Job Vacancies
Community Urban Farmer - Parental Leave
Are you passionate about transforming our food systems? Do you have horticultural and volunteer / small group supervision experience? Join Sustain as Community Urban Farmer and be part of our small team of food system changemakers!
Applications close 3rd September, 11.59 pm.
To apply: Send your CV and a cover letter explaining your motivations to work for Sustain in this role and addressing how you meet the key selection criteria, to Jemma Stefanou, Community Farmer, [email protected]
OBJECTIVES OF THIS ROLE
The Community Farmer (parental leave position) will support the ongoing development of Sustain’s Urban Farm Network. This Network comprises the three sites for which Sustain is responsible, namely the Oakhill Food Justice Farm in Preston, the Melbourne Food Hub urban farm site in Alphington, and the Bundoora Park farm site.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Responsibilities include the following functions, but not limited to:
- Running and supervising gardening/farming volunteer group sessions across 2 sites (Oakhill + Bundoora) such as planting, harvesting, irrigation, pest control, composting, site maintenance and development
- Corporate Volunteering Program support and facilitation (facilitating group sessions on our farm sites, sharing administration tasks, organising catering, OH&S responsibilities, inventory, stakeholder communications)
- Running workshops and events as needed, such as Oakhill’s 3rd Birthday Party
- Participation in program planning, development and implementation
- Co-facilitating youth food justice internships and First Nations food justice internships
- Support volunteers to have a sense of shared ownership of the space and have an enjoyable, participatory and meaningful experience whilst on site
- Support the recruitment, induction and other administration of volunteers
- Ensure that all visitors and volunteers have adequate training and are familiar with sustainable and regenerative edible gardening principles and values, as well as hygiene and OHS standards
- Supporting implementation of projects and grant deliverables
- Engage in relevant data capture and recording for monitoring and evaluation, and impact measurement purposes
- Undertake other tasks as agreed and appropriate
TIME FRACTION, CONTRACT AND PLACE OF WORK
This role is advertised as a part-time (0.4 FTE), fixed term (7-month) contract, with the possibility of extension (contingent on funding).
REPORTING AND SUPPORT
The Community Farmer will report directly to the General Manager - People and Projects.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Essential skills and experience
- A sound knowledge of horticultural practices and experience, including working with Indigenous Food and Fibres and or/market gardening/farming practices
- Experience in managing diverse group dynamics with people across many cultures, genders, religions, abilities and ages
- Ability to manage physically demanding tasks and work outside for long periods in all weather conditions
- Able to deliver complex instructions in accessible ways to diverse groups of people.
- Able to prioritise different workloads and needs of people and places.
- Excellent communication skills with various communities, teams and individuals
- Well-developed organisation skills
- Understanding and commitment to facilitating a welcoming, inclusive and safe space and culture for volunteers of all abilities, cultures, genders and sexualities, and takes an antiracist and intersectional approach to their work
- A passion for empowering and educating communities through growing and sharing food
- Reasonable familiarity with IT software (standard Office, Asana, Slack, etc)
- Working with Children check
Desirable
- Demonstrated experience in adapting to seasonal needs of urban farms/natural landscapes, such as seasonal planting of crops, irrigation, soil protection, composting and natural resource management
- Ability to respond to changing working demands of a dynamic environment
- Grant-writing / grant acquittal experience
- Experience developing community relationships and/or managing community projects
- Familiarity with / experiencing working in the not-for-profit sector
- Experience with monitoring and evaluation
- Experience building tables, forms, interfaces and automations in Airtable (or similar software)
EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS
Reporting and working relationships
- This position reports directly to the General Manager and will work in collaboration with Senior Research Officer. The incumbent will develop strong, collaborative working relationships with other Sustain staff.
Staff performance and development
- Sustain staff may undertake allocated duties not specifically mentioned in their position description but within the capacity, qualifications and experience normally expected from persons occupying positions at a similar level. This provides opportunities for staff to develop new skills and expertise.
- Performance targets and expectations will be negotiated at the beginning of the contract as well as when undertaking new project responsibilities. A 6-monthly review and annual performance review will provide opportunities to monitor progress and discuss performance and development needs. Where budgets allow, staff will be supported to develop skills and knowledge relevant to the position through attendance at workshops/events and/or participation in training activities.
SALARY, BENEFITS AND CONTRACT DURATION
The salary for this role is $35.00 / hr (0.4 FTE), plus 11% superannuation and not-for-profit salary packaging options up to $15,900.
Seven-month contract, with possibility of extension subject to funding availability and satisfactory performance during probationary period.
LOCATION
Work can be done flexibly. However, our team is primarily based in Melbourne. and we would expect the successful candidate to work from our Preston office at least one day per week.