Key Skills and Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• Bachelor’s degree plus 3 years’ experience or Master’s degree plus 1 year experience, or equivalent professional experience in any of the following (or related) fields: whole systems design, community development/capacity-building, public planning, agriculture, supply chain management, non-profit management;
• Knowledge of food systems (knowledge of the Creston & District food system preferred);
• A history of living and working in rural settings;
• A history of serving in formal and informal leadership roles;
• A proven ability to multitask, consistently meeting or exceeding deadlines and goals;
• A proven capacity to work effectively with diverse groups and individuals;
• Strong analytic skills, including the ability to identify systemic problems and develop creative solutions;
• Excellent written, verbal, and digital communication skills;
• Experience in project planning, implementation, management, and assessment;
• Experience successfully raising funds from diverse sources;
• Experience planning and managing events;
• Experience managing volunteers; and,
• Comfort navigating uncertainty, working independently, and holding flexible hours.

All applicants must live in (or be willing to relocate to) Creston & District.

Background – C&DCDF

The Creston & District Community Directed Funds Committee exists to enhance quality of life from Yahk to Riondel. The Committee is made up of area volunteers with a diverse set of skills and backgrounds. It includes representatives of local governments, First Nations, and community.

The Committee was formed in response to an opportunity to access $600,000 in Columbia Basin Trust funding to take action on local community economic development priorities. After extensive research, community engagement, and planning the Committee identified three areas for investment: agri-food systems; child, youth, and family friendliness, and community finance.

Background – Fields Forward

The Fields Forwards partnership is the first C&DCDF-funded initiative. $230,000 has been allocated to support coordination over an initial three-year term. Additional funds are being raised to support project activities.

The partnership is being formed to focus the work of local food systems partners around four core goals:

1. Increasing economic development in Creston & District’s farm and food sector;
2. Creating and maintaining meaningful, sustainable local jobs in the farm and food economy;
3. Developing locally-appropriate food production, processing, storage, distribution, and sales; and,
4. Improving access to healthy local food for all Creston & District residents.

In order to fulfill its purpose, Fields Forward will promote and facilitate:

• Long-term visioning, short-term planning, and ongoing strategic action in service of local agri-food system development;
• Open communication and information sharing, cooperation, and coordination among local public, private, non-profit, and other stakeholders in local agri-food system development;
• Integrated, collaborative approaches to local agri-food system development, where appropriate;
• Leveraging resources from within and beyond the district in service of partnership goals;
• Resource optimization among Fields Forward partners, and, where appropriate, others;
• Focused professional development and capacity building in service of partnership goals;
• Networking beyond the district in service of partnership goals; and,
• Promoting Creston & District as communities with rich agri-food heritage, activity, and potential.

The Fields Forward network will include agriculture and community organizations, farmers, processors, retailers, restaurants, government, and other stakeholders.

Job Summary

The Coordinator will provide backbone support for the Fields Forward partnership. They will work closely with a volunteer Community Impact Team made up of 6-8 local people with experience in the agri-food sector and/or economic development. They will also work with the wider network of partners and engage with the community at large.

The intent is for the partnership to be driven by the community and to take shape according to local goals, challenges, and opportunities as they emerge. As such, the Coordinator role will involve innovating locally-responsive systems, processes, and tools for operating an effective partnership.

There will be an emphasis on addressing systems level goals by breaking them down into projects/project components that can be taken on by small groups of partners. With input from the community, the Coordinator and Impact Team will identify project opportunities and draw together responsive Working Groups made up of interested network members. The Coordinator will steward the partnership broadly, as well as priority projects.

Key Responsibilities

The Fields Forward coordinator will:

• Manage and administer the Fields Forward partnership;
• Maintain a high-level perspective to guide partnership activities;
• Report to the C&DCDF Committee (annually, and as needed) on the status of the partnership;
• Convene Community Impact Team meetings (monthly, or as needed);
• Convene Working Group meetings (as needed);
• Actively foster communication, cooperation, coordination, and trust building among Community Impact Team and Working Group members;
• Actively support progress towards Community Impact Team goals and Working Group objectives, including through coordinating research, networking, planning, and fundraising;
• Analyze and monitor progress against Fields Forward strategic goals, Community Impact Team goals, and Working Group objectives;
• Update the community (regularly) on Partnership status and opportunities for participation in Partnership activities;
• Convene strategic community gatherings (annually, and as needed), with support from the Community Impact Team; and,
• Actively represent Fields Forward in Creston & District and beyond.

Application Process

Please submit:

• A resume, CV, bio, and/or LinkedIn profile
• The name and contact information of two references who can speak to your professional qualifications
• The name and contact information of one reference who can describe your involvement in community
• A cover letter describing your interest in the position and why you feel you would be an ideal candidate

Applications will be reviewed by the C&DCDF Committee.

Inquiries and applications can be directed to:
Hugh Grant, C&DCDF Committee Chair
c/o Kootenay Employment Services
119 11th Avenue North, Box 548
Creston, BC V0B 1G0
250-428-5655
hg at kes.bc.ca

SOURCE: Creston & District Community Directed Funds