Agricultural Resilience Associate

AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST•Washington, DC

1d•$70,000 - $75,000•Remote

About The Position

American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 6.5 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on millions of additional acres and helped thousands of farm families make a go of it (primarily through programs that increase farm viability and/or enhance farmland access). Long a pioneering leader, AFT is now riding a new wave of growth, driven by agriculture’s most pressing needs and opportunities. Job purpose Reporting to the Mid-Atlantic Deputy Director, the Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Resilience Associate works at the intersection of production, conservation, and farm viability on cropland across the region and actively collaborates and coordinates with AFT staff to help ensure that AFT’s programming is strategic, synergistic, efficiently-delivered, well-received, and impactful. This position is currently funded for a two-year term based on available funding. However, AFT is committed to the long-term success of this work and will actively pursue additional funding opportunities to support continued employment whenever possible. Position Summary As an integral part of the AFT Program team, the Mid-Atlantic Agricultural Resilience Associate implements existing AFT production, conservation, and farm viability projects on cropland in the three Mid-Atlantic states; help develop new programing that furthers AFT’s broader mission as it relates to agricultural resilience; and provides partnership and support to other organizations and efforts in the region related to agricultural resilience.

Requirements

Must be outgoing and energetic and have direct professional experience working on or with farms and agricultural issues in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Must have significant knowledge of and experience with one or more of the following: agriculture, climate, soil health, conservation, or farm viability.
Must be able to work closely with farmers and agriculture organizations as well as environmental organizations, universities and other research institutions, and state/federal government agencies.
Be comfortable interacting with farmers, advocates and partner organizations.
Work history of developing and implementing effective programs and projects.
Demonstrated project implementation skills and experience working in diverse teams of individuals, peers, and partners.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Must be highly motivated with strong interpersonal skills.
Must bring a collaborative, outgoing, professional, and innovative approach to tackling these issues.
Ability to deliver high quality work in a dynamic organization under time pressure.
Ability to travel throughout the Mid-Atlantic region including occasional overnight trips.
BA or BS degree and a minimum of 5 years of related work experience in agriculture, climate, soil health, conservation, farm viability, or corporate sustainability.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience and success in fundraising a plus.
An advanced degree in one or more of the disciplines noted may be substituted for up to 2 years of experience.

Responsibilities

Core Program Implementation Design, develop, and implement projects related to agricultural resilience that align with AFT’s mission, including soil health, water quality, farm viability, climate resilience, nutrient management, and conservation planning.
Implement multi‑state, funder‑supported projects that advance advanced soil health management systems, including cover cropping, reduced tillage, and whole‑farm soil health planning, with a focus on cropland systems across the Mid‑Atlantic region.
Coordinate and support delivery of in‑person and/or hybrid Advanced Soil Health Trainings for farmers and technical assistance providers, including logistics, partner coordination, curriculum support, and participant engagement.
Support the establishment, coordination, and ongoing functioning of farmer‑led mentor networks, including onboarding participants, supporting peer engagement, and tracking participation and progress.
Planning, Technical Assistance & Practice Adoption Support farmers and mentor network participants in the development and implementation of Soil Health Management Plans (SHMPs), including coordination with partners providing technical assistance and soil health assessments.
Assist farmers in identifying and accessing cost‑share, incentive, or other funding programs to support implementation of soil health and conservation practices.
Provide expertise on climate resilience and risk mitigation strategies available to farmers through production, conservation, and business practices.
Partnership & Network Development Build and maintain strong working relationships with farmers, farmer‑advisors, conservation organizations, universities, and state and federal agencies across Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Coordinate project activities with a diverse group of partners, including technical assistance providers, farmer organizations, and research partners, ensuring roles, timelines, and deliverables are aligned.
Represent AFT at regional meetings, trainings, conferences, and learning exchanges related to soil health, agricultural resilience, and conservation practice implementation.
Data Collection, Reporting & Learning Support data collection associated with project deliverables, including tracking training participation, mentor network engagement, soil health planning completion, and practice implementation progress, in coordination with project partners.
Contribute to interim and final project reporting by synthesizing participation, outputs, and qualitative outcomes for internal learning and external funder requirements.
Work collaboratively with Communications staff to share project impacts, lessons learned, and farmer stories internally and externally.
Organizational & Strategic Contributions Bring a creative, solutions‑oriented lens to project design and implementation, translating funded proposals into effective work plans, timelines, and budgets.
Assist the Mid‑Atlantic Director and Deputy Director with fundraising and proposal development by contributing to concept development, budgets, work plans, and partner coordination.
Support a strong, collaborative team culture and ensure regional work is integrated with AFT’s national strategies and initiatives.
This is not necessarily an all-inclusive list of job-related responsibilities. Management reserves the right to revise the job or to request other or different duties be performed as assigned.

Benefits

American Farmland Trust offers excellent vacation, medical, retirement and other benefits.
Insurance coverage begins the 1st of the month following the date of hire.
Medical & Prescription Coverage
Dental Coverage
Vision Coverage
Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
Voluntary Life Insurance
Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
Health Savings Account (HSA)
401k Plan
Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 13 “sick days” per year.
Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year maximum.
Holidays: AFT observes twelve fixed holidays and a week between Christmas and New Years off during the year (all offices closed) plus a choice of up to three (depending on hiring month) floating holidays.