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Community Partner Gardens Specialist - Kansas City Community Gardens
Community Partner Gardens Specialist
Organizational Background
Kansas City Community Gardens (KCCG), a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, works to empower low-income individuals, schools and community groups across the Kansas City metropolitan area to grow their own vegetables and fruit. Annually, we provide low-cost seeds and plants and free technical assistance to more than 800 garden and orchard sites and 3,400 home gardeners, helping to put fresh food on the table of more than 48,000 households.
Position Overview
The Community Partner Gardens Specialist will work with community groups and organizations to promote, develop, coordinate, and support successful food-producing gardens that will benefit low-income residents. Gardens are located throughout the metropolitan area and operated by a wide variety of partners, including neighborhoods, non-profit organizations, housing complexes, communities of faith and other groups.
This position is both an indoor and outdoor position. While much of the work takes place at a desk, on a computer, site visits and garden constructions occur out in the field throughout the year. The applicant should be comfortable with working in both conditions.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities
1. Provide support to existing Community Partner Gardens (CPGs)
- Build relationships with CPG coordinators to understand and support their garden’s mission
- Conduct garden site visits to identify needs and provide technical assistance to ensure garden success
- Work with CPG coordinators to develop planting plans, community engagement strategies and garden preparation/development plans
- Coordinate resources, including seeds, plants, tilling, tools and supplies for garden sites
- Assist groups with site planning and development for new community gardens
- Work with groups to identify garden mission and goals for engagement
- Mentor emerging CPG coordinators
- Lead volunteer groups with raised bed and garden construction
- Place orders and arrange preparation and delivery for lumber, soil and other construction supplies
3. Provide gardening education and technical assistance to garden coordinators
- Support CPGs in becoming self-sustaining by developing resources and activities gardens can use at their sites
- Maintain and share a library of online resources, activities, instructional videos and other tools
- Coordinate and connect people with KCCG’s gardening workshops geared toward community gardens
- Work collaboratively with program staff using Salesforce, Google Suite, Microsoft Office, Canva and other online collaborative platforms
- Utilize Salesforce customer relationship management system to update and distribute enrollment forms, seasonal order forms, grant forms and invoices
- Keep complete digital records on all Community Partner Gardens
- Assist in preparation of program reports
Required qualifications
- Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing
- Team player mindset—ready and excited to pitch in where needed, but also able to work independently
- Proactive problem-solving abilities and thorough follow-through
- Capable and proficient with various software (for example, client relationship management systems, Google Suite, Microsoft Office and Canva)
- Ability to interact in a professional, positive, curious, and confidential manner with others and to function as an ambassador of the agency in a wide variety of venues and circumstances
- Interest and desire to work with diverse communities across all of Kansas City
- Ability to assist with garden constructions, work comfortably outdoors in a variety of weather conditions, and lift up to 50 lbs.
- Vegetable gardening knowledge
Preferred skills and experience
- Experience working with community gardens, horticulture, community engagement, education and outreach across all abilities and age span
- College degree in relevant field (social work, community development, horticulture, education, nutrition etc.)
- Vegetable gardening and community gardening experience
- Experience in working with adults and youth from a variety of racial, cultural and economic backgrounds
- Educational experience (teaching/training at some level)
- Experience working with and leading volunteers
This is a full-time, year-round, salaried position. KCCG’s standard business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This position will also require flexibility to work on a limited number of weekday evenings and Saturdays. KCCG is primarily an in-person work environment, with the opportunity for limited remote work.
Candidates must own or have unrestricted access to reliable transportation and provide proof of car insurance and a copy of a valid Missouri or Kansas driver's license.
Reports to: Director of Programs, Hannah Ebling-Artz
Salary Range: $34,000 - $40,000, commensurate with experience
Benefits include:
Generous paid time off (including vacation days, holidays and winter break)
Employer-paid health insurance plan with annual HSA contribution
Optional dental, vision and life insurance benefits
Retirement benefit with employer match
To Apply:
Please send cover letter and resume to Executive Director Jennifer Meyer at jennifer@kccg.org. For more information about KCCG, visit www.kccg.org.
Applications will be accepted until position is filled. For fullest consideration, please submit application by, Monday, November 17..
KCCG is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
Job Type: Full Time
