Hiring: Incubator Farm Manager – New Entry
The Incubator Farm Manager is responsible for providing year-round technical assistance (TA) and farm production and business training to small-scale beginning farmers, both on and off the field, on multiple aspects of farm enterprise development. Responsibilities include: managing New Entry’s 15-acre fields and incubator farm sites at the historic Moraine Farm in Beverly, MA; maintaining associated farm equipment and infrastructure; developing and implementing land management and crop production plans using USDA Certified Organic production techniques and meeting MDAR CQP Food Safety protocols; and supporting producers to achieve commercial farm goals. In 2020, New Entry also began producing 3+ acres of wholesale crops for sale through the New Entry Food Hub, farm-to-school sales, food access, and other market channels as a demonstration and revenue generation effort to support farm operations. The Incubator Farm Manager is a vital part of the farmer training team and will share the responsibility of fulfilling farmer training grant deliverables and reporting requirements.
Salary Range: $48,000 – $53,000 with full Tufts University employment benefits (health, vision, dental, retirement, and professional development)
Note: All New Entry positions are at-will, limited-term, grant-funded positions based on available funding and satisfactory performance. This position (and all New Entry roles) are currently funded through October 31, 2021, with the expectation that the position(s) will continue beyond that date.
Essential Job Functions
Incubator Farm Management (50% of effort)
• Manage New Entry’s historic Moraine Farm property, including overseeing a dozen+ incubator farmer parcels and a demonstration plot using Certified Organic production practices;
• Develop and implement land/soil management plans for remaining fields including, but not limited to, wholesale crop production, small-scale grains, and cover crops;
• Establish clear roles and expectations at the incubator farms to support the needs of multiple constituents (growers, neighbors, land owners, historic preservation interests);
• Conduct farm operations including land preparation/tillage, custom tractor work, and the use/management of greenhouse, irrigation, cooling / storage, and other farm supplies and equipment in order to maximize impact of New Entry resources;
• Maintain farm equipment and facilities, including tractors, grounds, and other tillage equipment, greenhouses, and irrigation systems in order to ensure continuity of incubator farm operations;
• Equipment upkeep, management, maintenance, and capital procurement as needed to operate the farm;
• Determine equipment and supply needs and make purchases necessary to support the work of the incubator farm and the organization as a whole;
• In conjunction with farmer training staff, coordinate, mentor, and supervise volunteers, farm interns, and work-study students in order to maximize impact;
• Network with peers and implement best practices from other incubator farm programs.
Farmer Training and Business Development (40% of effort)
• Provide hands-on instruction related to crop production methods in organic/regenerative agriculture at the incubator farms;
• Teach components of other New Entry farmer trainings and educational programs (Farm Business Planning Course, Explore Farming, Crop Production, Direct Marketing, and other advanced farmer workshops);
• Provide feedback and support on business plan development and evaluation for all students and work with students to meet the required business development standards for ongoing New Entry program participation;
• Help prepare and support business class participants interested in starting farm businesses on the incubator farm;
• Provide comprehensive individual technical assistance (TA) to beginning and advanced farmers in order to help them attain farm business planning and crop production goals;
• Support farmers in recordkeeping, USDA and Farm Bill program eligibility, and connections to external resources;
• Track farmer competency and skills development through a comprehensive case management system and data collection and tracking systems in New Entry’s cloud-based Salesforce CRM.
Grants and Data Management Support (10% of effort)
• Complete project deliverables that fall within the scope of the Incubator Farm Manager’s training and educational resource development responsibilities, and support completion of deliverables for the farmer training team;
• Submit reports for a small portfolio of grants based on each funders’ reporting guidelines in a timely manner;
• Provide input on grant proposal project narratives as needed;
• Manage technical assistance notes on each farmer via our Case Management System in Salesforce;
• Support annual farmer survey collection.
Special Requirements
• Ability to safely operate 65hp+ tractors with multiple agricultural implements;
• Ability to haul trailers loaded with heavy farm equipment and maneuver safely in and out of fields;
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including evenings and weekends;
• Comfortable working both in a collaborative office setting and independently on a farm;
• Access to reliable private transportation;
• Valid drivers’ license and clean driving record.
We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.
Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree OR experience equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural training and multiple aspects of farming;
• Agricultural training and experience in multiple aspects of farming and farm enterprise is essential;
• At least three years’ experience in providing instruction/mentorship/supervision in the areas of crop production, marketing, and business planning;
• Experience in adult education and teaching to diverse learning styles;
• Experience in regenerative agriculture, complying with Certified Organic production and record-keeping requirements, and promoting reduced tillage practices to conserve soil health;
• Ability to build relationships with early-stage beginning farmers and immigrant and refugee farmer participants;
• Friendly, personable, good sense of humor, demonstrates empathy, and ability to maintain positive relationships under pressure;
• Ability to manage large groups of volunteers;
• Highly organized and good attention to detail;
• Self-motivated, self- directed;
• Strong leadership and diplomacy skills;
• Ability to manage multiple competing tasks and work well within a rapidly-changing environment;
• Excellent customer service, organizational, and interpersonal skills;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Familiarity with federal and private grants proposals and reports, or willingness to learn.
Additional Preferred Experience and Qualifications
• Prior farm management/farm business ownership experience;
• Experience managing a certified organic farm;
• Experience managing historic working landscapes where aesthetics are important (field edges neat and tidy; clean farm; neat rows of implements);
• Experience with food safety compliance and training;
• Working knowledge of computer software (MS Office, social media, spreadsheets), and Salesforce CRM experience a plus;
• Community organizing and cross-cultural experience;
• Additional languages spoken a plus.
To apply, please apply through the Tufts HR/Jobs portal. For any questions about the position, please email Kevin Cody, Farmer Training Program Manager.
If you are interested in volunteer opportunities or available internships, please visit those pages on our website for more information.
New Entry/Tufts University does not discriminate in its employment practices due to an applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, genetic information, veteran or disability status or any other factor prohibited by law.
