CNP Farm Manager – (Immediate Opening) in Austin, TX 78704  (St. Edwards area)

Description

Role Mission:The Child Nutrition Program (CNP) Farm Manager works to fulfill the mission of the Healthy Kids Here (HKH) initiative to make IDEA Public Schools the healthiest school district in the nation by leading campus-based farm team staff to success in farm education and production. CNP Farm Managers report to the CNP Director of Farms in all matters relating to the operation of our farms to create and implement best-in-class farm-to-school programming. CNP Farm Managers interview, hire, onboard, and coach CNP Farmers to achieve programmatic success. They also generate the resources that guide the work of CNP Farmers and CNP Assistant Farmers, from standardized operating procedures to presentations used for professional development and digital tools that support farm management. Hands-on support and expertise in fruit and vegetable production are provided by the CNP Farm Manager as needed during farm workdays, field walks, and coaching sessions. The CNP Farm Manager conducts audits and develops strategies to support the Director of Farms in ensuring the Farm Program continues to be financially and operationally viable. This role grows the program network in existing and new regions by establishing collaborative relationships with vendors and community partners. The Farm Manager also collaborates with IDEA’s many functional groups as well as external stakeholders to generate interest, philanthropy, and exposure for CNP Farms. Lastly, the Farm Manager develops and oversees the farm’s educational programming to drive results for the goals created to make College For All a reality.

Location:
The CNP Farm Manger must currently live in or be willing to relocate to Texas, within one of our existing farm regions in Austin or El Paso.

Compensation & Benefits:
Compensation for this role is set to a salaried rate ranging between $60,569 for 0 years of experience and $72,683.

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, vision, and supplemental benefits as well as retirement plans and a generous vacation package. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.

In this role, you will:

Manage CNP Farmers, including interviewing, hiring, onboarding, timesheet approvals, weekly coaching sessions, on-site support, troubleshooting, and annual staff development cycles.
Strategize with the CNP Director of Farms to continuously improve program processes, resources, and tools to benefit students and campus-based staff.
Develop and deliver training for farm team members on production strategies, educational management, efficient resource stewardship, finance & budgetary management, leadership skills, and additional topics as team needs arise.
Plan the logistics of in-person training events, farm celebrations, and support CNP Farmers in the planning of campus-based JMG ceremonies.
Ensure the success of on-farm educational initiatives by reinforcing curriculum alignment, effective classroom management strategies, and effective coordination between CNP Farmers and campus instructional teams.
Ensure CNP Farmers implement accurate data tracking on all farms including student attendance, student certifications, logging of education hours, harvests, and farm inputs.
Oversee development, review, approval and updating of yearly production plans, educational scheduling, and operational processes for each farm and ensure that they are strategically aligned to the IDEA academic calendar for a successful school year.
Conduct field walks with CNP Farmers regularly to advise next steps in crop management, including pest and disease control, fertilizer application, pruning and trellising, crop replacement, wildlife damage control, irrigation management, and mitigation of environmental stress factors to identify corrective actions needed for production goal attainment.
Develop farm SOPs, which involves the standardization of all farm production and educational operations across the district through data analysis and interpretation.
Conduct internal audits and supervise the implementation of USDA Good Agricultural Practices Food Safety Audits and Quality Operations Audits at all regional farms, ensuring that farms are always safe and equipped to provide high quality produce and educational experiences.
Ensure purchasing compliance across the program, including providing guidelines on proper procurement, overseeing the submission of requisitions and processing of purchase orders, completing budget transfers, submitting Capital Expenditure Requests, and partnering with the CNP Procurement Team to conduct formal procurement.
Establish and maintain positive working relationships with all vendors and ensure timely payment and vendor adherence to IDEA policies, and ready availability of goods and services.
Coordinate with the Advancement team to write and submit public and private grant applications, tracks grant spending and project implementation, and provides documentation for grant reporting.
Continuously seek feedback as an essential part of IDEA’s culture our culture, taking action to determine how it can best be used to improve our program and the Farm Manager role.
Travel across regions and states to perform onsite farm assessments, participate in or conduct training, and meet with lead teams, monthly or quarterly based on organization and program needs.

Required Experience and Certifications:

Education: Associate’s degree in agriculture, education, public health, or a related field (botany, horticulture, agronomy, soil science, agricultural biology, environmental science, extension education, etc.) preferred
Experience: 4+ years in horticulture/crop production; 4+ years in a leadership role
Experience working with sustainable agriculture, hydroponics, education, data analysis, and budgetary management.
Licenses or Certifications: Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule training within first 90 days of hire.

Preferred experience:

Bachelor’s degree or higher in agriculture, education, public health, or a related field (botany, horticulture, agronomy, soil science, agricultural biology, environmental science, extension education, etc.)

Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The ability to motivate, delegate, and lead a diverse team to accomplish goals across different regions
Has knowledge and understanding of local, state and federal guidelines relating to agriculture management and processes
Has knowledge and understanding of Child Nutrition Program guidelines
Knowledge of methods, materials, equipment, and processes used in small-scale sustainable and regenerative farm management
Strong mathematical skills with ability to understand and interpret data (charts, graphs, etc.)
Can follow verbal and written instructions
Ability to guide grade level teachers in afterschool gardening club and provide vegetable growing information
Demonstrate problem solving, adaptability and flexibility; can reprioritize workload due to inclement weather, schedule changes, and any other potential setback
Strong computer literacy, that includes an understanding of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
Excellent oral communication, written communication, and presentation skills
Can work independently with little direction to achieve programmatic goals
Can handle stress well to meet time sensitive deliverables
Understanding of written and verbal communication in Spanish

Team Goals:
In this role, you will be responsible for supporting the team to reach the following ambitious goals:

4 audits are completed per regional farm by June 30th

Each farm in region meets farm education hours target by June 30th
All regional farm operating budgets are 95% +/-5% expended by June 30th
All farms grow and harvest a minimum of 12 different crops to meet # pounds harvested by June 30th
Farm staff retention meets or exceeds 85% by June 30th

Physical Requirements:

Must be able to sit, stand, walk, bend or work on hands and knees for extended periods of time without being able to leave the work area.
Must be able to work in an outdoor space, walk on uneven ground, crawl, or move about on hands and knees.
Physical ability to work around small children including sitting, standing, running.
Must be able to work in indoor and outdoor environments, including in excessive heat or cold

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At IDEA we recognize that racism, bias, and privilege exist in society. We are committed to an organizational culture that promotes awareness and inclusivity for our students and staff and supports their path to positively impact our broader society. We are committed to recognizing the impact of racism and privilege, and commit as an organization to have equitable practices, policies, and structures. Visit https://ideapublicschools.org/dei/ to learn about IDEA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Anti-Racist and Anti-Bias commitment.

Learn more about IDEA

IDEA’s Core Values
Farm – IDEA Public Schools

Location:
The CNP Farm Manger must currently live in or be willing to relocate to Texas, within one of our existing farm regions in Austin or El Paso.

Compensation & Benefits:
Compensation for this role is set to a salaried rate ranging between $(min) for 0 years of experience and $(mid).

Additionally, we offer medical, dental, vision, and supplemental benefits as well as retirement plans and a generous vacation package. You can find more information about our benefits at https://ideapublicschools.org/careers/benefits/.

IDEA may offer a relocation stipend to defray the cost of moving for this role, if applicable.