Santropol Roulant is seeking a creative and forward thinking individual to join our team as Co-Manager of our successful Urban Agriculture Program with specific responsability for Horticultural Production and Communications.

About Santropol Roulant

Santropol Roulant (SR) uses food as a vehicle to break social and economic isolation between generations and cultures. Creatively and collaboratively, we strengthen and nourish our local community with our novel approaches to active youth engagement, urban food systems, food security and community care.

About the Urban Agriculture Program

We are interested in building a food system that is healthy, just, and sustainable. As such, our urban agriculture projects are designed to support local and organic agriculture, while assuring that such foods remain accessible to all regardless of socio-economic status, level of mobility, or degree of autonomy.

About the position

Working in close collaboration with the Urban Agriculture Program Co-Manager responsible for Education and Administration the chosen candidate will contribute generally to all Urban Agriculture (UA) related activities, from program direction to garden upkeep, and more specifically to the flourishment of the Edible Campus Garden at McGill University for which she or he will be ultimately responsible.

Key Responsabilities

Public relations, communications and representation

• Act as the public face of the UA program, including most speaking events and media requests;
• Produce communication tools and materials for SR's UA program.

Vision

• Develop and maintain a vision for SR's downtown gardens, working to deepen their impact and ensuring that these remain in line with the needs of our broader; community.

Partnerships

• Establish and maintain partnerships – other than those pertaining specifically to education and outreach – with various partner organizations in order to help ensure the long term sustainability of the program and its influence in the broader community – notably our existing partnership with McGill University.

Education

• Organize and coordinate a series of horticultural workshops for the SR community in collaboration with a team of summer interns in UA;
• Coordinate most visits to the Edible Campus Garden at McGill University;
• Coordinate with day camps visiting the garden over the summer months (ex: Camp Cosmos).

Fundraising

• Write all grant applications relating to the horticultural production; the horticultural workshop series, and other activities related to UA.

Production

• Prepare a crop plan and seed order for SR's 2 downtown gardens (Edible Campus at McGill and 111 Roy Street);
• Coordinate all aspects of the Edible Campus growing season.
• Work with the kitchen to ensure that the planned downtown harvest remains in line with the yearly menu planning and daily meal preparation;
• Ensure timely distribution and/or use of surplus garden produce;
• Coordinate the Fresh Basket program for seniors and SR's client-members.
• Coordinate volunteer shifts in the Edible Campus Garden.

Research and Innovation

• Use the Edible Campus Garden as a platform for innovation and a laboratory for UA related research and experimentation.

Collectives

• Act as the staff liaison for the Fruits Défendus volunteer collective and for other similar collectives that may arise through time.

We are looking for candidates with the following interests, skills and experience:

We are looking for someone with a strong desire to contribute to Santropol Roulant's Urban Agriculture Program AND someone capable of immediately assuming responsability for the fast approaching 2014 growing season.

Through this hiring process, we hope to find a balance between meeting our immediate organizational needs and our long standing commitment to a hiring culture which seeks to offer first employment opportunities to capable young people that may not yet possess the hard to acquire workplace experience.

If the position is of interest to you, we would be happy to discuss it at greater length. Please do not hesitate to contact us before submitting your application.

That said, certain qualifications are essential to properly fulfilling the various requirements of the position:

• A solid knowledge of urban agriculture, ideally on both the local and national level.
• The ability to generate new opportunities, to innovate, and to work on several project at once with different timetables.
• Theoretical and practical training in horticulture/small-scale agriculture. Experience with fruits and vegetables is an asset.
• Experience in small-scale agriculture production or gardening, including experience with crop planning.
• Experience and interest in working as part of a larger team.
• Advanced communication skills, including fluency in french and english, both written and verbal.

Additional Details

This is a full-time position (40hrs/week). Compensation will be determined in accordance with Santropol Roulant's Salary Policy and Salary Grid. The start date is mid-March.

To apply, mail or drop off your CV and cover letter to our offices at 111 Roy Street East, or send your application by email to rh(at)santropolroulant.org before February 24th 2014 at 9am. Applications should be addressed to the UA Program Co-Manager Hiring Committee. Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. Interviews will take place the week of February 24th. For more information contact Pier at 514-284-9335, write to rh(at)santropolroulant.org, visit our website www.santropolroulant.org, or stop by our office.

Santropol Roulant is an inclusive environment. We welcome a diversity of applicants including those from traditionally under-represented groups. Please feel free to indicate so in your letter, if this is your case.