Program Coordinator

Center for Agriculture and Food Systems

Full-time, non-exempt, 37.5 hours/week

$22-27/hour

Fully Remote

Reports to: CAFS Communications Manager

VLGS Benefits and PTO include: 

- Full benefits (medical, dental, vision, etc.). 

- 403b including 4% employer contribution.

- 2 weeks of paid vacation in addition to paid personal and sick days. 

- 11 paid holidays plus two weeks of paid days off for Summer and Winter breaks. 

- Employee Assistance Program.

- VLGS course participation with tuition assistance.

- Flexible schedule potential. 

Vermont Law and Graduate School is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness. We grow and learn better together with a diverse group of faculty, staff, and students. In recruiting for faculty and staff, we seek unique backgrounds to enrich and challenge our community. 

Position Summary:

The Center for Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) at Vermont Law and Graduate School (VLGS) seeks a Communications Coordinator to support communications initiatives and coordinate outreach to ensure our work reaches key audiences. CAFS is a research-based center that produces original scholarly research in the field of food and agricultural law and policy. We publish our research as reports, legal guides, fact sheets, toolkits, and other resources, and host webinars to deliver information to target audiences. The Communications Coordinator will play a significant role in publications/webinar outreach and social media, while collaborating with other VLGS communications professionals to highlight the academic contributions of our staff, faculty, and students. This position is fully remote for a qualified candidate.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Assist with outreach for CAFS projects and resources, including working with partners and CAFS faculty/staff to develop written messaging and press releases; conducting direct outreach to various stakeholders; coordinating with the VLGS communications and public relations team to help with media outreach; and collaborating with CAFS staff to plan and host webinars.
• Draft blog posts that spotlight CAFS students and alumni.
• Collaborate with other VLGS communications staff to increase the visibility of CAFS projects across VLGS communications platforms.
• Maintain the internal file managing system for CAFS communications content, including published resources, design files, and photos.
• Work with the Communications Manager to maintain webpages on CAFS’s websites, including project sites and the digital resource library, with consideration for style, branding guidelines, and SEO.
• Track, analyze, and report Google Analytics for project websites and resources as information to inform CAFS’s communications and outreach efforts.
• Assist in managing CAFS social media channels, including drafting and scheduling content for Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and engaging with the community; and brainstorming creative ways of packaging written, visual, and video social media content to boost engagement and expand our reach.
• Support the Communications Manager with the monthly e-newsletter.
• Work to promote CAFS resources through outreach on other sites and through other methods, including webinars.

Education, Skills, and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree and 2+ years of experience in journalism, copywriting, communications, or a related field.
• Strong skills in writing, editing, and proofreading.
• Demonstrated experience in communications, marketing, journalism, and/or social media.
• Proficiency in a range of social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Ability to work autonomously and independently, balancing multiple tasks while also coordinating with a range of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated interest in food/agriculture law and policy.
• Experience with graphic design (i.e., InDesign, Canva).

Other Requirements:

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and deadlines and reorganize under pressure.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a team. 
• Excellent planning, administrative, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Must be able to work legally within the United States without sponsorship.
• Ability to perform all essential functions of the job with or without basic accommodations.

Application Requirements:

Please include the following materials in your application:

1) Resume.

2) Short cover letter explaining your qualifications and interest in the position.

3) Three writing samples that reflects your ability to create concise, engaging written content (e.g., short article, blog post, essay).

4) (Optional) Links to social media accounts you have contributed to or managed, if applicable (can be personal accounts).

If you are applying from a third party website (Indeed, etc.) and are unable to attach additional materials to your online application, please apply directly at https://www.vermontlaw.edu/community/about-vls/employment-opportunities.

As part of our commitment to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, candidates who meet the qualifications for this position and who require accommodations to apply should contact Human Resources at jobs@vermontlaw.edu. Vermont Law and Graduate School strives to raise the bar for being an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, place of birth, marital status, disability, veteran's status, HIV status, pregnancy, genetic information, health insurance status, and crime victim status.

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