Community Mobilizer

Community Mobilizer

(Remote within NC & SC)

JOB SUMMARY:

The Community Mobilizer is a full-time paid position that is currently funded through May 2025. The term of the position may be extended subject to availability of funds. This position is based at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association and will work as part of the Community Food Strategies project team.

The Community Mobilizer reports to the CFSA Policy Director and has an important role on the Community Food Strategies team. The Community Mobilizer provides agriculture policy and advocacy expertise to the Community Food Strategies team and the network of food councils. They also are a key representative of the Community Food Strategies team in community, and develop relationships with and provide coaching and technical assistance to community organizations within the Network of Food Coalitions in NC. The Community Mobilizer may manage student research projects for the Community Food Strategies team. The Community Mobilizer is a remote position, and is expected to meet with the Community Food Strategies team regularly, including monthly remote meetings, and in person meetings at least quarterly. Occasional night and weekend work, and some travel throughout North Carolina is required.

CFSA is a non-profit membership organization that works to create a local and organic food system in North and South Carolina. We help people in the Carolinas grow and eat local, organic foods by advocating for fair farm and food policies, building the systems family farms need to thrive, and educating and organizing farmers and the communities they serve. Based in Pittsboro, NC, CFSA is the oldest and largest sustainable agriculture organization in the Southeast.

Community Food Strategies is a multi-organizational collaborative that focuses on building alliances and providing tools, trainings, and statewide structure to a growing network of local food coalitions across North Carolina. This project's partners include the Center for Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS), Carolina Farm Stewardship Association (CFSA), Committee on Racial Equity in the Food System (CORE), NC Budget & Tax Center, Kindred Seedlings Farm, as well as multiple consultants across North Carolina.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Provide technical assistance and coaching to local food coalitions, farmers, and partners related to community organizing, strategic networking, organizational development, and strategic policy action planning.
2. Collaborate with the Community Food Strategies policy team and other partners to determine an annual training calendar and collective advocacy vision for participating local food coalitions.
3. Act as a lead trainer and organizer for policy- and advocacy-related education and training opportunities for local food coalitions.
4. Develop resources that support increased engagement in food policy and advocacy, including an annual Policy & Systems Change Report.
5. Assist with communicating policy information to partners using a variety of electronic and print methods (e.g., newsletters, presentations, action alerts, blog posts, etc.).
6. Provide expertise and technical assistance to food councils & coalitions as well as local and state policymakers on strategic networking and investment strategies for NC-based resource development for regional food value chains.
7. Work with Community Food Strategies policy team to plan and hold collaborative policy calls for local food coalitions.
8. Liaise with local, state, and federal government officials, including co-leading quarterly calls with local government staff that are engaged in advancing food systems, and supporting those local governments' food systems work with resources and connections.
9. Serve as a Regional Liaison and main contact on the Community Food Strategies team for one of six regions in North Carolina, building connections with organizations in that region.
10. Plan and facilitate meetings (both in person and remote), including developing and providing meeting agendas, minutes, and other materials.
11. Conduct annual interviews or check-ins with participating local food coalitions and lead data compilation identifying opportunities and challenges to inform Community Food Strategies' further program development.
12. Support the Community Food Strategies team in cohort models of peer-to-peer learning, strategizing, and resource sharing, including planning, coaching, and facilitation.
13. Provide strategic planning support with small farmer support focus for the planning and hosting of the statewide and regional convenings of local food coalitions in 2024 and 2025.

REQUIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• Background in political science, communications, agricultural policy, or other related field and three years of relevant work experience;
• Deep commitment to using grassroots advocacy and racial equity principles to affect lasting public policy change to advance the values of sustainable and organic agriculture;
• Creativity, flexibility, and a passion for community-centered organizing.
• Commitment to creating and strengthening lasting working relationships throughout the diverse communities across North and South Carolina;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills;
• Must have excellent organizational skills;
• Experience with meeting facilitation;
• Experience with community organizing techniques;
• Proficiency with MS Office Pro applications and Google Drive;
• Ability to work occasional evening and/or weekend hours;
• Ability to travel through the Carolinas, including valid driver's license.

DESIRED SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:

• five or more years of work experience in food/agricultural policy, including policy analysis and translational writing for a broad public audience. Work in the course of obtaining an advanced degree relevant to food/agricultural policy may count toward this criterion;
• Experience and relationships with food and farm-related organizations in the Charlotte region and or WNC;
• Experience with social media such as Facebook and Instagram;
• Experience with organizational development;
• Familiar with policy research (e.g., laws, proposed bills, policy outcomes).