College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Horticulture

• Plan content for and facilitate capacity-building activities among a network of food systems education professionals (including MSU Extension) and food and farm businesses to support equitable access to farm business education and lending.

• Contribute to relationship-building among and across technical assistance providers across Michigan, city municipalities, financial institutions, state agencies, and across MSU including via site visits with specific groups. 

• Coordinate regional activities related to the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service’s Regional Food System Partnership program. This will include facilitating technical assistance to business entrepreneurs, as invited. 

• Gather and record necessary data for evaluation and reporting of programming. 

• Lead or contribute to development of outreach and scholarly publications on learnings; distribute information of interest to networks. 

• Listen, respect and respond in the capacity of an educator to community voices and needs. 

• Contribute to reporting and reimbursement requests on current funding and developing grant proposals to support new/continued work.  

• Engage with relevant networks led by CRFS and/or partners and appropriate professional organizations; 

• Document and share project work and accomplishments; maintain regular internal and external communication about project activities; write grant reports; develop and report on an annual plan of work; 

• Actively participate in CRFS staff and strategic meetings and stay current on CRFS projects, activities, resources and publications as relevant to this work; 

• Represent projects and CRFS in a professional manner in all forms of engagement and communication; and 

• Help to foster, facilitate, and maintain the CRFS culture and values of collaboration, shared vision, place, equity and accountability.

• Master's degree required in community food systems, business, economics, food marketing, agribusiness, community development, or a related field.  

• Minimum of two years’ experience working with agriculture/food enterprises.  

• Demonstrated experience using an equity lens in food systems educational programming and working with multicultural and diverse populations. 

• Demonstrated project leadership, management, and grant-writing experience. 

• Proven ability to effectively and diplomatically engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups such as project grantees, nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations, and funders. Experience in network-building and group facilitation. 

• Demonstrated resourcefulness and ability to problem-solve and think critically. Proven to self-direct and balance multiple projects simultaneously and to easily shift between working independently and as part of a team.  

• Demonstrated strong written and verbal communications skills and experience using a broad range of communication tactics. 

• Fluency in Spanish desired. 

• High degree of knowledge of and comfort with using technology in completing job requirements including Microsoft Office suite; online search, file-sharing, and collaboration platforms; electronic survey software; and phone/web conferencing systems.  

• Available to occasionally travel throughout the state and, less frequently, within the US, including overnight. Possession of a valid, current state driver’s license required.  

Racial Equity Statement of the MSU Center for Regional Food Systems: 

CRFS recognizes that racism in the food system is historic, ongoing, and systemic. As we collaborate with partners to advance food systems rooted in local regions and centered on food that is healthy, green, fair, and affordable, we emphasize racial equity as a foundation of our work.  Racial equity is an action and an outcome. By removing barriers, procedures, and policies that harm people of color, all people have the opportunity to achieve their full potential and participate in shaping the future. We can only advance a good food system through critical self-reflection, empathetic dialogue, authentic collaboration, accountability, and systemic change.