Overview

Massachusetts Farm to School (massfarmtoschool.org), a fiscally sponsored project of TSNE (tsne.org) was founded in 2004 as a grassroots initiative to increase access to healthy, locally-grown food in schools and other institutions across the state. Our mission is to strengthen local farms and fisheries and promote healthy communities by increasing local food purchasing and education at schools. We believe that all students - regardless of race, place, or class - deserve access to local foods and food education in school.

Massachusetts Farm to School works in the following ways to impact local food procurement, promotion, and education in institutions across the state. 1) We provide training and technical assistance to school food service professionals, farmers and fishermen, distributors, educators, and other advocates; 2) We coordinate local food outreach and promotion through our Harvest of the Month campaign; 3) We facilitate networking of farm to school practitioners; and 4) We provide leadership to advance policies that support expanded farm to school activity.

Responsibilities

Mass. Farm to School is seeking a Supply Chain Coordinator to support the successful implementation of a new federally funded program called Local Food for Schools. The Supply Chain Coordinator will work closely with the Mass. Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to ensure that schools effectively utilize new, federal funds to increase their purchasing of locally grown foods, with a focus on procurement from producers that have historically been excluded from these programs including BIPOC and women-owned farms. The job will include extensive outreach to schools, producers, and food hubs, planning and implementing a variety of group training opportunities, and providing individualized technical assistance to schools.

The successful candidate will have strong communication skills and a demonstrated understanding of the local food system and school meal programs. They should be a self-starter with the ability to work both independently and as a core member of an all-remote team.

This temporary position is 30 hours per week for approximately 18 months with an anticipated end date of June 2024. The pay range for this position is $33-$35/hr. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and encourage you to apply as soon as possible with a preferred start date in early January.

Essential Job Functions

Technical Assistance

• Facilitate trainings for school nutrition staff about the Local Food for Schools opportunity
• Work with schools to develop individualized purchasing plans for their local foods funding allocation, including providing strategic guidance on how to allocate their different funding streams to maximize local purchasing.
• Provide direct connections to farmers and food hubs to source the school’s preferred products.
• Support schools in developing compliant procurement solicitations (i.e. request for quotes) to secure local foods.
• Provide individualized support and facilitate group trainings for farmers and producers interested in school sales, including training on successfully responding to solicitations from schools
• Maintain ongoing communication with regional food hubs to share their service areas and product offerings with school customers.
• Facilitate connections between food hubs and interested school customers
• Support food hubs in responding to solicitations from schools
• Outreach & Communications
• Work with Communications team to support social media outreach and promotion efforts for the program
• Work closely with partner organizations such as the MA Buy Local organizations and School Nutrition Association (SNA) of Mass to ensure their stakeholders are connected to the LFS program
• Develop content for training and outreach materials related to the program including for e-newsletters and the website

Administrative Support

• Support the program evaluation team as needed, including with data collection
• Support Co-Directors in grant reporting as needed
• Provide administrative support to the program and communications staff, including database management

Qualifications

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• Commitment to the mission, vision, and values of Massachusetts Farm to School
• At least 2 years of work or volunteer experience in a non-profit or other professional setting
• Knowledge of the Massachusetts local food system
• Demonstrated commitment to advancing equity within the local food system. You apply an equity lens to all of your efforts and uphold inclusive practices in your work.
• Strong understanding of school meal program operations, including procurement practices
• Comfortable making “cold calls” to engage a wide audience and persistence in communicating with very busy stakeholders
• You like using spreadsheets and digging into data
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively with program staff
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides)

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described here are representative of those for this position. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Work is performed in an office environment and in close proximity to other workers.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is required to:

• Handle, or feel objects, tools or controls;
• Reach; traverse; sit (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend; and position self (to) move;
• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds;
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate;
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards;
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight;
• Environmental and work hazards are not present to a measurable degree.

Regarding COVID-19: TSNE considers the health and safety of our employees of the utmost importance, and due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and subject to your state and local laws, our policy requires that all employees performing in-person work at a TSNE designated office are fully vaccinated. For the purpose of this policy, fully vaccinated indicates that you have received a single dose of the Janssen vaccine, or both doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. Certain exemptions may be requested and will be considered by Human Resources.

Compensation and Benefits

Location: Work will be primarily performed remote in Massachusetts. 

Compensation: The starting salary for this position is $33.00 - $35.00 / hour and is commensurate with experience.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): 12 paid holidays, 3 weeks vacation, 1 week personal holiday, and sick time for full-time staff;
• 80% Employer-paid, $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim;
• Low-cost MetLife Dental and Vision;
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care;
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance;
• Employer-paid Pension through TIAA;
• ...and more!

TSNE/Massachusettts Farm to School strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/Massachusetts Farm toSchool prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/Massachusetts Farm to School celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/Massachusetts Farm to School EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.