Position Title: Network Engagement Manager

Organization: Artisan Grain Collaborative

Reports to: Executive Director

Employment Status: Full time, exempt (with consideration of 0.75 FTE)

Location: Remotely anywhere in the Midwest, with some travel expected

Salary: $50,000-55,000 for full-time, commensurate with experience

Anticipated Start Date: December 1

About Artisan Grain Collaborative

AGC is a Midwest-based network of farmers, millers, maltsters, bakers, chefs, food manufacturers, brewers, distillers, researchers, and advocates. AGC envisions a thriving and equitable Midwest staple crops economy that stewards our landscapes and ecosystems, strengthens connections between rural and urban communities, and ensures regional food security. Our mission is to create a diverse regional grainshed built upon regenerative agriculture practices that steward the health of communities, local economies, and natural resources. We do this by facilitating network development between grain value chain stakeholders to advance relationships, connections, and solve supply chain and other barriers; creating resources to advance regional grainshed development; and providing educational tools for eaters and drinkers about why staple crops are a critical component of local and regional food systems, healthy economies, and a sustainable environment. Our network seeks to advance an anti-racist regional agriculture where all people have opportunities to engage in a food system that cares deeply for the land and everyone who relies on it. www.graincollaborative.com 

The Artisan Grain Collaborative is a project of Global Philanthropy Partnership (GPP), an Illinois 501(c)3 non-profit. www.global-philanthrophy.org 

Position Description: AGC seeks a Network Engagement Manager to create and execute a cohesive strategy for AGC member engagement and network building. The Network Engagement Manager will be pivotal to the communication between and coordination of five Working Groups that are integral to carrying out AGC’s mission. This position will work together with a small team of part-time AGC staff and consultants in addition to AGC members and will be AGC’s second full-time staff. This position is funded in part by a USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP) grant and will work closely with the Farmer Mentorship Program Manager at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and related staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This is a full-time, exempt grant-funded position with an anticipated start date of December 1. Candidates requesting 0.75 FTE will be considered, and the start date is somewhat flexible based on the needs of the candidate and AGC internal timing. The Network Engagement Manager will report directly to AGC’s Executive Director. This role is a remote position and may be based in any location in the Midwest with quarterly travel to southwest Wisconsin required, pending organizational COVID-19 travel limitations. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Co-develop and implement an AGC member engagement strategy and onboarding process for regular relationship building and communication with AGC members and other value chain stakeholders in the region
• Organize and facilitate networking and learning events for value chain stakeholders to develop relationships and support new partnership opportunities, and share their collective expertise with one another
• Work one-on-one with farmers and food-businesses, providing technical assistance to ease business opportunities across the value chain (e.g. identifying distributors and co-packers, troubleshooting food safety or labeling issues)
• Support five AGC Working Group Coordinators in connecting with new members, developing tracking systems, writing funding proposals, and other needs related to convening Working Groups
• Assemble and submit grant requests including letters, proposals, budgets, and presentations
• Work closely with Michael Fields Agricultural Insitute’s Farmer Mentorship Program Manager and related staff in the planning, launch, and execution of the food-grade grains mentorship program

Additional Responsibilities:

• Participate in AGC Communications Team meetings
• Data and content management
• Complete organizational and project reporting and tracking activities

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated experience hosting, facilitating, network weaving, and relationship and community building in remote/virtual settings
• Demonstrated ability to understand, communicate, interact, and build trust with people across different experiences and backgrounds
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for a variety of formats and settings (e.g., email, phone calls, text messages, website, newsletters, social media, in-person gatherings)
• Demonstrated project management experience including process development; organized and detail-oriented
• Commitment to racial and social equity
• Flexible, able to adapt, willing to learn alongside our growing network; eager learner
• Familiarity with Google Workspace (Docs, Sheets, Slides), Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), and Zoom; experience with design software a plus (e.g. Photoshop, Canva)
• Knowledge and/or interest in value chain coordination, regional food system development, working with farms, food businesses, and/or food systems 
• Must have a valid driver’s license and ability to travel up to 20% for in-person gatherings, meetings, and conferences, pending organizational COVID-19 travel limitations 

Benefits and Compensation

Annual salary of $50,000 to $55,000 for full-time, depending on the experience and interests of the individual hired. The position also includes flexible paid vacation/sick days, paid holidays, flexible working hours, and access to GPP health care plan or stipend in lieu of health care plan.

To Apply

Interested applicants can apply by filling out this screening form.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the application deadline set at Friday, October 29th by 5:00pm Central Standard Time.

The Artisan Grain Collaborative is a project of Global Philanthropy Partnership (GPP), a 501(c)3 non-profit. This position will be an at-will employee of GPP.

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GPP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. GPP is committed to equal treatment of all employees without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, veteran status, physical or mental disability or other basis protected by law. Reasonable accommodation will be made so that applicants with disabilities may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of needs at the time of application.

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The Artisan Grain Collaborative is committed to supporting a healthy and inclusive working environment. This includes building a diverse staff and advancing equity and inclusion goals throughout our network.