Fresh Roots Schoolyard Farm Production Lead 

Position Location: Metro Vancouver Fresh Roots Schoolyard Farm Sites

Application Deadline: Application Review will commence January 15th.

The Position 

The Fresh Roots Farm Team operates our educational farms towards our production, sales and educational goals. In this key role under the direction of the Director of Farm Operations, the Production Lead will be responsible for supervising the operation of Vancouver Schoolyard Farm sites and staff. This person should be able to “see the room” and identify what needs doing, when. We are looking for an ambitious, community-minded farmer who has leadership experience, however will train less experienced applicants who are motivated to learn. 

Key Details 

• Location: Metro Vancouver FR Schoolyard Farm sites. Ideal applicants will have their own transportation. 
• Dates: Seasonal Position, April - end of October
• Hours: Full-time, Average 37.5 hrs/week. Expect more hours during peak season (July - Aug) and less in the shoulders.  
• Schedule: Hours generally fall between 730am and 5pm on weekdays. Attendance may be required at some market shifts which operate 12-8pm on Wednesday evenings and/or 730-330pm on Saturdays.
• Compensation: $22-25, DOE, plus 4% vacation pay and 5 paid sick days
• Note: Position availability is dependent on Canada Summer Jobs funding. Start and end dates may change. 

Responsibilities

• Support the DFO in operating Fresh Roots’  Schoolyard Farms to meet our goals for low-impact practices, food production and youth learning.
• Implement the established crop plan; log all plantings and challenges
• Monitor and seek out solutions for crop failures or other farm obstacles
• Working closely with the DFO, write weekly work plans, delegate tasks, and supervise all hands on the farm (including youth). 
• With the Market Lead, determine the harvest plan and monitor quality.
• Oversee the tracking of all Harvest Activity (delegate as necessary). 
• Lead and delegate field work tasks.
• Supervise the safe use and maintenance of infrastructure (ie. irrigation, truck, cooler) and farm tools (ie. hand tools, flame-weeder, weed eater).
• Contribute to the year-end Farm Report, including relevant metrics to inform our fundraising strategies
• Evolve and share FR protocols and manuals for farm operations
• Punctually communicate across FR Departments using slack and email 
• Steward good rapport with school workers (especially engineers)

Qualifications:

FR recognizes that applicants from oppressed groups, including folks who are Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) may be hesitant to apply for positions where they don’t perfectly meet the listed qualifications. If you are excited about the job description, believe you could learn to perform the responsibilities and can meet the essential qualifications, we encourage you to apply. 

Essential Qualifications

• Pass a criminal record check to be able to work with children and vulnerable populations
• Meet Canada Summer Jobs Requirements (ie. under the age of 30 and Canadian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or Refugee Status)
• BC Driver’s License Type 5 and able to drive a large pickup truck.
• Able to lift and carry 50+ pounds (ie. a tote of carrots) 

• Equipped and able to work outdoors in all weather conditions 

• Access to reliable transportation for travel to and between FR sites
• 2+ seasons working on an urban farm or market garden
• 2+ years experience in staff supervisor positions and comfortable giving, soliciting and receiving feedback
• Confidence leading large groups of peers and youth 
• FOODSAFE certification or commitment to obtain 

Preferred Qualifications

• Post-secondary degree or equivalent experience in education, land and food systems, agriculture, ecology, or other related fields
• Proficiency using Google Suite, Slack, Canva, etc
• Experience and/or training for working with vulnerable, underrepresented, BIPOC youth and youth with diverse abilities
• Attention to detail and able set quality standards 
• Able to work independently and as part of a small, diverse team. 
• Able to multitask, prioritize duties, problem-solve and remain flexible within a fast-paced and changing environment 
• Motivated to learn new skills and evolve the farm program
• Effective communication in English across various mediums including social media and newsletters

How to Apply 

Fresh Roots is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from underrepresented groups. 

Apply directly through our site with a resume/description of past experience and your choice of: a short cover letter (500 words max) uploaded as a document, OR an introduction video (3 minutes max) linked in the “website, blog, or portfolio” line.

Your cover letter or video should introduce yourself and share why you are a good fit for this position. Please let your passion and personality shine! 

Please note that we are not judging videos based on your video editing skills, and neither videos nor cover letters are preferred. Choose the option that is best for you.

We regret that due to the high volume of applicants only those selected for interviews will be contacted.