POSITION TITLE: Southwest Regional Food Business Center State Coordinator

REPORTS TO: Director of Resilient Food Systems

FLSA CLASSIFICATION: Exempt

PREPARED DATE: October 2023 (revised April 2024)

POSITION PURPOSE

This role is designed to coordinate and successfully implement a grant that supports the development of a brand new Southwest Regional Food Business Center, which includes 4 states (CA, UT, NV and AZ) which report to the lead Center, UCANR (CA Coop Ext). Each state has State Leads, which include one government agency, one university, and one private sector partner. In Arizona, Local First is the team lead, with support from UA and AZDA, and as such, LFA manages most reporting, finances and budgeting, visioning, communications and strategies.

The role of the SWRFBC State Coordinator is to

- Coordinate the strategy and work of the three State Leads

- Liaise between the state and the Center for shaping, reporting and tracking the work

- Liaise between LFA’s food team and subcontractors and ensure subcontractors are meeting expectations

- Liaise between LFA’s food marketing team and the State Leads

Below are key responsibilities:

Administrative and organizational:

· Oversee budget to support annual team activities, in collaboration with Center staff and update/refine in years 2-5.

· Ensure subcontractors are “onboarded”, including scopes of work and signed contracts that are loaded into the paying institutional system, and that stipends/travel are paid and within budget

· Ensure LFA, UA and AZDA teams are properly reporting to meet Center’s expectations and timelines.

· Aggregate reports from LFA subcontractors into one quarterly report for Center

Coordination (65%):

· Establish meeting schedules and reporting/updating frequently with team members.

· Set agendas, record minutes, and hold regular meetings (in-person and online) with LFA, UA and AZDA.

· Organize training for any communication/reporting platforms state leads may choose to

implement.

· Develop (coordinate development of) an annual plan of work for the state team.

· Report this plan of work for the state team to the Center for tracking.

· Lead and/or facilitate state team engagement with relevant theme teams that will address stakeholder needs for technical assistance and capacity building.

· Ensure evaluation and assessment tools are used by team members and other stakeholders when developing and carrying out programming in the state, and that the results from evaluations and assessments are transmitted to the evaluation team lead and Center.

Marketing and outreach (20%):

· Based on the team workplan, develop an outreach proposal for each activity and

initiative, which includes liaising between Local First, UA and AZDA marketing teams for consistency of message, materials, timing, etc.

· Work with LFA marketing coordinator to develop and implement marketing materials that align with Center formatting and style and ensure Center is aware of all plans and outcomes.

· Coordinate outreach with state partners to reach relevant print, online and social channels.

· Help Center Website lead develop a state page and keep the website up to date with AZ state activities and team member profiles. Identify statewide partners and create a plan for coordination of efforts, outreach, marketing, delivery of technical assistance and grant and loan applications

· Track and report impact of outreach and ensure Arizona’s contact list is growing and updated regularly.

Events and partnerships (15%):

· Based on the team's workplan, help coordinate training and networking events for stakeholders (in person and online).

· In coordination with the Center, plan and execute one regional convening in the state during the five-year agreement.

· Assist in identifying and arranging travel opportunities for state team members to attend relevant in-state and out-of-state training and networking events as budgeting allows.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

● 2 year’s experience in Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems Management, Food Security, Local Food Initiatives, Community Outreach, or related fields

● 3 years of working knowledge of sustainable food systems and Indigenous food cultures

● Familiarity with state and federal policies and USDA, NRCS, and FSA programs affecting tribal food systems, agriculture, and natural resources

● Bachelor's degree or work experience equivalent

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

● Understanding of grant funding and execution

● Understanding Arizona’s food production and Indigenous agricultural processes, as well as familiarity with Indigenous and heritage foods

● General familiarity with food policies, both active and proposed, strongly preferred

● Ability to effectively manage multiple programs at a time while meeting a variety of deadlines

● Ability to work independently and with team members

● Reliable transportation/willingness to travel statewide 2-3 times/week / occasionally overnight (costs covered by LFA)

● A creative thinker who is able to work in different communities, assessing and adapting to different community and local business needs and desires

● Excellent verbal and written communication skills

● Strong attention to detail

● Self-motivated and driven to create healthy food systems and increase food security

● Highly organized

● Demonstrated ability to conduct oneself in a calm and professional demeanor when dealing with the public and/or with difficult situations

● Willingness to adjust hours to accommodate the needs of the job

● Ability to work productively in an unstructured environment with frequent interruptions

● Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite, Wrike, and Zoom.

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Type: Full-time

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• Day shift

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• policy or strategic planning: 3 years (Preferred)
• land use or food system development: 3 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Driver's License (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Phoenix, AZ 85004: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Phoenix, AZ 85004