Hiring: Director of Agriculture – City Green

Who are we:

City Green is a 501c(3) urban farming and gardening organization based in Clifton, NJ working to revitalize urban areas through agriculture and educational programming. It offers practical, technical and financial resources in support of environmental stewardship, equitable access to healthy food, and ecologically sustainable communities.

The Mission of the City Green Farm operation is to demonstrate sustainable and organic urban food production; increase access to local farm-fresh food; and provide meaningful job and volunteer opportunities in an agricultural setting. Through interaction with the farm operation individuals create a connection to their food; value the importance of open space; gain an appreciation for local agriculture in their own community and understand the role sustainable farming practices play in a healthy eco-system.

The City Green Farm Stand and Mobile Market program aims to connect with local governments and community organizations in northern NJ to provide increased access to, and affordability of local, farm-fresh food ensuring good food is available for all. The markets are enhanced by a Double Value Coupon program that incentivizes federal food beneficiaries to purchase healthy food grown by City Green and other local farms.

About the Vegetable Operation:

Home Site:

City Green currently manages 2 acres of intensive vegetable production for its mobile markets and community outreach outlets at its signature farm site in the city of Clifton, New Jersey.  The market gardens are currently managed using a combination of mechanical tools and hand dug beds.  There is a compact tractor and fleet of small implements that fit our intensive scale, as well as a large library of hand tools and lots of volunteers to use them!  The fields have been in vegetable and perennial fruit production since 2010, when the land was acquired.  There is also a half-acre permaculture garden that was installed two years ago that will be under the management of the Director of Farm Operations.

12-acre site:

City Green has newly acquired a 12-acre parcel of land that has the potential to dramatically increase our production capacity.  This farm is located at a satellite location about 40 minutes from the home site.  Given the high demand at City Green’s markets,

this is an amazing opportunity to be able to start a larger production farm for our organization.  The 2018 season will be for planning and start-up of growing at this site, building a solid foundation for full production in 2019 and beyond.

About the Position:

Join the talented and dynamic leadership team at City Green as the new Director of Agriculture.  Responsibilities for this position include crop production planning and management, staff supervision, managing volunteer and visitor experiences in the fields, greenhouse production for the fields and for community gardens and an opportunity to design and implement a plan to increase production at our new 12-acre farm site.  The Director of Agriculture will work closely with the team of directors at City Green, and report directly to the Executive Director.  The position is full time, year-round with a seasonally variable work schedule.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Oversee the production of organic crops at our intensive market-garden site
• Supervise, recruit and manage seasonal farm staff
• Manage all greenhouse production and operations
• Create and maintain operational budget for farm operations
• Plan, manage and participate in planting, cultivation, irrigation, and harvesting
• Manage and care for a fleet of tractors, trucks & equipment; basic mechanic skills required
• Work closely and cooperatively with the team at City Green to support organization-wide projects in our horticulture, education, special events, community outreach and fundraising departments
• Direct special projects including fencing, irrigation, carpentry and other capital projects
• Help train seasonal staff in safety regarding use of equipment, facilities and food production
• Manage volunteer groups, both large and small in the fields and involve volunteers in all aspects of the farm operations, when possible and appropriate
• Train high school and college interns in all aspects of crop production
• Create and implement a plan to utilize the 12-acre, off-site parcel, including building a budget and staffing plan
• Organize and oversee all aspects of vegetable distribution, including markets, restaurant sales and produce donations
• Maintain a clean and organized farm, as farm beauty is a high priority at the Home Site Farm
• Prioritize land stewardship with the City Green team of the Home farm site and 12-acre off-site parcel
• Other duties as required

Desired Qualifications:

• A minimum of four years of full season vegetable crop production experience and a minimum of two years of mid-level management or above.
• Commitment to sustainable farming practices
• Knowledge of advanced small-scale agricultural production and greenhouse propagation
• Expertise with farm equipment and machinery
• Experience with farm budgeting, crop planning and soil fertility planning
• Highly motivated with the ability to train and work with a diverse group of people in a farm operation setting
• Strong leadership, organizational, collaborative and time management skills
• Demonstrated ability in labor management
• Attention to detail and desire to prioritize farm aesthetics is important
• A good attitude, strong written and verbal communication skills, willingness to be flexible, and a commitment to achieving the goals of City Green are required
• Enjoy working with people and a commitment to building community and maintaining partnerships
• The ability to be self-motivated and to work independently with minimum supervision
• Be willing and eager to learn new skills in order to meet the broad range of tasks that will be assigned to the position
• This position requires a valid driver’s license.

Hours, Salary & Benefits

• Competitive salary, commensurate upon experience.
• Generous paid vacation, sick and personal time
• Health Insurance Reimbursement.
• Vegetables!

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their resume and cover letter and references to: Meryl LaTronica, meryl.latronica@gmail.com