Southern Arizona Resilient Foodways Program Manager - Tucson, United States - Local First Arizona

Local First Arizona

Verified Company

Tucson, United States

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Mark Lane

beBee recruiter

Description

POSITION TITLE:
Resilient Foodways Program Manager for Southern

AZ

REPORTS TO:
Director of Resilient Food Systems

FLSA CLASSIFICATION:
Exempt

PREPARED DATE:
October 2023 (revised April 2024)

POSITION PURPOSE

This position aims to build the capacity of Arizona's small-scale farmers and food producers and strengthen Arizona's local food economy.

Leveraging Good Food Finder as a central database and resource hub, this position will provide tools and connections for small, specialty crop producers and tribal farmers to increase crop yields, while encouraging food entrepreneurs and purveyors to source local, desert-adapted ingredients and increase production rates.

The goal is to build a resilient food system that ultimately increases self-reliance and food sovereignty in Arizona's communities while improving food access.

This position is primarily focused on developing the southern Arizona food system while also maintaining statewide perspective for advancing opportunities for southern Arizona producers.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position supports Local First Arizona's food systems work in growing sustainable food programs and implementing comprehensive support for small and Indigenous farmers.

This includes encouraging and organizing business-to-business interaction; supporting markets for selling locally grown desert-adapted foods; communications and community outreach; and planning and executing food system-focused convenings.

Responsibilities:

Strategy, Collaboration & Farm Growth (65%):

Develop and facilitate programming that strengthens Arizona's food system while

creating a healthier, more equitable food culture statewide, including chefs and

restaurants.

Facilitate existing grant and contract agreements as needed that may include rural

and/or urban focus groups, roundtable discussions, and workshops/webinars to build

healthier food systems across rural and urban communities state-wide.

Assist in data collection and grant reporting, as needed, for existing and future grants

and contract agreements.

Establish and implement inclusive strategies that enhance the strength of community

partners/resources across Tribal and non-tribal farmers.

Cultivate and nurture rural, Tribal, and statewide partnerships and ensure Local First

Arizona operates collaboratively and cooperatively with supporting initiatives and

stakeholders at all times.

Understand nonprofit funding and can identify partnerships, grants, sponsorships, and other creative ways to generate funding while occasionally participating in grant writing or funding proposals to support Local First Arizona and/or its partners.
Support food producerfacing content development, marketing, and PR strategies in conjunction with overarching Local First Arizona approaches. Help advance the presence of the Good Food Finder online directory while increasing awareness and support for the statewide food systems community. With Good Food Finder's program manager, recommend content for newsletters that rotates topics addressing issues met within rural, urban, and Indigenous local food production and distribution.
Consult with smallscale and Tribal food producers as needed to assist them with resources to grow their food production and marketing opportunities. This could mean sharing existing Local First resources, bringing in other farmers or Tribal producers to share best practices, or identifying new markets for them to sell.
Work with partnering organizations, such as AZ Food Systems Network, Pinnacle Prevention, Arizona Food Bank Network, and Partnership with Native Americans, in promoting and developing the ongoing Tribal Food Sovereignty series and work.

Climate Smart - Desert Adapted Food Market Development (25%)

Strengthen partnerships with Tucson City of Gastronomy chefs to create desert food recipes to share with consumers through Good Food Finder, the media, and partnering organizations.
Identify culinary events, places, and culinary schools that can spotlight the use of climateadapted crops and engage with chefs and purveyors.
Coordinate inrestaurant experiences with cooking demonstrations and competitions that feature farmers, purveyors, and chefs.
Identification of local personalities/spokespeople/chefs/purveyors who can help advocate and spread awareness of climatefriendly food choices.
Partner with the Local First marketing team to get stories featured in media and through social media.
Integrate climateadapted crops into various events that focus on curated and hyper

- local desert food across Tucson and Phoenix, including Devour Culinary Classic, Devour the World, Savor Southern Arizona, Good Food Forum and Expo, Agave Festival and more.

Expand the inventory of Arizona growers, food artisans, valueadded product producers, markets, restaurants, and microenterprises that want to participate and develop a branded, online presence on the Good Food Finder directory
Facil