The Women, Food and Agriculture Network seeks its next Executive Director who will continue the organization’s growth, who is passionate about the intersections of sustainable agriculture, feminism, and justice, and who has experience in community organizing, fundraising, staff management, and nonprofit administration. The ideal candidate will embody the values of WFAN, and be willing to call upon their networks in this time of growth and transition for the organization.

About WFAN

The Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) is a nationwide network of women and other people working in sustainable agriculture, working toward a vision of a vibrant, community-centered food and agricultural system in which women and non-binary people are strong leaders. WFAN’s mission is to engage women in building an ecological and just food and agricultural system through individual and community power. We conduct our work based on our values and our priorities can be found in our strategic plan.

Our current programs are Harvesting Our Potential; Plate to Politics; Women Caring for the Land; Women, Land and Legacy; and Growing Community Resilience. We also hold an annual conference every fall, and work to increase the presence of women in food and agriculture in the media. Our staff of four and other contractors work remotely from many locations.

Role of Executive Director

The new Executive Director for WFAN will lead WFAN into the next stage of our growth, including exploring how to strengthen our support for racial equity, food justice, food sovereignty, and solidarity with communities and organizations in this space.

The Executive Director will lead WFAN in our work of change-making in food and agriculture. This leadership will include increasing our impact through strengthening our member network and maintaining the important efforts of our current programming.

The Executive Director will handle essential management efforts. These include managing staff and conducting hiring and oversight; leading fundraising efforts of grant writing and donor development; overseeing organizational administration including database management and employee benefits; and working closely with the Board. 

Preferred Qualifications

General

• Strong experience working in sustainable agriculture and food systems. 

• Commitment to anti-racist, pro-rural and gender inclusive work. Demonstrate strong class consciousness. Ability to compassionately and effectively navigate difficult conversations on these topics.

• Strong ability to communicate the mission, vision, and values of WFAN to a variety of audiences. Strong ability to articulate the ways in which WFAN’s work builds towards its goals.

• Experience with grassroots advocacy, grassroots membership building, and/or grassroots organizing. 

• Excited about building and strengthening coalition and community partnerships in line with WFAN’s current and evolving program areas. 

• Proven leadership in a community-led strategic planning process. Familiar with process design and comfortable designing for multi-stakeholder input alongside staff and board members. 

Fundraising

• Proven track record in writing and receiving grants from government sources and foundations. 

• Proven track record in raising money from major donors and grassroots member-supporters. 

• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with funders. 

Staff Management

• Experience with and commitment to learning and practicing the skills required for staff to excel in their positions, with emphasis on compassion, clear communication and delegation as well as staff happiness and retention. 

• Comfort in working and managing staff and board relationships virtually.

Administration

• Commitment to maintaining strong relationships with the Board and coalition partners.

• Ability to maintain dual focus on WFAN’s big picture work and the day-to-day detail required to run the organization.

• Charismatic and comfortable with public speaking.

• Experience with membership communications, preferably experience with membership database management. WFAN currently uses Powerbase. 

• Able to manage the financial complexity of an organization receiving funding from members and individual donors, as well as Federal, multiple State entities and private foundations. 

• Familiar with funds based accounting and managing restricted and unrestricted funds.

• Prefer familiarity with Quickbooks.

Location and Travel

A candidate located in the Midwest, where WFAN has strong roots, is not required, and remote applicants are encouraged to apply. Work from home is preferred, or office space in Story City, Iowa will be provided. Current WFAN staff work from home in IA, IL, CO and CA. Board Members are located in CA, CO, MO, IA, MI, OH, MN, ME, Washington D.C. and abroad. 

This position will require regular national travel (as possible over the next year due to the evolving impacts of the coronavirus, and in compliance with best practices and up to date information from the CDC and state guidelines). 

Compensation and benefits

This is a full-time, salaried position, with benefits and requirements as set out in the WFAN Employee Handbook. Salary range will begin at $65,000, negotiable depending upon geographic location and commensurate with experience. Annual salary increases are subject to merit and cost of living increases dependent upon evaluations and future fundraising. Benefits include a flexible schedule, a great team, engaged Board and active membership, and a Health Reimbursement Account and an IRA matching program. The Board and Interim ED are currently working to secure a full health insurance option for all staff, to begin by 2021.  

Application process

Please send: a resume or CV with two references, a one-page writing sample and a cover letter to apply@wfan.org by October 26, 2020. Please submit materials as one document, preferably a PDF. 

For questions, please contact apply@wfan.org. Thank you for your interest!

WFAN’s Gender Inclusivity Statement

Recognizing that building an ecological and just food system requires leadership and representation from diverse communities, WFAN aspires to create an environment that welcomes women and gender non-conforming people who are passionate about creating a better food system. WFAN is committed to using gender-inclusive and non-sexist language that affirms and respects how people describe, express, and experience their gender. As an organization whose work is rooted in dismantling patriarchal structures that exclude women in the food system, we deeply understand the importance of spaces that are inclusive to the experiences of individuals whose identities may not fit the gender binary, and/or who many not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. Identities including trans, intersex, and genderqueer reflect personal descriptions, expressions, and experiences. We encourage network members to share their pronouns and names, and these gender identities and expressions will be honored by WFAN staff and in our network spaces.

WFAN is an equal opportunity employer. Women, people of color, and those directly impacted by the issues that WFAN is working to address are strongly encouraged to apply. 

https://wfan.org/news/2020/9/23/job-announcement-executive-director-for-the-women-food-and-agriculture-network