Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF): Equity Associate Director
Company: Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF)
Annual Salary: $100,000
Location: California / Hybrid (Northern California preferred, with frequent trips to Davis)
Application Deadline: June 30, 2024
DESCRIPTION
Title: Equity Associate Director
Location: California / Hybrid (Northern California preferred, with frequent trips to Davis)
FTE: 1 FTE
Salary: $82,000 – $100,000 annually
FLSA: Exempt
Reports To: Executive Director
Bilingual Pay Differential: Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred; Eligible for bilingual pay differential
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) is a California-based membership organization that includes family farmers and other community members passionate about local food, farming, and the environment. As a farmer-serving organization, we recognize the historic and lasting inequities in the California food and farming system. We believe farmers of color, and other historically oppressed people, should have the opportunity to create and participate in a food and agriculture system that aligns with their needs, values, identities, knowledge systems, and communities. We commit to advancing racial, gender, and environmental justice in our larger systems, as well as in our own workplace. Currently, our programming is focused in four areas: Farm to Market, Policy & Advocacy, Farmer Services, and Ecological Farming. To learn more about CAFF, our history, and our core values, visit https://www.caff.org/about.
POSITION SUMMARY
CAFF has grown in size over the past few years and refined its focus on communities of farmers it aims to serve. This position will develop trainings and processes for staff to build a shared understanding of the organization’s mission, vision, and core values and support staff in their efforts to build an anti-racist organization; this work includes efforts to serve an increasingly racially diverse farmer base, as well as advance conversations around racial justice with our white and Black Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) members. The Equity Associate Director will serve on the CAFF Leadership Team and work to support the implementation of our 5-year strategic plan and the transformation of organizational culture in alignment with our organizational core values and capacities. This position will work closely with Program Directors to adapt programs to best support underserved farmers. The preferred candidate comes with experience supporting organizations through similar processes.
In 2020, after an extensive discussion and reflection process, CAFF affirmed justice and equity as a core value, and a commitment to better serve the needs of BIPOC farmers. In 2021, we developed and adopted a Racial Equity Action Plan, with a particular focus on growing our capacity to serve Spanish-speaking Latino/a/x/é (Latinx) farmers. Since that intensive process, many new staff have joined the organization, and CAFF needs to collectively hold a clear and shared plan moving forward. The position will facilitate CAFF’s internal staff-led Justice & Equity Committee as an organizational accountability structure and learning space, and support any other affinity or aligned internal spaces. The position will supervise the Bilingual Communications & Farmer Engagement Co-Director whom we are also currently hiring for — please see the listing for that position at caff.org/jobs-at-caff.
The position is preferred in Northern California, given frequent trips to Davis and proximity to staff. Additional travel will be required throughout California to support staff and attend two annual in-person retreats.
MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
% Time — Description
35% — Lead Organizational Implementation of Justice & Equity
Provide overall leadership on justice and equity topics by facilitating ongoing staff learning through internal curriculum development and staff-wide trainings
Provide ongoing support to Program Directors to implement justice and equity in team (program, project, initiative) plans
Support audit of CAFF operations, policies, and procedures to uplift stated goals with the Human Resources Manager
Bridge different perspectives and experiences within the organization to ensure organizational accountability and healthy communication across staff and teams
Partner with Bilingual Communications & Farmer Engagement Co-Director to enhance Latinx organizational structures and processes to support staff
Supervise Bilingual Communications & Farmer Engagement Co-Director
Provide support and allyship for Latinx staff in advancing the cultural and linguistic needs of Latinx farmers
Lead fundraising for justice & equity-related projects and trainings at CAFF
35% — Facilitate Strategic Assessment, Planning & Partnerships
Revisit existing Racial Equity Action Plan, update organizational survey, analyze survey, and share summary of findings
Support assessment of partner technical assistance hub for Latinx-serving TA providers across the state
Engage colleagues in other organizations in ongoing peer learning and mutual support around organizational equity work, as appropriate
Conduct landscape analysis of Latino farmer-serving organizations with partners, including who is providing what support in particular regions of the state, how they are providing, and where needs remain
Facilitate the organization-wide process for evaluating progress towards or changes needed on annual goals
Support program directors with annual goal-setting and team planning activities, including how to best serve Spanish speaking farmers
Lead development and design of CAFF annual report, in coordination with Communications and Fundraising Team
15% — Support Farmer Accountability & Engagement
Support and enhance annual or bi-annual farmer listening and accountability process, partnering with Policy Director
Maintain and improve farmer compensation guidelines and practices
Recruit, onboard, and support ongoing participation of Latinx farmers in organizational bodies (e.g. ad hoc committees, advisory committees, board of directors, etc.) for organizational accountability
15% — Participate in Organizational Activities
Serve on CAFF’s Operations Team and Management/Leadership Team and lead the Program Facilitation Team and the Justice & Equity Committee
Participate in quarterly program area team meetings (e.g. Farmer Services, Ecological Farming, etc.)
Participate in weekly CAFF all-staff meetings and two retreats or full-day all-staff meetings per year
Participate in local grassroots engagement efforts, including outreach and relationship-building with farmers in your local community
Assist in hosting at least one event as part of the regional gatherings taking place on the final day of the California Small Farm Conference
Represent CAFF by participating in community activities and events as necessary
Participate in other administrative and fundraising tasks as needed
We know it’s impossible to convey every single task for a particular job in one job description. Our hope is that as we work together, and your role evolves over time, we can adjust your job description accordingly
QUALIFICATIONS
Educational and Work Experience
Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent experience
At least 5 years experience working in a similar position, ideally with a nonprofit organization
Experience working with farmers in sustainable agriculture, or related fields preferred
Experience working in Latinx cultural communities is preferred
Experience in mediation, conflict resolution, and building organizational accountability are preferred
Demonstrated ability to create processes to advance justice and equity goals is preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Leadership experience within a non-profit setting
Experience with team building in a virtual/hybrid work environment
Skilled at facilitating conversations around racial equity
Strong understanding of what racial equity looks like in organizational practice
Strong attention to detail and accuracy
Strong organizational skills with an ability to handle competing demands
Effective English language written and oral communication skills
Proficient in Spanish language written and oral communication skills is preferred
Ability to work independently and remotely if necessary
Strong computer skills, including above-average knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, Google Workspace, and WordPress or similar
Demonstrated ability to effectively work with and support diverse team members through your understanding of self, language, culture, and community
Familiarity with and enthusiasm for social media platforms: WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
Willing to listen and able to maintain strict confidentiality
Desired experience: Salesforce and Adobe Creative Cloud
Physical Abilities
Ability to sit for long periods of time working at a computer
Ability to travel to different regions of the state
CAFF’s policy is that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, or sexual orientation. We strongly encourage those from diverse backgrounds and from historically underserved communities to apply.
TO APPLY:
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and sample of your work that you feel is relevant to this position with the subject line “Equity Associate Director” to jobs@caff.org by June 30, 2024.
Reference requests will be made further along in the application process.