Manager, Youth Leadership Program

Gardening the Community (gardeningthe.org) is a BIPOC-led urban agriculture organization engaged in youth development and advancing racial justice to build healthy and equitable communities. We work with youth to grow food on reclaimed abandoned lots in the Mason Square community of Springfield. We partner with the Springfield Food Policy Council on advocacy campaigns for increased access to healthy food and greater food security for historically marginalized residents. The impact of our work is far beyond growing vegetables. GTC contributes to the local and statewide food and racial justice movements that seek to change the root causes of the poor health and unjust food systems facing communities (especially low-income communities and communities of color) across the State. We are creating locally controlled food resources that support our young people, build community and offer sustainable alternatives to Springfield families.

GTC is a fiscally-sponsored organization of Third Sector New England, Inc. (TSNE) (tsne.org).

Under the direction of the Executive Director, the Manager of the Youth Leadership Program leads GTC’s youth development program. The program supports young people engaged with GTC in becoming strong, confident leaders who think critically about the world around them, understand the importance of access to healthy and locally grown food for all families, and advocate for food and racial justice.  

Essential Functions

• Manages the process of youth coming into  the program, including application materials, meeting with both youth and their  parents/guardians, and seasonal orientations;
• Work with the Executive Director to develop and direct the overall education goals and weekly activities of the daily on-site  participation of youth involved in GTC, including farming, Farm Store and Farmers Market support, bike delivery team, and youth driven community engagement activities;
• Support the leadership development of youth within GTC through coaching and mentoring and creating positive experiences that challenge youth to learn and grow;
• Work with the Youth Program Associates to recruit youth to serve on the GTC Board, Committees and at organizational events;
• Implement a year-round youth learning and leadership development curriculum;
• Coordinate the completion of monthly youth timesheet reporting and invoicing;
• Coordinate the development and distribution of a monthly youth calendar;
• Ensure annual youth participation in program evaluation and self-assessment and reflection;  co-develop and implementing entrance and exit surveys;
• Work with the executive director to ensure that parents and guardians are well informed about their child’s participation in GTC and are knowledgeable about the program and youth activities;
• Assist with other organizational activities including fundraising, events, and office management as appropriate;
• Lead GTC’s youth team with efforts ranging from social media posts to neighborhood flyering, door knocking, tabling and representation at community events;
• Work with the leadership team to develop food justice workshops for community residents on topics including food insecurity and its related outcomes, causes and solutions following community health safety guidelines;
• Staff the GTC Farm Store for a minimum of one shift per week;
• Drive refrigerated truck and passenger van for deliveries and drive youth participants to  events and other locations;
• Completion of Undoing Racism Workshop (required upon hire).
• Other duties as assigned.

We will consider exceptional candidates who demonstrate a strong combination of the specific qualifications and skills described below.

• Experience growing food; 
• Associates Degree in related field or 4 years comparable experience;
• 2 years of experience supervising youth (aged 12-19) in youth organizing or a youth  development context; 
• Experience supervising paid or volunteer staff and working with diverse communities;
• Demonstrated experience in project or program coordination; 
• Demonstrated experience in community outreach or engagement work; 
• Demonstrated commitment to racial justice and to the mission of GTC; 
• Ability to relate easily to middle and high school aged youth and to support their growth and 
• development as leaders; 
• Interest and familiarity with issues relating to local food, food justice, and sustainable Agriculture; 
• Strong organizational skills; 
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including comfort with public speaking;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team 
• Knowledge of the Springfield community, desired not required; 
• Ability to build and sustain individual and community relationships; 
• Successful Driver’s License Check; 
• Successful Background Check; 
• Ability to use Microsoft Word, Excel or design related software; 
• Bilingual (Spanish/English), preferred.

Physical Demands/Work Environment

The physical demands described for this position are that of a typical farm environment. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the functions. Ability to work on a farm is an essential aspect of the position. There may be a need to lift and/or move materials or equipment.

While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to:

• Work on a farm; 
• Work in a retail farm store environment and in close proximity to other workers; ∙
• Travel between farm sites;
• Exposure to inclement weather on occasion; 
• Handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; 
• Reach; traverse; sit or stand (usually for longer periods of time); occasionally ascend/descend;  and position self (to) move; 
• Lift and/or move up to 25 pounds; 
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate; 
• Job is not subject to significant occupational or environmental hazards;
• Likelihood of personal injury would be relatively slight; 
• Environmental and work hazards are not present to a measurable degree.

To Apply

Please include the following documents with your application:

• Resume/CV – Use document upload section in the beginning of the application
• GTC specific cover letter to include answers to the questions below – You will be prompted to enter a cover letter towards the end of the application and will need to copy paste it into the space available not as an attachment.
• How do you see your role as a member of a justice and equity-driven organization working with and centering the lived experiences of racially and economically diverse populations? 

Compensation and Benefits

Location: Work will be primarily performed at Gardening the Community in Springfield, MA.

Schedule: This position will work 37.5 hours per week.  The schedule would include early morning shifts and some Saturdays.

Compensation: The starting salary for this position is $39,000/yr and is commensurate with experience.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a full benefits package including:

• Generous Paid-Time-Off (PTO): twelve paid holidays, three weeks of vacation, one week of personal holiday, and ability to accrue up to 487.5 hours of health leave time for benefited staff;
• 80% Employer-paid, $0 deductible Health Insurance through Harvard Pilgrim;
• Low-cost MetLife Dental and Vision;
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for Health and Dependent Care;
• Employer-paid Life, Long- and Short-Term Disability Insurance;
• Employer-paid Pension through TIAA;
• ...and more!

TSNE/GTC strives to achieve excellence through a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment that embraces all of our individual and collective differences. Black, Indigenous, People of Color, Middle Eastern and North African, Bilingual and/or Bicultural candidates, and LGBTQ2SIA+ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We value and honor the unique talents, learning styles, and lived experiences of each individual that enrich and strengthen our workplace culture, and we are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.

All employment conditions are based on an individual’s performance and job qualifications. TSNE/GTC prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, creed, color, religion, native language, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, national origin, physical or mental disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, parental status, pregnancy, race-based hairstyles, or any other protected characteristic stated by federal and state law. Regardless of any class’ protection under the law or lack thereof, TSNE/GTC celebrates diversity and values the strengths that come with having a diverse team of employees. It is represented in our workplace culture, and it is who we are.

TSNE/GTC's EEO statement extends to volunteers, interns, contractors, vendors, and clients.