American Farmland Trust is a national organization dedicated to saving the land that sustains us by protecting farmland, promoting sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land. Since our founding, AFT has helped protect more than 6 million acres of farmland and led the way for the adoption of conservation practices on millions more.  AFT’s New York State office was established in 1990 as the state is home to some of the most threatened farmland in the nation.

The New York State Policy Coordinator position offers an exciting opportunity to help carry out the policy agenda of a growing, forward-looking agricultural conservation organization. The Policy Coordinator will report to the New York Policy Manager and work closely with the AFT Policy team, AFT New York programming teams, consultants and external partners to advocate for policies and programs that save the land that sustains us, including:  

• Permanently protecting farmland in New York;
• Supporting a new and more diverse generation of farmers in finding land and getting started in farming in New York;
• Building the ability for public institutions, like K-12 schools and healthcare facilities, to increase their purchasing of NY grown and local food;
• Supporting opportunities for women in agriculture and conservation;
• Accelerating siting of renewable energy while protecting productive farmland; and
• Helping farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change.

The Policy Coordinator will support broader efforts to develop and grow these programs and assist with research projects which will not only inform future AFT Policy, but also serve as a resource for stakeholders at the local, state, and national levels They will have the opportunity to work across teams within AFT’s New York Regional Program, as well as with external partners including farmers, landowners, agricultural professionals, and institutional leaders at K-12 schools.    

Duties and Responsibilities

The New York State Policy Coordinator’s duties and responsibilities will include:

• Supporting the leadership of two statewide coalitions: Alliance for New York’s Farmland and the NY Grown Food for NY Kids Coalition;
• Managing event logistics for Advocacy Days
• Organizing sign-on letters of support for key policies and programs
• Drafting emails to key state leaders and lawmakers
• Building relationships with new and current stakeholders, partners, and policy makers;
• Assisting with policy research to support programming areas and inform future policy strategy, including drafting white papers and research publications;
• Advancing AFT’s Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) efforts both internally as well as externally as related to the policy program;
• Preparing for, attending and participating in lobbying meetings and advocacy;
• Helping coordinate programs for a diversity of stakeholders across multiple formats, such as webinars, networking events, and educational workshops;
• Assisting with coordinating internal meetings and communications to ensure timely completion of program activities;
• Helping to build farmer engagement with advancing AFT’s policy agenda; and
• Assisting with social media campaigns, storytelling, virtual lobby days, regular email updates, and other digital communications; 

The New York State Policy Coordinator must be able to build and maintain relationships, stay organized, have strong quantitative and qualitative research skills, and be capable of working well both independently as well as part of a team. 

The Policy Coordinator will need to be comfortable regularly interacting with a diverse audience - including elected officials and their staff; state leaders; farmers; organizations in the agricultural, environmental, school, public health, and renewable energy sectors; and others. Additional qualifications include:  

• A BA or BS degree in political science, policy, agriculture, environment, natural resource planning, food systems or related fields or at least 4 years of related experience;
• Understanding of New York State and/or local policy making process;
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, inclusion, and justice, and understanding of how these play a role in agriculture, climate, and policy;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Fluency in languages other than English, especially Spanish, are not required but desirable;
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple tasks, stay organized and follow through with limited supervision  a remote setting;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office is required;      
• Additional computer skills, including experience with web design, Salsa, social media or GIS are preferred; and 
• Willingness to undertake limited work travel by car or public transportation. 

Salary Range 

$45,000 - $55,000  

AFT is dedicated to hiring the right fit for this role and committed to a diverse, inclusive work environment. Applicants are not required to meet 100% of the qualifications listed to be considered for this position. If you meet at least half of the qualifications and have a passion for NY agriculture and food systems,  please submit a resume and cover letter telling us how your experience makes you an excellent candidate and what excites you about this position. 

American Farmland Trust provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Farmland Trust complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the organization has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.