La Mesa Verde Program Coordiantor

Description

La Mesa Verde Program Coordinator

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Sacred Heart Community Service, located in San José, CA, is looking for a Full-Time, Exempt, Program Coordinator II in La Mesa Verde  (LMV). La Mesa Verde is a mutually supportive, mostly low-income community of urban gardeners working together on local food justice issues. This individual must be highly organized, possess an ability to work flexibly and creatively, and have a passion for our mission – to change lives and impact poverty. For 55 years, SHCS has been one of the leading institutions in addressing poverty in Santa Clara County through a strategy that combines meeting basic needs, offering tools for self-sufficiency, and engaging the wider community to be involved.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Program Coordinator will join a small, dynamic team within the larger organization of Sacred Heart Community Service.  The Program Coordinator has two main responsibilities: 1) Guide a bilingual Spanish/English membership program, including managing workshop logistics and inspiring engagement from member participants, and 2) Develop leadership within and facilitate two member-led volunteer committees. The Program Coordinator will also support LMV-wide events such as community garden work days, plant distribution to all LMV families, and LMV-led policy campaigns.  LMV employs community organizing tools, such as one on one meetings, political analysis, strategic planning, and popular education trainings to develop leadership and achieve program and campaign goals.

*Popular Education is “a method and a philosophy of education that holds the oppressed people at the center of the learning process through the use of adult-oriented, problem-posing techniques, and different learning modalities."

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Program Management

●        Provides support to the LMV Committees in guiding skill-building events for gardeners in LMV, including meeting with leaders to develop and plan workshops, volunteer opportunities, managing logistics, and ensuring that members have ownership over the network.

●        Implement consistent on-boarding and professional development plans and training for LMV staff on transformative programming and organizing.  Training may include topics such as sustainable gardening, composting, popular education, community organizing, food policy, power and privilege, and solidarity

●        Recruits, trains, and retains the involvement of community educators for bilingual garden workshops, and works to incorporate popular education techniques.

●        Maintains strong relationships with key members in the LMV network and supports the engagement of all members through one on one meetings, phone calls, and online outreach for membership events and volunteering.

●        Create and maintain strong relationships with LMV partners and other stakeholders.

●        Develops and implements program evaluation tools (i.e., pre/post tests, satisfaction surveys, etc.), analyzes and reports on outcomes.

Leadership

●        Meets one on one with LMV committee members to develop consciousness around food justice, our local food system, building real power, healthy group dynamics and planning next steps in committee tasks.

●        Develops and delivers leadership trainings for committee members in topics such as facilitating effective meetings, what is a food system, solidarity building and the role of race and class in our food system.

●        Develops and delivers leadership trainings for committee members in topics such as facilitating effective meetings, what is a food system, solidarity building and the role of race and class in our food system.

●        Supports policy issue research, the development of policy and/or advocacy strategy, collective actions, and other policy campaign activities.

●        Mediates conflict resolution among members or volunteers and utilizes tools like restorative conversations to help members reach mutual agreements to move the work forward.

Administrative

●        Develops, tracks, and analyzes program goals aligned with the agency's strategic priorities.

●        Acts as a “mandated reporter” by working with the Organizing Manager to maintain adherence to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Law.

●        Works with Organizing Coordinator to monitor grant requirements ensuring all service delivery goals are met and/or exceeded.

●        Supports the planning and implementation of agency-wide programs, events, training, and outreach efforts.

●        Performs other duties as assigned.

●        Support LMV social media campaigns by creating content and posting.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

●        Strong commitment to our vision of a community united to ensure that every child and adult is free from poverty.

●        Excellent public speaking, writing and communication skills.

●        Flexible, compassionate, and supportive attitude.

●        Experience with providing culturally competent support and leadership development.

●        Available to work some evenings and weekends. Must have a valid driver's license and qualify to be insured under SHCS driving policy, able to drive to different locations to visit gardens and families.

●        Computer literate with proficiency in Google Apps, MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and social media platforms.

●        Must complete a DMV and complete background check.

●        Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds with assistance and do light garden-related manual labor.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

●        Bilingual and biliterate in English and Spanish.

●        One to two years experience working in a community based organization.

●        One to two years experience with curriculum training and development.

●        Experience with adult and community-based education and/or popular education is ideal.

●        Strongly prefer candidates who have access to a personally owned vehicle.

●        Passion for food sovereignty, community engagement, and organizing is ideal.

●        Experience in urban gardening, farming, permaculture, and/or homesteading is ideal.

●        Knowledge of grants monitoring and reporting processes.

●        Experience facilitating community events through Zoom and/or other virtual learning spaces.

●        Experience producing and editing videos using Filmora or Adobe Photoshop.

●        Experience operating website on Squarespace ideal.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:

The LMV Program Coordinator reports to the Essential Service Director.

COMPENSATION:

This is an exempt, salaried position ranging from $62,000 to $65,000 per year commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits include medical insurance, dental insurance, vision insurance, paid holidays, paid sick time, professional development and more.

Sacred Heart is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and a union employer. This position is represented by Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 521.

Updated 6.26.2023 FF

Keywords

Program CoordinatorLa Mesa Verdeurban gardenersfood justicepovertyleadershipcommunity organizingpopular educationbilingualSpanishEnglishsustainable gardeningcompostingfood policypower and privilegesolidaritypolicy campaignleadership trainingsconflict resolutionadministrativesocial media campaigns