City Slicker Farms Executive Director Job Description

About Our Organization

The mission of City Slicker Farms (CSF) is to reinforce self-sustaining access to food and build community through urban farming, education, and recreation. Since 2001, CSF has been dedicated to increasing access to healthy food for families and individuals with the greatest need. For the past two years the organization has built out and managed the West Oakland Farm Park - an urban open space and community farm. The Farm Park is central to the organization and provides a venue for extensive programming and community engagement.

ED Responsibilities:

The Executive Director will provide vision and leadership to City Slicker Farms (CSF) in areas of strategic direction, operations, financial management, human resources, external relations, program development and services, board development, and staffing. Guided by CSF’s mission and with the support of the Board of Directors (Board), the Executive Director is the organization’s chief spokesperson and external relationship builder, and is responsible for coordinating and directing the management of daily operations.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

Ensuring operational excellence through management and fiscal responsibilities:

• Lead efforts in revenue generation including grants, sponsorships, earned income, individual donations, financial endowment development and other strategic initiatives.
• Ensure strong organizational capacity and financial sustainability to implement the strategic plan and manage the organization in a fiscally responsible manner within the Board-approved budget. Ensure that policies and systems that support financial control and effectiveness are in place and fully functioning.
• Provide clear direction, leadership and motivation to the operating/program team encouraging an organizational culture characterized by open communication, inclusion, teamwork, and a commitment to quality, values, service and outcomes.
• Build a High-Performance Team that is characterized by high levels of collaboration and innovation, and demonstrates open and clear communication, mutual trust, and an ability to effectively manage conflict.
• Ensure effective administrative management of CSF with respect to structure, personnel, business operations, evaluation, risk management and physical environment.

Furthering strategic agenda through leadership and vision

• Ensure fiscal viability of the organization to carry out the mission.
• Provide a high degree of community visibility, to serve as the chief spokesperson for CSF with all of the external stakeholders, the public and media; to be an active and spirited communicator in the advancement of the CSF mission.
• Build important relationships in the local and broader food justice community and ensure CSF is demonstrating and sharing best practices in community-based urban farming initiatives.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with relevant community, nonprofit, government agency, and business partners.
• Work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure organizational alignment of Board policy and staff resources in fulfillment of the mission.
• Support the recruitment of new Board members.
• With the Staff and Board, work to strengthen the existing partnership between CSF Directors and Staff. This involves ensuring appropriate and open pathways of communication, encouraging regular progress updates, and creating time and space to celebrate achievements together as one CSF team.

Ensuring Excellence in Programs and Services

• Provide creative and interactive leadership, supervision, and direction to the staff and advice to the Board to further develop and implement the organizational vision through programs, services and partnerships with stakeholders.
• Identify and deeply understand CSF stakeholder perspectives. Incorporate stakeholder perspectives into the planning process to help shape and refine CSF’s approach and maintain program relevance.
• Oversee development of CSF’s communications, public relations and marketing strategy.
• Ensure positive program impact through initiatives that track and measure project impact.

Farm Park Project Management

• Ensure successful implementation of the CSF Farm Park through quality project management techniques and sustainable funding models.
• Successfully manage capital campaign strategy to support the development and ongoing sustainability of the new Farm Park.
• Work with staff to complete the Farm Park Development Plan and begin implementation.

Desired Qualifications:

1. Non-profit organizational leadership/experience (at least 5 years in leadership role; 10 years in the non-profit world).
2. Demonstrated success in fundraising.
3. Demonstrated experience in the food justice/access and urban agriculture movement, or a related field is strongly desired. Established reputation and scholarship isOperations beneficial.
4. Specific Oakland experience and relationships are beneficial.
5. Education level: Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree in related areas of qualification strongly desired.
6. Bilingual ability in secondary language prevalent in the West Oakland community a plus.
7. Desired specific experience with:
   1. Development/Fundraising
   2. Operations
   3. Project Management/City Politics
   4. Capital Campaign Management
   5. Grants and Contract Management
   6. Marketing/ Public Relations
   7. Human Resources
   8. Risk Management
   9. Operations
   10. Volunteer Management
   11. Excellence in Written and Oral Communication Skills

Salary Range

$75,000 - $105,000

Material Submission Guidelines:

Submit resume and cover letter via email to: [email protected]. No phone calls please. Resumes will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The position posting will remain open until filled.