What are the responsibilities and job description for the Agroforestry Systems Manager position at Echo Communications?
Summary
Work within the Small Farm Resource Center (SFRC) to maintain ECHO’s collection and plantings of tropical and native plants throughout the ECHO-FL campus. Work closely with the Farm Manager, Livestock Manager, and Interns to manage the perennial systems within the Global Farm and forage banks. Lead trainings on the SFRC in areas of agroforestry, fruit trees, perennial vegetables, and agroecology. This position will collaborate and cross pollinate with each of the SFRC Departments.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
Farm and Collection Oversight
Those directly supervised: Apprentices, Volunteers
Those indirectly supervised: Interns, Work Teams
Other departments to work closely with: All SFRC Staff and Buildings and Grounds manager
Work Environment
Office work environment with frequent outdoor activity. Ability to work in hot and humid Florida summer conditions.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands outlined below are representative of those necessary to successfully perform the essential functions of this role.
This position requires regular walking, standing, bending, stooping, and kneeling. Employees must be able to climb ladders, navigate stairs, and occasionally lift, push, or pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds, following proper safety protocols. Fine motor skills are needed to handle, grasp, and feel objects or equipment, as well as to reach with hands and arms.
Position Type And Expected Hours Of Work
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.
Travel
Occasional travel to conferences, events, and trainings.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
AAP/EEO Statement
ECHO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status, genetic information, or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job.
ECHO is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. ECHO’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the “religion” component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.
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Work within the Small Farm Resource Center (SFRC) to maintain ECHO’s collection and plantings of tropical and native plants throughout the ECHO-FL campus. Work closely with the Farm Manager, Livestock Manager, and Interns to manage the perennial systems within the Global Farm and forage banks. Lead trainings on the SFRC in areas of agroforestry, fruit trees, perennial vegetables, and agroecology. This position will collaborate and cross pollinate with each of the SFRC Departments.
Essential Duties And Responsibilities
Farm and Collection Oversight
- Oversee and maintain ECHO’s fruit and vegetable collections, arboretum, bamboo collections, Global Farm, and auxiliary campus areas.
- Guide the vision, direction, and ongoing improvement of ECHO’s germplasm collections, including mapping and accurate recordkeeping.
- Provide oversight for agroforestry zones and support the creation and maintenance of forage banks for animal management.
- Crosstrain with key operational managers (Farm, Propagation, Seed Bank, Buildings & Grounds) to support critical campus systems such as irrigation, freeze protection, fire response, and hurricane prep.
- Lead workshops and hands-on trainings in agroforestry, tropical fruits, banana management, pruning, root crops, perennial vegetables, permaculture, and agroecology.
- Conduct educational sessions for interns, TAD students, and university partners, in coordination with Training & Extension.
- Provide educational experiences for events, conferences, and workshops hosted by ECHO.
- Serve as an Area Advisor for an intern on the Global Farm.
- Support on-campus trials, small-scale experiments, and seed production in coordination with Seed Bank, Propagation, and Livestock Managers.
- Contribute to technical publications and responses in partnership with the North America Regional Impact Center (NARIC).
- Participate in international and local agricultural conferences, symposiums, and university extension activities as appropriate.
- Oversee the recruitment, interview, and placement of Apprentices; develop work schedules in alignment with SFRC needs.
- Provide consultation to ECHO visitors and occasional off-site technical support.
- Participate in general farm work and collaborate across SFRC departments as needed.
- Perform additional duties as assigned by the SFRC Team Leader.
- Must subscribe to the ECHO Statement of Faith or the Apostle’s Creed and possess character traits consistent with ECHO’s core values.
- Proven leadership skills and ability to effectively manage and inspire a team.
- Strong project management, coordination, and organizational skills.
- In tune with the leadership of ECHO and its philosophy/method of ministry.
- Have character qualities of positive, loyalty, team player, servant’s heart, and learner’s posture.
- Demonstrates sensitivity and responsiveness to the spiritual and relational needs of others.
- Open to regular evaluation and willing to participate in the performance and ministry effectiveness reviews of others.
- Ability to work independently, but in consort with other staff members.
- Ability to propose, implement, and follow through on matters of policy and program while handling repetitive or sporadic detail in an effective and timely fashion.
- Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Science, Biological Sciences, or a related field
- Experience in international agricultural development
- Proven administrative and project management skills.
- Demonstrated team leadership and people management abilities.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a collaborative mindset
Those directly supervised: Apprentices, Volunteers
Those indirectly supervised: Interns, Work Teams
Other departments to work closely with: All SFRC Staff and Buildings and Grounds manager
Work Environment
Office work environment with frequent outdoor activity. Ability to work in hot and humid Florida summer conditions.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands outlined below are representative of those necessary to successfully perform the essential functions of this role.
This position requires regular walking, standing, bending, stooping, and kneeling. Employees must be able to climb ladders, navigate stairs, and occasionally lift, push, or pull objects weighing up to 50 pounds, following proper safety protocols. Fine motor skills are needed to handle, grasp, and feel objects or equipment, as well as to reach with hands and arms.
Position Type And Expected Hours Of Work
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work, Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Occasional evening and weekend work may be required as job duties demand.
Travel
Occasional travel to conferences, events, and trainings.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
AAP/EEO Statement
ECHO is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. In compliance with Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and other applicable federal and state statutes, all recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications will be administered without regard to race, color, ancestry, age, sex, national origin, pregnancy or childbirth, disability, military veteran status, genetic information, or other applicable status protected by law, including state of employment protected classes. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job.
ECHO is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. ECHO’s hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law. Federal law creates an exception to the “religion” component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.
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