Sustainable Agriculture Program Manager

University of Maryland•College Park, MD

5d•$82,000 - $87,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) is seeking a 12-month, renewable, full-time Program Manager for its National Reporting, Coordinating, and Communications Office (NRCCO) in College Park, Md. SARE, a program of the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), provides farmer-driven grants and education. The NRCCO, operating under cooperative agreements with the USDA through the University of Maryland (UMD), focuses on creating and distributing print and digital educational resources for U.S. farmers, ranchers, and agricultural service providers. The office manages five work plans, producing 8-10 outreach products annually on sustainable agriculture topics. It also supports SARE's regional programs by managing a digital grant system, developing SARE websites, providing communication resources, and coordinating national workshops and meetings. The Program Manager will be a key team member responsible for developing written and digital educational resources, assisting with promotion plans, writing press releases, identifying outreach channels, and creating online and in-person educational opportunities. This role offers engagement with colleagues and national partners who support sustainable agriculture and requires annual out-of-state travel. The position provides a creative and professional perspective on sustainable agriculture outreach, balancing daily tasks with long-term objectives. It reports to the SARE Associate Director at UMD and requires collaboration with NRCCO and UMD colleagues, as well as national SARE partners.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
Three (3) years of professional program management or higher education experience.
Knowledge of business acumen to understand key business drivers, organizational communications, and data.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in the use of Microsoft Office products.
Ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion.
Ability to develop and administer new policies and procedures.
Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, regulations, and laws.

Nice To Haves

M.S. in sustainable agriculture, natural resource conservation, agriculture education, or related fields.
Experience with agriculture outreach programing or Cooperative Extension.
Previous experience maintaining website content and using various design and editing software like: Adobe Creative Suite, InDesign, Photoshop, Bridge, Illustrator, and Wordpress.
Familiarity with publication and photo management and/or digital accessibility?

Responsibilities

Contributes significantly to the production of all print and digital media projects (e.g., books, bulletins, promotional materials, web pages, press releases) from start to finish, including managing the print production process.
Leads the team in researching and identifying best avenues for outreach and communications.
Advises staff on how social media and/or new and notable outreach and communication strategies, including artificial intelligence (AI) programs, can be used to advance the NRCCO’s mission.
Interfaces with the NRCCO team to ensure timely development, design, and editing/proofreading of print and online digital content prior to being publicly available.
Collaborates with the NRCCO team and national SARE Outreach Steering Committee to select and develop content for publications, digital media, and other educational resources.
Co-develops and delivers engaging educational opportunities at in-person and online programs for national SARE partners and stakeholders (e.g., SARE Fellows Program, SARE Outreach Steering Committee).
Assists with planning, facilitating logistics and communication with any guest speakers, organizing technology resources, developing and distributing materials, and other tasks associated with workshops and meetings in-person or virtual events.
Provides logistical support at in-person and virtual events, including note taking.
Travel to 1 to 3 out-of-state, multi-day trips per year.
Contributes to managing and developing SARE NRCCO’s shared information and reference resources.
Engage with NRCCO, UMD and national SARE groups and individuals with timely responses via email, instant message, and phone correspondence.