Executive Director

Executive Director, Just Roots Inc.,

About Just Roots, Inc.

Just Roots was founded in 2011 with a mission to create equitable access to healthy, local food in Western Massachusetts and to work toward sustainable farming and food systems everywhere. Just Roots operates Greenfield Community Farm, a community farm on town land in Greenfield, MA that serves as both a local food production and distribution hub, and as a site for community-based education. Our Franklin County Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program is one of the largest low-income CSAs in Massachusetts. 

In 2020, we launched the Farm to Family program, partnering with healthcare organizations and other MA farms to provide our CSA model to low-income, food insecure patients statewide. Just Roots has become a leader in food justice and Food is Medicine in Massachusetts. Its operating budget has more than doubled in the last two years while operating Food Is Medicine programs in the western and central part of the state. 

In addition to our CSA programs, Just Roots participates weekly in the Greenfield Farmers’ Market, manages 60 community garden plots, and offers a range of community workshops and events on our community farm.    

Just Roots is focused on organizational growth with three key focus areas: strategic planning, donor development, and transformative change relative to becoming a more culturally and racially diverse organization. Capital investment remains a keen focus area and an important part of the organization's sustainability for staff safety and efficiency, income potential and program impact. As the organization’s constituency grows increasingly more culturally and racially diverse, it must address diversity, equity and inclusion from the inside out to create transformative change for the whole of the organization. The organization employs a staff of twenty, including a mix of full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees. The former executive director resigned in May 2024. Since June 2024, the organization has been led by an interim director.

Opportunity Going Forward

The Executive Director will have the opportunity to provide strategic direction and clarity to this well-respected, highly successful, and fiscally stable social enterprise agency. In addition to effectively and efficiently managing ongoing operations, high priorities for the Executive Director include:

• Defining Just Roots as an umbrella organization that houses complementary business models advocating for and providing equitable food access on a local and state level.
• Leading and empowering a collaborative team of highly skilled, experienced, and passionate, mission-driven professionals and establishing a culture that recruits and retains diversity on multiple planes.
• Strategically and tactically taking advantage of federal and state grants to support and enhance Just Roots’ Food is Medicine programming.
• Designing a more streamlined and practiced approach to Just Root’s infrastructure, particularly its asset management function, informational technology support, and multiple business models.
• Expanding resource development through charitable, philanthropic channels across the State to benefit the mission of Just Roots.
• Expanding voluntary participation of community members in Just Roots’ work, ensuring multiple voices, geographies, and perspectives are respectfully and consistently engaged.
• Expanding Just Roots’ marketing, public relations, and external communications to celebrate its successes and position it as the premier, regional provider of accessible fresh food resources.

Desired Credentials/Profile of the Ideal Candidate

• A minimum of five years of senior leadership, or equivalent experience, preferably at a nonprofit of similar size and scale.
• Direct experience with business model planning and budget management.
• Knowledge of and passion for addressing issues related to Food Access, Land Use, and/or social services.
• Personal or professional connections to the communities served by Just Roots would be advantageous.

Skills and Experience

Decisive, Flexible, and Strategic Administrator

• Seasoned administrator with sound executive function skills who is assured, decisive, and who, by using data to inform decision making, is willing to take calculated risks.
• A highly organized, multitasker and project manager who can handle multiple priorities and juggle responsibilities.
• Commitment to being the leader of a small organization with multiple business models, eager to dig in, get hands dirty, step in for others, and be a working member of a team.
• Present and engaged leader, who takes responsibility and holds self and others to high levels of accountability.
• Able to engage with, develop and appropriately inform a board of directors and its committees, demonstrating an understanding of the appropriate balance between governance and management.

Exceptional People Manager and Culture Builder

• Strong people skills with the ability to connect with each staff and board member, understand individual and collective concerns, and resolve personnel issues with empathy.
• Supportive, respectful, and nurturing leader who serves the needs of the team.
• An even keeled, emotionally intelligent leader who can develop a team culture built on respect, client service, and accountability.
• An active listener with the ability to learn and consider before taking decisive action.

 Consummate Communicator, Networker, and Relationship Builder

• Confident external representative and public spokesperson with the ability to understand and engage the constituents served by Just Roots.
• Energetic networker who can create, nurture, and sustain the collaborative partnerships essential to advancing Just Roots’ mission.
• Able to bring a diversity and equity lens to Just Roots’ work.
• Excellent public speaker and writer with strong storytelling ability.

Experienced Revenue Generator

• Adept at creating a comprehensive funding strategy that harnesses initiative and creativity.
• Able to secure and leverage the public and private resources needed to advance Just Roots’ mission.
• Willingness to hold the organization accountable to its revenue goals.
• Possess basic fundraising literacy with a commitment to and comfort with making an ask.
• Grant writing experience.

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, salaried, exempt position with a starting salary range of $105,000 to $120,000 commensurate with experience and qualifications. Just Roots also offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes health insurance or access to a Health Reimbursement Account, a 403b plan, and generous paid time off. 

Application Process and Additional Information

Just Roots is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer that strongly encourages applications from candidates from diverse races, backgrounds, genders, and cultures. 

Candidates must include a resume and a cover letter that describes how their qualifications and experience match the needs and mission of Just Roots. Applications will be accepted until the position has been filled, with priority review provided to submissions received by September 20, 2024.

Forward required documents to: sarah@financialdevelopmentagency.com.