Georgia Farms Fund Services Specialist

TITLE: Georgia Farms Fund Services Specialist

LINE OF BUSINESS/DIVISION: Working Lands/ Farms Fund

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

REPORTS TO: Georgia Farms Fund Program Manager

NUMBER OF POSITIONS REPORTING TO THIS POSITION: None

LOCATION: Atlanta, GA

JOB HIGHLIGHTS

The Farms Fund is a first-of-its-kind conservation program designed to buy and permanently protect threatened farmland around metropolitan areas while creating a patient path to farmland ownership for next generation farmers. Farms Fund is an initiative of The Conservation Fund and continues a multi-decade long commitment to protecting working lands that generate conservation and economic value for local communities.

The Georgia Farms Fund’s Services Specialist position will be based in the Atlanta metro region. The Farm Services Specialist will serve an essential role in providing critical support for farmers in the Georgia Farms Fund program. The Farm Services Specialist reports to the Georgia Farms Fund Program Manager and works closely with the growing Farms Fund team in other states. This position supports the transition of farmers onto newly acquired farms, providing farm lease oversight, connecting farmers to technical assistance and market opportunities, and leveraging local partnerships to provide critical farm business support to next generation farmers. The Farm Services Specialist will be the primary point of contact for farmers in the Georgia Farms Fund Program as it grows.

What You Will Be Doing

To perform this job successfully, you must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Oversee and manage the farms in the program that are leased to Farms Fund farmers in a property management capacity, including baseline documentation and managing records of property changes and improvements, infrastructure needs assessments, regular farm visits, contractor management, farm and home maintenance, annual monitoring, maintaining property land use designations, and lease compliance.
• Support farmers in successfully scaling farm businesses through partner-led technical assistance, supporting market readiness and access, grant opportunities, production and safety certifications.
• Coordinate with partners such as USDA agencies and farmer support organizations to connect producers in the Farms Fund to resources and services to ensure successful business operations.
• Assist producers with documentation and systems for reporting farm business metrics and required annual reports.
• Connect to local communities, farmer organizations, landowners and landowner service providers to identify potential farmland acquisition opportunities in the Georgia in partnership with the Fund’s Georgia team.
• In collaboration with the Farms Fund team, share the program and recruit potential farmer applicants to the program; support application material review to admit farmers to the program.
• Support the coordination of the Farms Fund farmer network, and increase the trainings, collaboration opportunities, and peer-to-peer resources available within the Farms Fund network.
• Attend local and national conferences and events to expand outreach for Farms Fund and grow networks within the agricultural community.
• Coordinate with Farm Services Specialists in other states to share learning and improve program support for farmers across the Farms Fund.
  
  

What We Need You To Have

• Strong interpersonal skills with ability to track multiple farms and farm businesses, technical assistance partners, and resource needs simultaneously.
• Familiarity with farm operations and business management to assist farmers.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the various financing and technical assistance resources available to farmers, including USDA resources and Cooperative Extension services.
• Ability to work effectively with a diverse mix of individuals and groups as well as comfortably coordinate and communicate with those individuals and groups.
• Demonstrated ability to work as a team player with other staff members in a small office environment.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Highly self-motivated and entrepreneurial.
  
  

What We’d Like You To Have

• Familiarity with existing local food system network within the metro Atlanta region and around Georgia.
• Familiarity with grant writing and reporting.
• Basic carpentry and repair skills.
  
  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

• The position will have combination of remote working and working from an office environment.
• Must be able to conduct basic property management functions including squatting, kneeling, and reaching, in order to access and inspect different areas of farms, farmhouses, and barns.
• Some days may include prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Work may be performed on-farm in all weather conditions.
• It is estimated that this position will be 40% on farms and in the field, including travel; 35% office environment/desk work; and 25% meetings with partners and attending in-person conferences and events.
  
  

Compensation And Benefits

The salary range for this position is $60,000 - $75,000 and the position is eligible for opportunities to earn performance-based bonus compensation. Please note: Salary range provided is an estimate and will be evaluated on an individual basis, taking into consideration the candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, and education. The final salary offer will be determined accordingly.

The Fund offers a highly competitive package of benefits including:

• Employer contributions for medical, vision and dental insurance plans.
• Retirement plan discretionary company contribution.
• Company contributions to HSA account.
• Company-paid paid life insurance, AD&D, Short-Term and Long-Term disability insurance.
• Continuing education benefit for approved programs.
• Employee assistance program (EAP).
• Generous paid vacation, sick and floating holidays.
• Voluntary Life Insurance, AD&D, Spouse and Child plans at group rates.
• Six weeks paid parental leave
• 14 paid holidays
  
  

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change or new ones may be assigned at any time, with or without notice.

Frequently cited statistics show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, The Conservation Fund encourages you to apply.

The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit corporation, is an Equal Opportunity Employer that fully and actively supports equal access for all people regardless of Race, Color, Religion, Gender, Age, National Origin, Veteran Status, Disability, Genetic Information or Testing, Family and Medical Leave status, Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity or Expression. The Fund prohibits retaliation against individuals who bring forth any complaint, orally or in writing, to the employer or the government, or against any individuals who assist or participate in the investigation of any complaint, or otherwise oppose discrimination.