Sustainable, Local Food Systems

• Position Type : Full-time
• Hiring Range : $65,000 $80,000.
• Application Deadline : September 6th, 2024 at 11 : 59PM.

The CCFE (theccfe.org) is a new national charity with a mission to motivate conscious decisions that are good both for people and the planet.

Our aim is to elevate and amplify the voices that guide the shift towards locally-connected food networks. Think of us as matchmakers for the food world.

By connecting supply-side partners with their ideal audience, we inspire people to take action through food. With a strong conviction for the importance of joyful, immersive experiences as change catalysts, we team up with partners to create meaningful and achievable initiatives that boost demand for foods that are good for people and the planet.

The Role :

We are looking for a catalyzing and experienced weaver to forge linkages and increase connections, exchanges and collaboration within the ecosystem of actors dedicated to a food system that is better for people and the planet.

A network weaver is someone who is aware of the networks around them and explicitly works to make them healthier more connected .

Network weavers do this by helping people identify their interests and challenges, connecting people strategically where there’s potential for mutual benefit, and serving as a catalyst for self-organizing groups. (June Holley)

This role will be in service to the following aspirations for impact :

• Increased organizational knowledge of the most impactful things happening in our food world so that we may help people make food decisions they can truly feel good about.
• Increased organizational awareness of key trends, patterns and issues relevant to the pursuit of our mission.
• Increased capacity of actors in the food ecosystem to reach their goals through greater support for their offerings.
• Deepened and trustful relationships with collaborators in the food ecosystem and aligned sectors.
• Expanded programs, including workshops and campaigns, in collaboration with partners.
• Deepened understanding and capacity within the organization to engage through distributed alignment.

In this role the Network Weaver will lead the planning and execution of events and initiatives designed to actively listen, foster connections, and catalyze co-ordinated action amongst motivated collaborators.

The Network Weaver will report directly to the Executive Director and will work closely with all members of the CCFE team.

A determined doer that understands the complexity of food system change, the Network Weaver will be an important ambassador of the CCFE’s conviction for positive engagement, demonstrating through their every action belief in the idea that Many small people, in many small places, do many small things, that can alter the face of the world. (Eduardo Galeano)

Accountabilities :

The Network Weaver creates, cultivates, and ensures high quality relationships and collaborations to advance a shared vision of healthy food and a healthy planet.

Key accountabilities include :

Envision and steward the ecosystem. Foster engagement to align and weave the various parts of the ecosystem who share a conviction for foods that are better for the health of the planet individuals, organizations, communities, businesses, movements, networks, coalitions, and projects routinely connecting parts and people across groups and projects.

Develop and implement a plan to increase the visibility of this work.

Connect, catalyze, coordinate. Both lead and support activities that catalyze and coordinate connections in alignment with current strategic priorities.

Use network maps to identify opportunities for connections among individuals and projects. Coordinate with other networks to identify points of intersection.

Create a system of touchpoints for participants.

Events and programs. Manage and help design and facilitate events and convenings that lead to increased support for suppliers in the ecosystem, whether through funding, program engagement or market share.

Organize gathering logistics, including meeting invitations, locations / platforms, catering, materials, reminders, etc.

Engage supply-side collaborators for demand-building programs working with CCFE’s demand-side specialists.

Understand and observe patterns. Function as primary point of coordination amongst supply-side partners in the ecosystem.

Listen deeply across the diversity of actors for rising opportunities and needs. Create and manage ways for the ecosystem to see each other’s work.

Define what gaps exist and develop with demand-side colleagues initiatives that aim to address them. Inform and guide communications that express the current zeitgeist of the ecosystem.

Coach distributed alignment. Model and build how the network works together in a distributed fashion. Support all staff, consultants and ecosystem participants to have a basic understanding of network weaving skills.

Catalyze and support self-organizing among network participants, including materials to help people self-organize.

Who You Are :

Education & Experience

• Completed studies in a related field, such as anthropology, environmental studies, agricultural studies, agronomy, ecological economics.
• 5 years of experience in organizing for change, whether paid or unpaid.
• Experience in building and nurturing networks, coalitions, or communities of practice that encompass a range of perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds, including experience growing an online / offline community through art, mobilization, and / or organizing.
• Professional experience in community development and / or community engagement.
• Professional or practical experience in some aspect of the food system is essential, and could include though not limited to farming and agriculture, retail, processing, food entrepreneurship.
• Educational background in project management (i.e. PMP) considered an asset.

Skills & Abilities

• Exceptional relationship development and management skills; experience dealing with multiple, diverse groups and confidence dealing with all levels of an organization.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and leadership skills; demonstrated ability to adjust to the various lexicons used by different groups.
• Proven facilitation skills for workshop delivery and well-developed ability to use online meeting platforms for optimal meeting experiences.
• Comfortable flying in the cloud (Google Drive, Asana, Dropbox, etc.), and proficiency with or willingness to learn Kumu or other network-mapping tools
• Ability to work independently, to plan, be proactive and suggest improvements.
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills.
• Open to experimentation, learning, and adjustments along the way; ability to hold complexity to deliver results.
• Ability to work independently and think creatively about how to leverage the resources at your disposal.
• Experience working on applied research projects in academic settings such as a university environment or research institutes is considered an asset.

Passions and Preoccupations

• Part of the broad field of food system shift, familiarity and comfort with the scene.
• Deep passion for building and supporting relationships; skilled in lifting up the work of others, often in a behind-the-scenes way.
• Service orientation, and familiar with the intrinsic rewards of helping other weavers and facilitators foster connections across the ecosystem.
• Interested in the dynamics to support decentralized organizing.
• Curiosity, positivity, tenacity.

What We Offer :

• A welcoming, inclusive and safe working environment at CSI Spadina
• A collaborative and engaging work culture
• Market competitive compensation
• 15 days per year vacation
• As part of your role, you will assist the CCFE in establishing an attractive benefits package that includes : Coverage for Medical and Dental care Extended mental health benefits and resources Employee Assistance Program with family coverage

Accommodation

Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience.

Please contact us at [email protected] to notify us of any needs related to completing the job application, and / or throughout the recruitment process.

Application :

If you’re excited about joining the CCFE and meet the qualifications, please submit your application by the deadline as on PDF and include :

1. One-page cover letter answering the following questions :

• How has your career led you to this moment?
• Tell us a bit about who you are.

2. Resume

3. Contact details for three references.

Please write Network Weaver in the subject line and save the PDF as Last Name First Name NetworkWeaver.pdf

Submit your application to Sarah Heynen, Executive Director, at [email protected] by September 6th, 2024 at 11 : 59 p.m.

EST . Please indicate you saw this posting at FoodWork.ca .

Interviews will begin to be scheduled the week of September 3rd.

• Please note only selected candidates will be contacted.