Movement Ground Farm is Seeking an Office Manager!
About Movement Ground Farm:
Movement Ground Farm (MGF) is a non-profit farm committed to anti-racism and exploring new models of community-driven agriculture. We are entering into our seventh season in operation, and the fourth on our permanent site in Tiverton, RI. This will also be our first full year in the initial implementation phase of a worker self-directed model! We hope to attract candidates who believe in our vision, have a demonstrated commitment to racial justice and queer liberation, and are excited to help lay important foundational building blocks to move MGF forward during this next stage of growth. MGF’s mission is to recultivate the central role of food and land in nourishing our bodies, strengthening our communities, and growing a more just world. Too many communities have been uprooted through land theft, slavery, war, gentrification, poverty and environmental destruction. Movement Ground Farm is premised on the vision of a world where all people can access sustenance and grounding in an intimate connection to land.
The farm is located on a beautiful, 10 acre property that gently slopes toward Nonquit pond and is <5 minutes from the beach in Tiverton, RI. The Executive Director and his family live on site and much of our farm infrastructure is built out from their home. We typically have around 2.5 – 4 acres in vegetable production and another 3+ in cover crop/pasture. We currently grow food for a 130 person CSA, 1 farmers’ market, donations, and a few developing wholesale accounts. In 2022 we’ll have the addition of a new, 10 member year-round CSA (nicknamed our Perennial CSA). We currently raise a few hundred chickens for meat each season, have a small laying flock, and are raising sheep for the first time in 2022. In addition to food production, MGF also hosts events and offers programming for visitors, CSA members, and partner organizations. We have a small-but-growing staff and an extended community of committed workshares and volunteers to make it all happen. We are excited that this year we’ll have seven returning staff members (including our executive director, development director, farm team, and program coordinator). We are not certified organic, but do our best to follow those standards and generally be loving stewards to the earth.
About Worker Self-Direction @ MGF:
Worker self-direction is a framework for nonprofit organizations in which “all workers have the power to influence the programs in which they work, the conditions of their workplace, their own career paths, and the direction of the organization as a whole” (Sustainable Economies Law Center). MGF is currently in the initial implementation stage of this model. MGF is organized into nine interdependent and semi-autonomous “working circles.” These are: Livestock, Land Management, Sales/Distribution, Vegetables, and Programs (which together make up our Core Mission-Fulfillment Circles), and Infrastructure, Finance, Communications, and Internal Functions (which together make up our Support Circles). We are in the process of formalizing systems and decision-making processes that distribute leadership throughout the organization such that these working circles steward their areas of work with a significant degree of autonomy.
Job Summary:
We are seeking an Office Manager to join our team. This will be a primarily remote, .8 FTE position at 32-hours a week year round. This is a brand-new position and would be a good match for a motivated, flexible individual who is excited to influence the way this role develops over time. MGF is a small but complex nonprofit with a variety of administrative needs and would be a great fit for someone with a keen eye for organization and an interest in working at the nexus of food, social justice, land stewardship, and cooperatives.
The Office Manager will have a hand in many areas of MGF operations, with core duties falling under sales/finance and general administration, and the potential to include responsibilities in communications and events support. Primary responsibilities include CSA enrollment and billing, running payroll, and responding to general inquiries. As such, the Office Manager will work closely with the Executive Director and the CSA Manager. The Office Manager will also participate in weekly all-staff meetings, occasional deeper strategy, evaluation, and planning meetings, and one day-long retreat for staff and board. In this way the role involves ongoing engagement with MGF’s broader team and work.
