Are you passionate about empowering Native Nations and creating lasting community impact? The Center is seeking a dynamic and dedicated Farm and Community Manager to lead transformative initiatives in food sovereignty, economic development, health, and education.
In this role, you will have the opportunity to collaborate with tribal leaders, community partners, and a talented team to create innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of northeast Nebraska’s Native communities.
This is more than just a job - it’s a chance to make a meaningful difference. As the Farm and Community Manager, you’ll oversee programs that tackle critical issues like food security and small business development while promoting health equity and cultural sustainability. Your work will strengthen community partnerships, support local economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for Native Nations.
Who We Are
The Center for Rural Affairs is a dynamic, energetic non-profit organization working to build a better rural future for all. We’ve done this work for more than 50 years and we do it from rural places with a flexible work environment. Our work creates opportunities for beginning farmers, new business owners, and first-time advocates. The Center’s work is rooted in principles of diversity and inclusion. We believe that a diversity of people and ideas strengthens our work, our workplace, and our communities. We celebrate this diversity and we are committed to advancing practices that create an equitable and inclusive workplace. We take equal opportunity seriously and we welcome applicants from historically underserved audiences. Additional information can be found at www.cfra.org. Check to see if our Mission and Values match yours, and read about our work demonstrating how awesome the Center is!
What You’ll Do
The Farm and Community Manager reports to the Director of Farm and Community and will work closely with the Farm & Community assistant director and other managers on the team.
The Farm & Community Manager is responsible for the following:
- Assist the Farm and Community Director in managing project activities and developing program strategies for Native American initiatives.
- Identify and cultivate partnerships and new opportunities for economic and community development while maintaining existing collaborations.
- Build and sustain positive relationships with community leaders, partners, and team members to foster collaboration and shared success.
- Guide and support staff and contractors through direction, feedback, and recognition via check-ins, team meetings, and annual reviews.
- Oversee project activities, training, and events to meet goals and align with grant requirements, advancing economic and community development objectives.
- Manage project budgets to ensure responsible stewardship of resources in line with funder guidelines and organizational priorities.
- Promote program successes through collaboration with the communications team, developing outreach materials, and managing media needs.
- Collaborate with technical experts and local organizations to enhance impact, expand food sovereignty initiatives, support small businesses, and drive other community priorities.
Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)
To be successful in this job, you will excel in five areas:
- Relationship-building: You know how to talk with people to learn what needs they have through conversation and inquiry. People trust you because you’re efficient with their time and have their best interests in mind. You’re able to build sales networks, as well as alliances, and find points of collaboration even when there are competing interests on your time. You develop and maintain strong, collaborative working relationships with a diverse group of stakeholders and can bring in allies and partners from marginalized communities, such as people of color, people with disabilities, low-income families, and immigrants.
- Drive to achieve results: You know how to work to your strengths to achieve your own ambitious goals, and you anticipate hurdles as merely a momentary inconvenience. You possess a competitive drive and are creative when prospecting clients. You set a high bar and meet it because you think three (or 30) steps ahead to come up with pragmatic, yet innovative, solutions. You have financial acumen and an affinity for the details.
- Inclusive leadership and management: You approach leadership in your work with a mindset of “power with” rather than “power over” and regularly include others with lived experience in decision-making. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to clients, partners, and contractors to leverage time and resources for impact.
- Setting and managing priorities: You have experience managing multiple projects and keeping tasks from slipping through the cracks. You use resources wisely and can provide clear direction to staff, partners, consultants, and volunteers to leverage time and talent for impact.
- Commitment to racial equity and social justice: You recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in addressing barriers to capital access. You recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about difference to overcome barriers. You recognize that entrepreneurship is a pathway to better financial outcomes. You’re a leader (or willing to become a leader) in incorporating the Center's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion principles effectively into internal processes, external programming and communications, and work relationships, as well as identifying opportunities to build capacity in centering equity into your work.
If you were here right now, you would be:
- Overseeing Program Activities: Lead the implementation of initiatives focused on food security, small business development, health outreach, and broader economic development for Native Nations in northeast Nebraska.
- Building Partnerships: Establish and nurture collaborative relationships with tribal leaders, community organizations, and local stakeholders to expand program impact and foster sustainable development.
- Managing Teams and Budgets: Guide and support staff and contractors in executing project activities while ensuring budgets align with funder guidelines and organizational priorities.
- Promoting Program Success: Develop and execute communication strategies, create outreach materials, and represent the program in media and public presentations to highlight successes and outcomes.
- Enhancing Community Impact: Collaborate with experts and organizations to advance food sovereignty initiatives, support small business growth, and address community-driven priorities.
You have experience with the following:
- Community Engagement: Demonstrated success in building collaborative relationships with tribal governments, community leaders, and diverse stakeholders to drive shared objectives.
- Program Management: Proven experience managing multi-faceted projects, including planning, execution, and evaluation, to achieve economic and community development goals.
- Partnership Development: Experience identifying, fostering, and sustaining partnerships with organizations and experts to expand program impact and enhance community initiatives.
- Budget and Grant Oversight: Strong background in managing project budgets, ensuring compliance with funder guidelines, and preparing grant proposals to secure funding for program activities.
- Team Leadership: Effective leadership of teams and contractors, providing guidance, feedback, and recognition while fostering collaboration and accountability.
- Culturally Responsive Work: Experience working with Native Nations or rural communities, with a deep understanding of cultural traditions, challenges, and opportunities for food sovereignty, small business development, and health education.
What Else You Should Know
This is a full-time exempt position based in Walthill, Ne or Hartington, NE or a Location flexibility in Northeast Nebraska may be offered to the right candidate. This position will require occasional travel by car to meet with community partners and individuals and include both overnight and out-of-state travel on occasion.
Compensation and benefits:
This position has a salary range of $59,000 - $72,000 with top-notch benefits that have a cash value of $10,000 to $29,500, depending on family status and tenure with the Center. Benefits include a 97% employer-paid family health insurance that includes a contribution to a Health Savings Account, retirement options, a fantastic Employee Assistance Program, 12 paid holidays plus paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, Friday Summer Hours, and vacation and sick pay.
The Center for Rural Affairs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify, is committed to the full inclusion of all individuals, and takes steps to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.
How to Apply
If you would like to work for an organization that has a national reputation as one of the top organizations in the country working to make rural communities more vibrant, apply by sending your resume, cover letter, and three professional references by clicking here. In the cover letter, please include how your personal and/or professional experiences have positioned you for success in this role and any Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion or Racial Equity-related work, skills, or expertise you want us to know about. Let us know how you heard about this position and why you want to work for the Center.
