CNP Campus Farm Manager - IDEA Elsa (Immediate Opening)

IDEA Public Schools•Elsa, TX

1d•$21 - $27•Onsite

About The Position

At IDEA, our campus farms work within the Child Nutrition Program (CNP) and Healthy Kids Here initiative dedicated to making IDEA Public Schools the healthiest school district in the nation. CNP Campus Farm Managers lead a nutrition-focused farm education program which involves coordinating with campus leaders on curriculum-based lessons, Junior Master Gardener (JMG) classes, instructing K-12 students during outdoor project-based learning, and implementing successful classroom management strategies during outdoor instruction. The CNP Campus Farm Managers plans and manages the implementation of a four-season diversified sustainable farming system that includes annual vegetable production, cover cropping, crop rotation, orchard cultivation, naive habitat maintenance, and an integrated land management plan encompassing soil health, plant nutrition, and integrated pest management. CNP Campus Farm Managers manage a campus budget and are responsible for quote collection, procurement, and the coordination of contracted services on the farm. This role is also responsible for all farm data tracking, log management, and food safety protocol preparation & implementation to meet or exceed audit standards. CNP Campus Farm Managers participate in regional group workdays at neighboring farms and off-site professional development opportunities periodically throughout the year to build Team & Family and prioritize continuous improvement.

Requirements

High School Diploma or GED
1 year experience in a leadership role pertaining to horticulture or crop production
1 year experience teaching or working with pre-K through 12th grade students
Reliable transportation
Ability to read, write, speak, and understand English
Effective organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills
Experience with youth education and communicating with students
Computer literacy with understanding of Microsoft Office Suite
Good mathematical skills and basic finance understanding
Ability to understand and interpret data (charts, graphs, etc.)
The ability to motivate, delegate, and lead a team to accomplish goals
Can handle stress well and prioritize effectively to meet deadlines
Able to follow verbal and written direction and ask for clarification as needed
Demonstrate problem solving, adaptability and flexibility; can reprioritize workload due to inclement weather, schedule changes, and any other potential setback
Knowledge of methods, materials, equipment, and processes used in small-scale vegetable production
Strong understanding of food safety and sanitation practices involved with food production
Operation, maintenance, and construction of drip irrigation systems
Familiarity with Integrated Pest Management

Nice To Haves

Associate degree or higher in Horticulture, Agriculture, Ecology, or a related field
1 year management or supervisory experience
Ability to speak and understand Spanish

Responsibilities

Lead Farm Education & Community Engagement
Integrate into campus-based operating mechanisms to ensure consistent communication and alignment with Operations and Instructional teams
Collaborate with school administration and partnering stakeholders for the planning, coordination and facilitation of on-farm education for students on the farm that enhances their knowledge of sustainable agriculture, environmental stewardships and nutrition.
Increase student awareness and participation in farm educational programming to generate a lifetime of healthy eating habits & resources.
Manage course planning, activity setup, and lesson facilitation in accordance with IDEA CNP Farms lesson standards and assigns student field lessons as needed to fulfill curriculum certification requirements
Verify 100% of students are verified to have completed curriculum requirements prior to being awarded certification and officially certify students at campus awards ceremonies
Coordinate & facilitate a minimum of 3 campus engagement events per year to share Farm to School programming with parents, community stakeholders, and the broader community
Manage Farm Production:
Lead execution of all field tasks including bed preparation, landscaping, and managing pests, weeds, and wildlife presence, & effectively delegates field tasks to the Assistant Farmer
Develop annual production plan based on IDEA menu requirements, aligned to the IDEA academic calendar and regional production guidance from HQ Farm Manager; updates plan weekly to capture all changes
Develop strong relationship with campus Cafeteria Managers (CM) for distribution of produce and coordinates “excess harvest” deliveries with local IDEA campus Cafeteria Managers (CMs)
Manage the purchasing and planting of seeds and transplants for multiple crops to ensure on-time planting and harvests from the first day of school to the last day of school
Efficiently diagnose issues related to meeting production plan goals and effectively implements solutions aligned with integrated pest management, food safety protocols, and sustainable horticultural practices
Conduct field walks with CNP Farm Manager, CNP Assistant and Farmer Substitutes regularly to identify corrective actions needed to meet production goal
Guarantee Farm Compliance
Ensure Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Harmonized operational audits are passed with a 90% or higher rating to provide safe, high-quality produce and educational experiences for students.
Verify 100% of all food safety, education, and harvest logs are entered into tracking system by end of week and kept for auditing purposes
Facilitates farm shutdown tasks during the summer and Beginning of Year checklist completion to ensure farm is ready to serve students by the first day of school
Maintain compliance with all operations audit requirements to ensure farms continue to be operationally ready in order to provide the best student experience
Conduct physical inventories for all materials and equipment on a quarterly basis
Confer with Assistant Principal of Operations and Facilities Managers for any facility, maintenance, and safety issues relating to the farm & uphold all Safety & Security requirements
Develop resources and lead training for Assistant Farmers to reinforce compliant work practices
Manage Farm Budget and Finances
Ensure budget accuracy through weekly account inquiries ensuring financial sustainability and compliance of the CNP Farm
Submit requisitions accurately and verify the allowability of purchases according to Texas Department of Agriculture policies
Generate yearly financial projections to calculate expenditures for farm projects and events
Coordinate with approved vendors to ensure timely issuance of services
Complete Purchase Order Receiving and add new items to inventory within 24 hours of receipt of goods & services
Work with both HQ and campus teams to demonstrate continuous improvement in the areas of program compliance, pilots, projects, initiatives, and priorities.
Continuously seek feedback as an essential part of IDEA’s culture our culture, taking action to determine how it can best be used to improve our program and the CNP Campus Farm Managers