Community Garden Coordinator

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten? Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.

At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering.

If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today.

ORGANIZATION SUMMARY

World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.

Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.

POSITION SUMMARY

The World Relief Western Washington (WRWW) Community Garden Coordinator role exists to serve refugees and immigrants by overseeing a 2-acre community garden and native restoration site where refugee-immigrant community members can grow culturally relevant food. Garden programs focus on practical community garden management and support, food and environmental justice, strengthening the local food system, and advocating for ecologically healthy environments that will result in thriving refugee-immigrant communities.

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Garden Operations and Management (35%) Responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of garden site, equipment, and surrounding infrastructure Manage the maintenance of all garden-related facilities: garden tool sheds, watering systems (cisterns, hydrants, electric pumps), walking paths, and garden plot infrastructure Maintain or coordinate the maintenance (weeding, mulching, composting, pruning) of all natural, community spaces such as the food forest, native restoration zones, raingardens, bioswale, and pollinator berm Oversee garden improvements: planting new fruit tree varietals, expanding irrigation systems, creating new native restoration zones, de-paving to expand gardening opportunities, and any other opportunities that expand refugee and immigrant access to agriculture and natural spaces Coordinate and collaborate with the Learning and Development Coordinator to maintain and improve the Kids’ Learn and Play Zone Program Development and Coordination (40%) Assist Resiliency Programs Manager in setting and fulfilling the goals and objectives of the Community Garden Develop and promote educational aspects of the Community Garden, including workshops for gardeners and community members, educational tours, leadership trainings and related activities Assist the Resiliency Program Manager in soliciting funding for Community Garden programs and infrastructure through grant-writing, donor engagement and events Alongside Resiliency Programs Manager, maintain positive relationships & communication with Hillside Church, neighbors and other organizational or governmental partners and stakeholders Expand WRWW’s agricultural program offerings through exploring additional partner sites and creating market gardening infrastructure and opportunities Maintain up-to-date data and provide regular reports on Community Garden activities and outcomes, including pre- and post-testing, class attendance, etc. Ensure that all grantor reporting requirements are met in a timely manner Ensure enrollment/participation goals are reached through community outreach and promotion Oversee pre- and post-season surveys and data collection for grant reporting and program evaluation purposes Solicit and obtain donations of gardening materials (seeds, plant starts, compost) from local organizations to equip gardeners with the necessary resources to garden Cross-program coordination to host events and educational opportunities at the garden, including school-aged focused environmental education Supervise garden-focused high school Equity and Sustainability Youth Interns during the summer months, providing mentorship and garden task oversight Community Building & Volunteer Coordination (20%) Strengthen relationships with refugee and immigrant community gardeners through wellness check-ins, hosting community-focused events, and resource sharing Create bridges to other service organizations (agricultural, legal, ESL, etc.) within the community to refer community gardeners out to for additional needs and services Form connections with local ethnic community-based organizations and cultural hubs for program referrals Explore creative ways to engage the garden participants in community and economicempowerment related opportunities Maintaining a web of partners and relationships with other community garden programs for the purpose of shared learning, resource sharing, and collaboration Schedule, plan and coordinate volunteer work parties to engage local partners and complete necessary annual maintenance tasks Participate in organizational outreach events to make connections with local volunteer groups Maintain positive relationships with recurring volunteer partners Other (5%) Collaborate with the Commercial Teaching Kitchen Coordinator and Learning & Development Coordinator to maximize the use of shared spaces for educational opportunities (garden area, commercial teaching kitchen and church building). Identify and organize technical experts and volunteer collaborators to support in the instruction and implementation of community garden programs Participate in monthly all-staff meetings, staff trainings, periodic leadership meetings, and biannual staff retreats Other duties as assigned

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Mature and personal Christian faith Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs , Statement of Faith , Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document Ability to work well with diverse groups of people – previous cross-cultural experience is required A desire to serve immigrants and refugees in support of the mission, vision and values of World Relief Gardening/farming experience required Good organizational skills and ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects/deadlines at one time Excellent written and oral communication skills in English Self-motivated worker with the ability to problem solve and demonstrate initiative Flexibility in schedule with frequent evening or weekend hours required Good computer knowledge, including MS Office, and the ability to learn new programs. Professionally responsive, dependable, and maintains excellent follow through Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required Dependability, flexibility and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced work environment Previous experience teaching/training adults Curiosity and a love of learning Valid WA State Driver's license, proof of insurance, and reliable transportation required Ability to perform a variety of physical activities with program participants which may include, but are not limited to, walking, standing for long periods of time, shoveling, digging and lifting up to 50 pounds

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Previous experience in program oversight preferred Previous experience with immigrants and communicating across language barriers is preferred. Proficiency in one or more common immigrant languages (Spanish, Dari, Arabic, Ukrainian, French, Burmese, Nepali) highly desirable Working knowledge and experience in agriculture and/or the natural sciences is desirable. Technical knowledge in the field of environmental science. A working knowledge of U.S. food systems and their current inequities. Previous experience working with children and youth preferred. Experience in a community-facing coordinator role.