Requirements:
● 1+ years experience working in administration or related job experience
● Familiarity with Quickbooks or other bookkeeping software or willingness to
learn
● Familiarity with Square/Squarespace for managing farm sales or willingness to
learn
● Strong general computer competence, including use of Google Workspace and
ability to learn new tools when needed
● Excellent communication skills, including: written and verbal communication;
comfort with remote/virtual work; ability to take and give clear directions as well
as to ask for clarification and receive feedback; ability to navigate conflict with
honesty and generosity
● Flexible, creative problem-solver with a sense of humor
● Able to work independently and stay on task, see the big picture, and establish
efficient workflow
● Passionate about and/or experienced with developing impeccable organization
systems for a complex organization
● Ability to work well with people from varied backgrounds in terms of race,
ethnicity, gender (including nonbinary), sexual orientation, class, religion, and
neurodiversity
● Commitment to MGF’s mission and demonstrated involvement in social
justice/movement work (paid or unpaid)
● Reliable transportation to MGF ~1 time/week (not accessible by public transit)
In addition, the following are helpful but not required:
● Experience with small farms and/or Community Supported Agriculture models
● Interest in a multi-year position that can grow with you
● Interest and/or expertise in organizational financial literacy
● Experience working collaboratively, on projects with shared leadership and
responsibilities
● Familiarity with solidarity/barter economy frameworks
Queer and trans, BIPOC, and/or individuals from other marginalized communities are
encouraged to apply.
Core Duties & Responsibilities:
General Administration
● Respond to general inquiries from the public, direct each inquiry to the right
person or people within the organization
● Assist staff in documenting and filing expense purchases
● Take a lead role in office management, office supplies and organization, and
help develop new systems based on the organization’s needs
● Help manage the farm’s files, documents, and archive in Google Drive
● Manage organization’s subscriptions to communications, finance and other
services and apps
Payroll Administration and Purchasing
● Oversee payroll admin, managing the account and running bi-weekly payroll
● Track hours and PTO and assist staff in understanding and accessing payroll
benefits
● Pay certain invoices, bills, and expense reimbursement requests
● Set up accounts to receive tax exemptions from vendors as needed
● Assist farm staff in accessing Quickbooks to manage expenses and produce
reports
CSA, Farm Sales, and Donation Income
● Manage CSA onboarding and billing, and answer billing-related questions to
customers
● Prepare farm sales receipts, forms, and income statements for the
book-keeper
● Deposit checks weekly, and cash bi-weekly
● Manage Venmo, Square, and other sales accounts and apps
● Support Executive Director and Development Director with donor tracking,
communication, and creation of a donor database
General
● Represent the farm professionally in a way that is affirmative of the vision,
mission, and values of Movement Ground Farm to CSA members and other
individuals interested in connecting with the farm
● Participate in weekly staff meetings, as well as periodic deeper strategy,
evaluation, and planning meetings
This position also has the potential to grow to include some of the following. We
will prioritize tailoring any additional job responsibilities to the applicant’s skills
and interests.
Communications and Development
● Take photos and videos of farm life and at events
● Assist with social media/web presence
● Support development of the MGF “brand” or image
Events and Programming
● Assist with set up for an event
● Manage online merchandise sales and order fulfillment
Dates of Employment: TBD – December 31, 2022, renewable.
Compensation and Benefits: This position is compensated at $17/hour. All MGF employees receive prorated PTO and a monthly health stipend. For .8 FTE, the health stipend is $240/month with 19 days PTO per calendar year available after a 90 day probationary period. All MGF employees also receive 10 paid sick days as well as produce, meat, and eggs throughout the season as available (in-kind package valued at around $1,200).
Schedule: This position is a 32 hours/week, year-round position. This is a remote job with a requirement to work on-site one day a week (schedule flexible). Onboarding may involve more time on-site.
How To Apply: Send resume, cover letter, and two references to our Development Director, Mimi Budnick, at [email protected]. Questions about the position can be directed to the same address. Cover letters should address one or more of the following: What in the MGF mission and vision resonates with you? How have you pursued these values in your life (paid or unpaid)? What role do you think an Office Manager plays in contributing to the success and vitality of a social justice organization?
We will be accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Priority will be given to those who can start work earlier (a start date in mid-to-late February is preferred).
Movement Ground Farm 