Share Email Opening Title Food Growing Education Specialist (Gardener)  Reports to: Head of Nutrition Education   Exempt/Non-Exempt Exempt   Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time   Location Capital Area Food Bank - DC   About the Organization It is an exciting time at the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) as we continue to undertake our mission of providing good, nutritious food today and food to enable brighter futures. On an annual basis CAFB distributes about 40 million meals worth of food through a network of hundreds of partners across the DMV. We know that creating long term solutions to food security requires more than meals. It requires education, training, and collaboration across the public, private and social service ecosystems. We are seeking people with strong ideas and a passion to come together to address the complex interrelated issues of food security, poverty, and equity. We are expanding in multiple ways: providing food for today and addressing the root causes of hunger by partnering with organizations that provide critical services like job training programs, health care and education. Food has the power to transform lives and move everyone forward. Find out how on our website at capitalareafoodbank.org. Let us discuss how food is at the center of everyone's healthy life!   Description The Food Growing Education Specialist maintains, executes, and develops educational programming for the CAFB’s Urban Demonstration Garden. The Urban Demonstration Garden is an on-site, half-acre, hands-on educational space that helps build knowledge around wellness, nutrition, and food growing for the food bank’s partners, clients, and the general public. The garden and adjacent Urban Food Studio are used in tandem to show how to grow food in an urban setting, highlighting low-cost gardening techniques. The Food Growing Education Specialist is responsible for managing all food-growing activities, including the gardening education curriculum, garden maintenance and planning, the garden volunteer program, and any associated grants. The Specialist serves as the primary organizational representative for food growing internally and externally but has opportunities to contribute more broadly to the food bank as a member of the Nutrition Education Department.   Position Requirements Education and Awareness Building: Regularly schedule and execute food experiences in the Urban Demonstration Garden including CAFB facility tours, garden activities, healthy snack preparation, and/or facilitated discussions. Oversees and coordinates hands-on experiences in the garden (planting, tending, harvesting, cooking, garden construction projects to targeted groups including partner organizations, school groups, clients, donors and community members. Work across departments to create educational programs and experiences that include topics of local food security, food growing and nutrition. Identify opportunities to educate internal CAFB staff and broader public about food growing and provide support as needed to partner organizations that cultivate on-site gardens. Initiate and maintain relationships with other food-growers and urban agriculture organizations. Participate in city-wide and regional food-growing events and present at internal and external summits and conferences. Maintain internal buy-in and enthusiasm for food growing by communicating progress and identifying hands-on opportunities for food bank staff. Garden Planning and Maintenance: Ensure regular schedule for planting, watering, weeding, harvesting, and distribution. Maintain, repair, or replace existing garden facilities, including raised beds, greenhouse, sheds, compost bins, rainwater cistern and pump, drip irrigation, container garden, and pollinator garden. Propagate vegetable and flower seedlings as needed for the garden and distribution to partners. Solicit seed donations for partner distribution. Manage an apiary (with the assistance of experienced volunteer beekeepers). In coordination with leadership, build and maintain a food growing program budget. This includes researching items to purchase, making and recording purchases. Provide technical support to partner organizations cultivating gardens off site. Management: Oversee large and small groups of volunteers for pre-determined garden activities, provide orientation to the space, its purpose and relationship to other CAFB functions. Identify and maintain relationships with skilled volunteers to provide support with specialized programming or maintenance activities. Oversee garden fellows and/or interns in a garden maintenance and educational activities. Min Requirements & Competencies  Associate’s degree in food growing, agriculture or related field. Minimum of three years’ experience growing organic fruits and vegetables or two-year professional experience managing a large urban farm or garden.  Including succession planting, pest management and healthy soil management. Minimum of 2 years working in an educational setting or with significant public speaking skills. Competence in Microsoft Office. Experience constructing garden facilities, including raised beds and drip irrigation. Working knowledge and experience using power tools including but not limited to power drills, circular saws; competent in basic carpentry skills in order to build, maintain or fix garden features. Experience teaching and creating educational materials. Experience and expertise in managing volunteers/volunteer groups. Excellent interpersonal communication and leadership skills – ability to interact with food assistance organizations, clients, volunteers, and donors of all ages, from all walks of life.  Ability to work independently while also engaging in collaborative, team-based work. Highly adaptable and creative. Excellent time management and organizational skills, ability to prioritize and set boundaries. Physical ability to do heavy outdoor labor in all weather conditions. Ability to drive to different sites throughout the DC, Maryland, Virginia regions.   EOE Statement Capital Area Food Bank welcomes and supports a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are committed to equal employment opportunities (EEO) for all applicants seeking employment and for all our employees. CAFB makes employment decisions based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, personal appearance, military status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, political affiliation, educational status, unemployment status, place of residence or business, source of income, reproductive health decision making or any other characteristic protected by law. Additionally, harassment or discrimination based on these characteristics will not be tolerated at CAFB. To perform the essential functions of this position, reasonable accommodations are available to qualified individuals with disabilities.   This position is currently not accepting applications. 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