Description
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with farmer owner/operators, farmworkers, and farmland owners.
- Collaborate with Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) District Conservationists to identify priority clients for targeted technical assistance.
- Coordinate outreach with AFT Agricultural Stewardship Team, NRCS field staff, and partner planners for efficiency.
- Assist in practice interpretation, layout, and inspection, maintaining extensive farmer/landowner interaction documentation.
- Support the maintenance of program contract files.
- Aid NRCS field office staff in contacting program applicants and data collection.
- Maintain workload registers and perform follow-up tasks.
- Maintain mailing and contact lists for program delivery.
- Coordinate climate-related practice workshops for farmers and technical service providers in collaboration with NRCS and AFT staff.
- Contribute to outreach materials for farmers regarding climate change, conservation practice implementation, and NRCS programs.
- Assist with planning and implementing on-farm demonstrations, field days and workshops.
- Facilitate and coordinate partnerships with a diverse network of agricultural and conservation professionals including AFT state and national staff, USDA NRCS, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Cornell University and Cooperative Extension, farmers, crop consultants and others.
- Work collaboratively with core project team to manage project implementation and achieve project objectives.
- Represent AFT at non-AFT public meetings, field days, and educational events.
- Assist with organizing in-person and virtual training and networking events for farmers and landowners.
- Develop and support relationships with farmland owners and farmers, focusing on women, to accelerate the adoption of conservation practices on farmland in targeted areas of New York.
- A proven track record of implementing or assisting with implementation of conservation practices.
- Ability to travel across central and northern New York, visiting diverse farms and farmers to execute the job functions.
- Experience and working knowledge of NRCS and SWCD funded conservation practices is especially valuable, but not required.
- A deep working knowledge of Northeast agriculture or conservation and an understanding of the culture of farmers and farming.
- Ability to foster effective partnerships with Extension educators, soil and water conservation districts, USDA and state agency personnel and other professionals as well as training and supporting farmers and landowners – particularly women landowners - is highly valuable.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, specifically an aptitude for public speaking, meeting facilitation, and developing effective public education materials.
- Experience designing and facilitating professional development or other educational trainings, specifically with farmers, landowners and related stakeholders.
- Experience with public outreach, community engagement, and communications (digital and/or traditional).
- An intellectual curiosity, understanding, and enthusiasm for AFT’s mission.
- A minimum of 7 years of professional experience in farming, land stewardship, or land management, or a college degree in a related field can substitute for up to 4 years of work experience.
- Access to reliable transportation.
- Independent and reliable worker; willingness to conduct field-based work in all weather conditions and work effectively from a home-based office location.
- Applicants should be comfortable working remotely from home. Based on the location of the work, candidates must be in central New York, and willing to drive long distances using their own vehicle (with mileage reimbursement). The Associate will require frequent travel in the central and northern Lake Ontario Watershed and occasional trips to AFT’s New York office in Saratoga Springs, among other possible travel.
- Completion of a federal background check during the initial months of employment is required for this role. Continued employment is contingent on successful completion of this background check.
- Medical & Prescription Coverage
- Dental Coverage
- Vision Coverage
- Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
- Voluntary Life Insurance
- Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
- Health Savings Account (HSA)
- 401(k) 10% match after six months of employment
- Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 3.5 hours per pay period (13 “sick days” per year).
- Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year.
- Holidays: The Company observes fixed eleven holidays during the year (all offices closed): plus, the week off between Christmas and New Years and a choice of 3 other floating holidays depending on hiring date.
Salary Description
$60,000-$65,000