Company description
UpRoot Colorado (UpRoot) increases the nutrition security of Colorado residents by harvesting and redistributing surplus, nutrient-dense foods while supporting the resilience of farmers. We envision a mindful, humane and equitable Colorado food system where everyone has access to locally-produced, nutrient-dense foods; where people are more connected to the sources of our food; and where farmers are valued for who they are: a cornerstone of our society.
Role description
- Job Title: Gleaning & Food-Systems Coordinator
- Job Status: Hourly; non-exempt
- Job Term: This role is currently a non-exempt, grant-funded position through 2025. There is the potential for an evolution of this role into an exempt, full-time role.
- Pay: $41,600.00
- Preferred Start Date: July 1, 2023
- Current benefits: Healthcare stipend (ICHRA). Paid sick leave. Colorado SecureSavings. Tech stipend. Mileage reimbursement of $0.35 per mile for role-specific duties.
Our Gleaning & Food-Systems Coordinators (Coordinator) are responsible for our Gleaning Initiative in specific geographic regions of Colorado: conducting outreach; recruiting and managing volunteers; connecting with farm partners and potential farm partners; coordinating and leading gleaning events to harvest surplus food from local farms and fruit trees; connecting and collaborating with hunger-relief partners; coordinating the distribution of gleaned food; performing organizing, equity, and advocacy work; writing, editing and sharing communications; educating the community about our food-system. Thanks to grant funding, this will be the first time the Metro Denver coordinator position is a year-round role.
Primary responsibilities include:
Outreach & Communications
- Nurturing existing relationships with local producers, fruit-tree stewards, hunger-relief agencies, and community partners
- Implementing strategic outreach to farmers, fruit-tree stewards, hunger-relief agencies, and other entities with whom we have not yet partnered—including local businesses, houses of worship, foundations, civic-minded groups, schools and universities, and nonprofit organizations—to expand UpRoot’s gleaning efforts and impact
- Conducting volunteer outreach and recruitment; writing/sending weekly volunteer communications
- Taking photographs of gleaning events, and creating event flyers and social media posts about past/upcoming events
Event Coordination & Volunteer Management
- Communicating with producers weekly to determine what is available for gleaning and/or pick-up
- Organizing and leading gleaning events, including: collecting waivers, training and supervising volunteers, communicating with & transporting food to hunger-relief agencies
- Implementing staff and volunteer safety and food safety best practices at gleaning events
- Sharing educational information with volunteers on the topics of food justice, local food systems, causes of food surplus and waste, nutrition insecurity, etc.
- Ensuring all physical program supplies and equipment are organized and maintained
- Contributing to the development of the Volunteer Harvest Leader program
- Helping to develop training materials
- Recruiting and training volunteer candidates for the Volunteer Harvest Leader program
Data Tracking & Program Administration
- Once donations are weighed, issue a tax-donation receipt form (or forms) to farmers
- Ensuring all outreach and program data is tracked accurately and in a timely manner
- Providing program data for use in funding applications and reports
- Supporting program evaluation, including gathering feedback from farmers, fruit-tree stewards, volunteers, hunger-relief agencies, etc.
- Basic administrative tasks including documenting activities, scheduling events, responding to inquiries, etc.
Advocacy & Coalition-Building
- Participating in working groups and coalitions, and cultivating collaborative partnerships to work toward shared goals
- Engaging in legislative advocacy by initiating relationships with elected officials
- Listening to the voices of community members most affected by food apartheid and nutrition insecurity
Other related assignments as necessary
- Attending weekly team “huddles” and individual meetings with regional co-director
- UpRoot Colorado is a young yet growing organization. We know it’s impossible to convey every single task for a particular job. Our hope is that as we work together we can use this job as a starting point so that your role can evolve over time and we can adjust your job description accordingly.
Must haves:
- Metro-Denver based
- A fire in your belly to listen, learn, collaborate and establish food equity, food justice and positive food-systems change
- Organizing, campaigning or outreach experience (e.g., outreach to volunteers, farmers, customers, community groups, elected officials, etc.)
- Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication, and organizational skills
- Experience and comfort coordinating volunteers and speaking publicly
- Ability to think critically and creatively
- Self-starter, with the ability to work independently and comfortably in an entrepreneurial environment
- Ability to enthusiastically engage with people from diverse backgrounds to promote trust and collaboration
- Comfort working outdoors and in a variety of weather conditions
- The ability to lift 40 lbs. comfortably
- A valid driver’s license and reliable, personal transportation (you may be required to deliver gleaned food in your own vehicle)
- Comfort and proficiency with technology (such as Google Workspace, Salesforce, MailChimp), and/or a willingness to learn about these technologies
Great to have(s):
- An entrepreneurial spirit and a flexible schedule
- Agricultural or food-systems experience
- Food-safety experience
- An outgoing personality and can-do attitude
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
- Fluency with social media platforms
UpRoot Colorado is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discriminatory practices against anyone on the basis of age, race, religion, national origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, and any other protected category. We value—and are working to create—a culture of equity, honesty, transparency, gratitude, clear communication, respect, and continuous learning. We acknowledge that food justice is not achievable without racial justice.
Candidates must align with these values and want to contribute to the creation of a new status quo: an equitable food system where all enjoy access to nutrient-dense and locally-produced food, where farmers are valued and made economically whole, and agriculture contributes to the health of both people and our environment. It is important that the communities we serve are centered in our work. Therefore, people who have experienced nutrition insecurity are encouraged to apply.
