Community Engagement Specialist

ELK RUN FARM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SPECIALIST JOB DESCRIPTION

To manage and expand community relationships within Maple Valley and the surrounding

South King County vicinity for Elk Run Farm, a program of the South King County Food

Coalition that increases access to healthy food for low-income families by distributing fresh-

grown produce through its network of local food banks.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Experience Requirements:

● 2 years of community development, volunteer recruitment and management

experience

● Social media marketing

● Grant writing experience desired

Job/Skill/Fit Requirements:

● Access to a working computer

● Good written and verbal communication skills with ability to speak in front of groups

● Working knowledge of organizational tools (ie Google Drive, Microsoft Suite,

MailChimp)

● Working knowledge of social media platform management (ie Meta Business Suite,

Canva)

● Comfortable working with diverse populations of faith, ethnicity, racial and socio-

economic backgrounds

● Excellent organizational, detail oriented, and team coordination abilities

● Experience in recruiting through various channels

● Passion for the environment, growing sustainable food, and fighting hunger

● Love of interacting with and cultivating relationships in the community

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Be the external ‘face of the farm’ to the community. Interface and collaborate with local

government agencies, school districts, non-profits, and philanthropic organizations the

farm partners with or that have similar goals to Elk Run Farm.

2. Source and recruit volunteers through various techniques (databases, email, social media,

community tabling, etc.)

3. Apply for and seek out new fundraising opportunities, including applying for grants

4. Communicate with the local community through social media posts, website updates,

presentations, and newsletters

5. Coordinate teams of volunteers for large-scale volunteer events

6. Communicate frequently with volunteers to ensure they are satisfied and well-placed

7. Keep detailed records of volunteers’ information, hours, and other data for annual reporting

8. Collaborate with South King County Food Coalition member food banks for harvest

delivery

9. Work alongside Farmers to understand & support their labor & volunteer needs

10. Ensure the purpose of the organization and its actions are clearly communicated

11. Take numerous phone calls, emails, and attend local meetings

12. Lift objects weighing up to 25 pounds

About you:

● Live in Maple Valley or surrounding community. Local connection is critical.

● Outgoing. You’re going to be talking to people. A lot. Community Engagement is about

exactly that; building and sustaining authentic community relationships.

● Flexible & Self-motivated/driven. You will be setting your own schedule and may have to do

some work in the evenings and weekends, especially for events (including tabling). Though you

are part of a team, you will be working independently much of the time.

● Creative. You will be using a multitude of digital tools such as social media, graphic design, and

more. You will be thinking of unique ways to get in touch with potential volunteers and

community partners.

● Open-minded. You will be connecting community members to an organization centered around

social justice and should understand and share that frame of mind.

● Love of gardening, farming, nature and being outdoors in all weather. Respect for

nature and the broader ecosystem.

About us:

● Collaborative. We are a team-based project where all members are involved in the decision

making and planning processes. Our team works in the cloud on Google Drive.

● Invested. We are invested both in the work and in the community we serve.

● Ecological. We care deeply about the whole ecosystem at and around the farm, and we

are committed to supporting and enhancing it.

● Creative and Resourceful. We are constantly seeking new and better ways to do our work and

welcome ideas of all kinds.

● Justice led. Our mission and work are deeply rooted in community organizing and justice.

This position is part-time, non-exempt, and hourly. The schedule is flexible and hours will vary

according to the event schedule and may include some Sundays during the growing season.

Additionally, part of this job will be working with Tahoma High School students, and once hired

you will be required to pass a background check to become an ‘approved’ volunteer with the

school district.

This consists of 20 hours per week annually on average, with the understanding that farming is

a seasonal job and summer hours will be more (30 hours/week) and winter hours will be less

(10 hours/week). This is an employee position with a compensation range between $24-

$26/hour and a $175 healthcare stipend per month, as well as leave benefits.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and interviews scheduled thereafter until the

position is filled. Submit a cover letter and resume to elkrunfarm@skcfc.org with “Community Engagement Specialist” in the email subject line.