Reports to the Director of Programs

Expected start date: January 15th, 2025

This position is contingent on a contract to be finailized in December 2024. 

About Acterra

Acterra is driven by the opportunity to learn and grow together while achieving high impact through fighting climate change and reducing carbon emissions. We harness the individual strengths within our staff and our network to foster a leader-full organization. Our team members are high performers and high collaborators. We encourage creativity and failing forward.

Inclusiveness

Acterra strives to ensure that the organization is welcoming and inclusive. Acterra is an equal opportunity employer that supports and lives diversity in our staffing and values. Acterra does not discriminate as to gender, race, culture, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, social background, disability, pregnancy, marital status, political affiliation, or age. Acterra strives to include persons from traditionally under-represented groups and complies with all applicable national and local laws on non-discrimination and equal opportunity.

We strongly encourage and seek applications from women; people of color; immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming communities. Acterra complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.

Acterra’s Climate Action Programs

Acterra is a Bay Area-focused environmental organization based in Palo Alto that brings people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. The organization’s roots go back to 1970 with a history of inspiring and motivating action for change. Our programs are:

• Beneficial Electrification for All: helps accelerate an equitable shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy by prioritizing and accelerating the adoption of all-electric appliances, buildings, and vehicles that operate on clean energy instead of fossil fuels.
• Food: promotes plant-rich eating and food waste reduction by residents, institutions, and local communities for better personal health and a lower carbon footprint.
• Education: includes the Public Lecture Series, which invites leading voices from academia, business, and policy to discuss global change issues; the You(th) Be the Change climate-based education and leadership program.
• Advocacy: elevates equity issues across our program areas and includes EV Charging Access Coalition, focused on accessibility of charging in multi-family housing, and Acterra’s Student Ambassador Program, which encourages student-led change in local communities.

Purpose:

The Program Manager for Farm-to-School will support the San Mateo County Food Systems Alliance’s Farm 2 School Committee, collaborating with public school districts in the county, such as Ravenswood and Redwood City,  to drive sustainable and equitable food systems. This is a full-time, two-year grant-funded position starting in January 2025, with potential for extension.

Key responsibilities include identifying local farmers to supply produce for school districts, providing technical assistance to school food service directors and farmers, supporting produce bid development and sustainable procurement goals, creating marketing materials, and tracking sales and program impacts.

The ideal candidate has experience working with farmers and schools on procurement, familiarity with California food systems, and an interest in institutional procurement and equitable supply chains. Strong communication, organizational, relationship-building, and management skills are essential. 

Depending on future contracts, there is a possibility that this position may supervise staff in our Food Program pillar. 

Description of Duties: 

• Strategic Partnership Development: Build and manage relationships with local farmers, school district buyers, and other supply chain partners across California to facilitate sustainable procurement practices.
• Technical Assistance and Capacity Building: Provide direct technical assistance to school districts, helping them set and achieve procurement goals, navigate regulations, and build partnerships with small family farms and ranches.
• Marketing and Educational Content Creation: Develop marketing materials and educational resources for school districts, supporting their sustainable procurement and farm-to-school initiatives.
• Event Planning and Community Engagement: Organize and lead farm tours, workshops, and other events to foster stronger ties between local farms and school communities.
• Data Collection and Impact Reporting: Track program metrics, including sales data and impact measures, to evaluate program effectiveness and inform future strategies.
• Program Administration: Manage administrative tasks such as data tracking, reporting, and record-keeping to support the Farm 2 School program’s success.

General Responsibilities Across Programs

• Work with communications staff on timely marketing plans and program outreach
• Work with supervisory and evaluation staff on developing and implementing evaluation strategies and work plans for all programs.
• Work with the Director of Programs and Development staff to provide needed information to funders, apply for funding grants, and write reports.
• Collaborate with the Director of Programs to manage program budgets, prepare funder reports, and support efforts to secure ongoing funding.

Desired qualifications/characteristics:

• A college degree is preferred, but not required depending on work experience. 
• 3+ years in program management
• Experience working with the growers community in sustainable agriculture, or related fields preferred. However, more important than hands-in-the-dirt agricultural experience is a passion for food systems work. 
• Proven track record in establishing and maintaining partnerships across diverse stakeholder groups, with a focus on sustainable, equitable food systems.
• Strong skills in data tracking, impact reporting, and budget management, with experience using insights to drive program strategy.
• Proficiency in creating engaging content for diverse audiences and conducting outreach in varied community settings.
• Knowledge and experience integrating DEI principles into program design and community engagement.
• Strong written and oral English communication skills are required.
• Resourceful with a creative approach to problem-solving.
• Flexibility to work independently, with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively with a remote team.
• Strong ability to multitask on a variety of projects with competing priorities.
• Proficiency in Google Suite – Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Forms.
• Familiarity with collaborative working platforms such as Google Drive.
• Valid CA Driver’s License and ability to travel throughout neighboring San Francisco Bay Area Counties as needed for the success of the program. 

Compensation, Hours, Location

This is a full-time, exempt position. Your schedule may vary based on need and may include evening and weekend hours on a regular basis. The annual rate for this Program Manager level role will be $65,000. Acterra strives to provide equitable and competitive compensation for all of its employees, including health, vision, and dental insurance for staff and dependents, generous PTO, and a retirement match. Acterra offers a highly collegial work environment. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on climate change. Professional growth opportunities are available. Acterra offers a flexible work-from-home policy, however, this position requires frequent work from our Palo Alto office, as well as other locations around the SF Bay Area.

Apply

Applicants should submit a substantive and thoughtful cover letter describing their interest in the position and making the case for the relevance of their experience. The cover letter should be submitted together with a current resume. Applications missing a cover letter or resume will not be considered. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. If selected for the process, expect a phone screen, a one-on-one, and a group interview.