Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager

Concrete Jungle (CJ) forages, farms, and supports food access across Georgia. We provide fresh produce to food-insecure families by distributing excess produce from fruit trees and farms throughout the region; growing food on our farm; and providing nutrition education resources. We envision a future where communities are well nourished in a world with no food waste. As of December 2024, Concrete Jungle has distributed over 2,800,000 pounds of fresh, nutritious food. Click here for a summary of some of CJ’s main programs.

Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager Description

Concrete Jungle is recruiting highly skilled and diverse candidates for our full time Farm and Volunteer

Engagement Manager position. This person will fully manage the production plan for our small farm in southwest

Atlanta, as well as our Adventure picks program (6-10 picks/year). These programs require volunteer recruitment

and retention with various types of organizations and individuals as well as relationship building and a high level

of organization.

In addition to program management, the Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager will work cross

collaboratively with other CJ teams to ensure staffing and resources are available for events, as well as to

provide reports needed for the ongoing operations (story-telling, fundraising, board and community

engagement). The role will involve work on all levels of the organization: on-the-ground work at the farm and

picks, collaborative supervision to support staff, as well as contributing to the strategic direction of our

programs. Primary responsibilities include:

Farm Management (15-20 hrs/wk)

• Create annual crop plan
• Manage part time staff and volunteers to execute crop plan
• Host 2-8 farm days each month, depending on the season or the requests from community partners
• Participate in long term planning for transforming farm into community space as well as a productive farm
• Execute farm projects such as irrigation replacement, small building projects
• All required farm administrative work: maintain farm budget, track harvest and volunteer numbers, general Airtable (CRM) maintenance records

Local Fruit Picks/Regional Adventure Picks

• Create and publish a calendar of proposed events
• Oversee all logistics of harvests, from scouting before events and sourcing supplies to distribution after harvest
• Recruit and communicate with volunteers for each event
• Train and manage volunteer pick leaders
• Lead picks when needed or attend as additional support and to build community with volunteers

Corporate School and Community Group Events

• Recruit and maintain relationships with corporate citizen departments from companies with a Georgia presence
• Create and maintain relationships with partnering organizations for training, presentations, and speaking events.
• Design and execute events to engage those groups as volunteers
• Create and execute relevant marketing, training, and educational materials, as needed

Partner & Volunteer Engagement

• Train, recruit and coordinate volunteer leaders
• Spearhead volunteer cultivation efforts, by conducting outreach to community organizations, giving presentations, and coordinating potential volunteer groups
• Organize volunteer and partner appreciation efforts (e.g. socials, end of season gifts)
• Manage data related to community engagement
• Other duties as assigned

Candidate Qualifications

We understand and embrace the variety of ways through which people gain experiences, whether through professional, personal, educational, or volunteer opportunities. A Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager candidate should possess the following traits or skills:

• Hospitality mindset: Community is one of Concrete Jungle’s core values and all CJ staff are expected to welcome people into our community, creating warm relationships & experiences.
• Management experience: Effectively manage people & projects simultaneously, tracking both towards goals and measuring progress along the way. Minimum of 2 years experience in people and project management.
• Project planning: Effectively produce a plan to generate results, ruthlessly prioritize what is most important, and utilize all resources including necessary delegation.
• Flexibility: Due to the nature of our work with perishable produce and volunteers, the Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager should thrive in ambiguous, ever-evolving contexts, always ready to find a way forward. They should expect the unexpected, operate with calm and clarity when plans change, and have the capacity to support the team to action in these environments.
• Strategic relationship building: The Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager is a forward facing position: constantly meeting new potential volunteers, partners, clients, and funders. The Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager should be able to identify potential in all contacts & engage people into their next action with CJ.
• Initiative & vision: Constantly striving to increase our impact on food insecurity and food waste, utilizing resources and relationships to identify possibility, and create a path where none yet exists.
• Context switching: Seamlessly move between relationship builder, project manager, and team leader; can move between detail orientation and vision orientation quickly.
• Fun: Create an exciting, joyous environment that makes the work irresistible.
• Physical ability: Lift 50 pounds without strain on your own (note: loading and unloading orders will occasionally require lifting dozens of cases of produce at a time).
• Reliable transportation: Ability to transport produce and pick supplies as needed.

Preferred candidates will also have:

• 3-5 years of experience in one or more of these fields:
  • Agriculture/farming/gardening
  • Local food or sustainable food systems
  • Volunteer management
  • Nonprofit management
  • Teaching
• Experience with Airtable, or other data management systems

Compensation & Benefits: Annual Salary: $50,000-$55,000 based on experience. Concrete Jungle offers an attractive and competitive benefits package including health care, paid time off, technology stipend, hybrid and flexible work schedule, and professional development.

How to Apply: Email your resume and an example of an email you would send to a volunteer group to info@concrete-jungle.org with “Farm and Volunteer Engagement Manager” and your name in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Concrete Jungle is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. Concrete Jungle is committed to an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity.