Fair Food and Farm Manager - Illawarra
Green Connect is an award-winning, not-for-profit social enterprise that employs young people and former refugees to do environmental work. One of its five business arms is Fair Food, which includes one of the largest urban farms in the world, the sales and distribution of its fruit, vegetables, herbs, meat, eggs, honey, and the tours, workshops and other activities done on site.
The Green Connect Farm is an 11 acre site that uses permaculture and organic principles to grow food for the local community that is sold predominantly in CSA-style weekly veg boxes. The site is used under licence agreement from the Department of Education, is steep and irregular, has hillsides with three different aspects and soil types, has two creeklines running through it, and includes a remnant of native rainforest that needs to be protected. Green Connect has been turning this site from a weed-ridden wasteland into a productive site that can serve as inspiration for others wanting to use permaculture and small-scale organic farming to feed their communities.
An essential element of the Green Connect Farm is as the central point of engagement, training, mentoring and support for young people and former refugees who come to Green Connect seeking employment pathways.
Green Connect is part of Community Resources, a national organisation that runs some of the largest social enterprises in Australia and delivers a range community services. In addition to what we do at Green Connect, Community Resources work to keep waste out of landfill, and provide community service to those who need it most. Community Resources employed approximately 600 people last year, 77% of them experiencing barriers to employment. Further information can be found at https://communityresources.org.au/.
OUR VISION
Thriving communities that value people, planet and the traditional custodians of the land.
OUR MISSION
Create jobs that care for people and planet.
OUR VALUES
Authentic, fair, kind, brave and sustainable.
About the role
The Fair Food and Farm Manager leads and manages all aspects of this business unit, including:
Leading the culture and strategic development of the Farm and contributing to the culture and strategic development of Green Connect as a whole. This includes ensuring that the farm is a safe, welcoming space for all, with a deep respect for different cultural backgrounds and a supportive, strengths based approach to employing, training and working with young people and former refugees with multiple and complex barriers to employment.
Managing people, operations and finances, including finding the best use of limited resources
Communicating what we do, how and why to customers, visitors and the general public (with the help of a centralised marketing person)
Working with the Market Garden Coordinator, Senior Farm Hands, and various work experience participants and volunteers to grow vegetables, herbs, fruit and manage animals
Supervising and working alongside large teams of work experience participants with complex needs, volunteers and interns to complete hands on farm tasks
Working with the Fair Food Coordinator to market, sell and distribute veg boxes and quarterly meat packs, and to market, sell and run tours, workshops and other activities
Managing the curation, harvesting and packing of the Green Connect fruit and vegetable boxes
Supporting and building connection and belonging for young people, former refugees and volunteers who undertake training, work experience and paid work at the farm. You will work closely with the Engagement and Support Manager to design systems, track progress and manage support needs, but you will be responsible for delivering this on the ground.
Ensuring the site is maintained well to be safe, welcoming and productive, using the existing staff and volunteers
Helping to lead the enterprise-wide direction of Green Connect as part of the Green Connect Management Team
Note: Many people are drawn to Green Connect because of the well-publicised social and environmental outcomes our work creates. What some people don’t realise is how much work is involved in maintaining the viable business arms that allow us to have this impact. A key part of this role is ensuring that the viability of the fair food business arm in order for our social and environmental vision to be achieved.
The ideal candidate
We are looking for someone who:
Aligns closely with our values: Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share
Can lead a diverse team to grow fair food, provide employment pathways for those who need them most, and connect with the community
Can manage people, finances and operations, including prioritising with limited resources
Can supervise large groups of people performing hands-on tasks.
Has experience in market gardening, horticulture or permaculture
Has the humility, authenticity and respect for others to draw on the knowledge and experience of those around them when making decisions.
Has the self-assurance and level-headedness to meaningfully attend to multiple competing priorities.
For further details please refer to the position description at: https://green-connect.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Fair-Food-and-Farm-Manager-PD-2021.08.pdf
Frequently asked questions
How big is the farm team?
There are five permanent part-time employees on site (one Market Garden Coordinator and four Senior Farm Hands) plus one permanent part-time employee overseeing sales and activities (Fair Food Coordinator), and three casual staff that assist with veg box packing and delivery.
The farm team also includes a wide range of work experience participants, students, volunteers and interns.
How big is Green Connect?
Green Connect comprises of five business units: farm, op shop, zero waste, gardening and landscaping, and staffing solutions. There are 14 permanent part-time staff and around 100 casual staff at any time. Last financial year we:
- employed 111 young people and former refugees
- kept 157 tonnes of waste out of landfill
- grew and distributed 35,118kg of fair food
Application questions
In what way do you align with our values of Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share?
What experience have you had working with people from diverse and/or disadvantaged backgrounds?
What experience have you had supervising large groups of people performing hands on tasks?
What experience have you had as a leader and strategic thinker?
What experience have you had managing people, finances and operations?
What experience have you had in market gardening, horticulture or permaculture?
We would love a short video about why you're a good fit for the role. If video is not your thing, we'll take a one page cover letter.