Community Food Programmer (Halifax)

IMPORTANT:  This Advertiser has requested that applicants MUST be National Residents / Valid Work Permit-holders.  Other applicants need not apply.

 

The Food Action Committee project Our Food: Reconnecting Food and Community is building a project team for its second phase. We are seeking several positions, including Community Food Programmer. This position will report to the Food Coordinator.  The overarching goal of Our Food is to strengthen communities' relationships to food. Our Food aims to rebuild food production (gardening) and preparation skills (cooking, preserving, and root cellaring) and foster community-based food solutions.  We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy and access good, healthy, local food. This is the foundation of happy, healthy communities and environments.
Working with the rest of the Our Food Project team, the Community Food Programmer will develop and deliver cooking, preserving and gardening workshops to communities in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). 

The Community Food Programmer (Halifax) duties include:

• Working with at least five community organizations in HRM to develop and deliver workshops.  Programmer will be responsible for all aspects of workshop delivery including gathering materials, liaising with community partners, workshop follow-up and adapting workshop plans for future use;
• Sharing their knowledge of cooking, preserving and gardening with other team members, and the wider community;
•  Writing for the Food Action Committee blogs;
• Training and supervising summer students and volunteers in the delivery of workshops.
• Working with project team to assist with data collection on the impacts of the program;
• Supporting the work of the Food Action Committee and the Ecology Action Centre;
• Other duties as required.

Interested Candidates should possess the following skills and experience:
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• Experience developing and delivering workshops or other popular education activities;
• Strong knowledge and practical experience of gardening techniques in this climate;
• Strong knowledge of and practical experience in cooking with seasonal foods and canning and other preserving techniques;
• Experience working with diverse communities, including children, New Canadians and persons with diverse abilities;
• Strong organizational skills, friendly and patient ;
• Strong communication skills;
• Passionate about community food initiatives;
• Willingness to learn, experiment and adapt;
• Driver’s license and/or experience with a bicycle trailer is an asset.
• Criminal record check may be required.

Terms of Employment
Start: Mid to Late March 2013
End: Feb 14, 2017

6 month probationary period
35 hours per week @ $20.00
Benefits plan and 4 weeks paid vacation per year

Hours: Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm.  Some evening/weekend work will be required.

Location: This position will be based at our Halifax office. Workshops will take place in a variety of locations in the community.

TO APPLY
Please email a cover letter and resume (including 2 references) to Marla MacLeod, Food Coordinator, at marla@ecologyaction.ca. Please submit your application in the form of a pdf document with required elements in the following order: cover letter, resume, references. Please specify in your cover letter which position you are applying for.   You are welcome to apply for more than one position; however, please submit separate applications (in separate pdf files) for each application.

DUE DATE: Monday Feb 18, 2013, 4 pm

We thank all applicants for their time and interest, however only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

The Ecology Action Centre is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from traditionally underrepresented groups such as women, visible minorities, First Nations, and persons with disabilities. Diversity is a stated value of the Ecology Action Centre.  Moreover, diversity in the EAC community is a strength that must be cultivated.  It is the responsibility of every employee of EAC to foster a culture that embraces and promotes diversity.

The Centre welcomes new members and volunteers:www.ecologyaction.ca