairie Foundation is a 501c(3) private operating foundation located in Grayslake, Illinois. The Foundation is headquartered at the 94-acre certified organic Prairie Crossing Farm, a working organic farm that the Foundation owns and manages. The Prairie Crossing Farm is nestled inside the Prairie Crossing conservation community (www.prairiecrossing.com). A valued legacy of its common origins with the Prairie Crossing conservation community, the Foundation is fundamentally concerned with enabling human communities and nature to thrive together locally in ways that inspire and educate others far more widely. Because agriculture is the human activity where people have the most ongoing impact and interaction with nature, the Foundation focuses its programmatic work on promoting sustainable agriculture.

How to Apply

Please send qualifications/resume and cover letter to Nathan Aaberg at [email protected] or: Nathan Aaberg, Liberty Prairie Foundation, 32400 Harris Road, Grayslake, IL 60030

Job Categories: Sustainable Agriculture / Food. Job Types: Part-Time. Salaries: 20,000 - 40,000.

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