Communications Manager

Job Description: We are hiring a full-time Communications Manager to join our small team, manage our public-facing communications (newsletters, Instagram, website) and support with development, operations, and youth programming. This is a dynamic role and calls for a storyteller who thrives on varied projects. See further details under Job Responsibilities.

Start Date, Schedule, and Location: Full time (~30-35 hours/week, open to discussion) beginning in late February or early March 2025. This is a hybrid position that requires 2-3 days per week on-site at the farm in Hillsboro.

About us: Working Theory Farm is an organic farm and youth development nonprofit located in Hillsboro, Oregon, a suburb of the Portland metro area. Our mission is to empower youth through the shared work of farming to grow food for partner organizations who distribute this food to families in need. We support youth through a mixture of mentorship and employment programming, and work with partners to hire youth who have been impacted by the carceral system, homelessness or housing instability, developmental disabilities, and other barriers.

From our founding, Working Theory Farm has been focused on addressing the harms caused by systemic and institutional inequity. Our programming is focused on uplifting youth and feeding community members who historically and currently face injustice. The community members and youth we work with are primarily from Latino/latinx backgrounds, and we seek to leverage our access to land and our skills as facilitators, educators, and farmers to benefit the people and communities around us. BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People Of Color), LGBTQI2S+ folks, immigrants, and anyone who has experienced systemic marginalization are strongly encouraged to apply.

We’re looking for someone passionate about the work of youth engagement, education, and empowerment who also has an interest in collaboratively shaping this growing organization. We practice a collective model of leadership and integrate both adult and youth staff voices before finalizing crucial decisions. We annually revisit farm finances and compensation as we work together to establish a sustainable operating model. There is significant potential for growth, on-the-job learning, and cross-training in areas such as grant-writing, youth mentoring, vegetable and animal production, and more.

Job Responsibilities:

0.3 FTE Communications: telling our story to the public

• • Manage our long dormant email newsletter and write monthly dispatches spotlighting different aspects of our dynamic program
  • Manage our long dormant Instagram and website
  • The goal of this position will be to pass the megaphone among a wide range of farmers, educators, youth, and community members who make up Working Theory Farm, amplifying a variety of varied voices to tell a cohesive story to the world beyond the farm

0.25 FTE Communications/Development: telling our story to donors and grant-makers

• • Plan 1-2 farm events per year
  • Collaborate with Development Director on donor communications and recruitment
  • Cross-train with Development Director on grant-writing

0.2 FTE Programming: supporting youth in telling their own stories

• • Collaborate with Youth Program Manager and community partners to provide 1:1 resource navigation for the youth we serve. Approx. 5 hrs per month from Sept - June, increasing to Approx. 10 hrs per week during our July - August Summer Crew.
  • Work occasionally with our Farm Operations Team and our Youth Programming Team to develop a stronger understanding of the stories you’re telling and to cultivate a heart connection to this work.

0.25 FTE Nonprofit Operations: writing and implementing our story

• • Participate in All-staff meetings and Leadership Team (Managers and Directors) meetings to collectively shape the direction of the organization
  • Hire, onboard, process payroll, and support employees with questions

Skills and Experience (what we’re looking for from all candidates):

• Compelling written and verbal communication skills
• Reliability and ability to meet deadlines
• Active listening skills
• Comfort working both interpersonally and independently
• Strong resonance with our mission and program
• Professional writing experience and confidence in your writing voice
• Ability to adapt and be responsive to the needs of multiple stakeholders
• Willingness to give and receive feedback and engage in conflict processes
• Comfort with Google Docs, Google Sheets, Word, and Excel

Skills and Experience Could Include: (We don’t expect you to be a unicorn and have all of these experiences. Anything on this list will catch our eye):

• Bilingual: English/Spanish
• Life experience or family experience reflective of the youth and communities we serve
• Previous experience with grant-writing
• Experience as a farmer or landworker
• Experience as a youth mentor, advocate, or educator