College of Agriculture & Natural Resources Department of Horticulture

Position Summary

The Michigan State University (MSU) Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS) within the Department of Community Sustainability is seeking a full-time, fixed-term Director, Farm to Institution Programs. This position is classified as Academic Specialist – Outreach that includes some research responsibilities.

This is a unique opportunity for an experienced, motivated, and resourceful leader to bring creative vision and support to an existing strong farm to institution foundation here in Michigan. CRFS’s highly collaborative role in farm to institution work is well-established and requires a diplomatic leader with great organizational skills to collaboratively engage a range of existing relationships and diverse stakeholders. The director will work closely with partners from MSU Extension, state agencies, community-based organizations, institutions, farms and food vendors, funding agencies, and other state, regional, and national organizations. Using a racial equity lens in all outreach strategies, research, and communication efforts is an essential part of all CRFS programming.

Position overview:

The Director, Farm to Institution Programs will maintain and expand this signature work at the state, regional, and national level that helps people learn, connect, and collaborate and will help the farm to institution program grow. The Director will support institutional food programs seeking values-based food buyers and community members, and the continued development of local and regional food supply chains. They will be responsible for providing long term strategic and creative vision, developing new and maintaining existing partnerships, offering technical assistance and support to practitioners, and overseeing regular farm to institution activities in ways that uphold values including integrity, diversity, and equity and result in high-quality, academically grounded work.

The Director will provide overall direction and coordinate outreach, education, research, and evaluation activities for existing and future CRFS farm to institution efforts, including but not limited to:

• Overall leadership for the Michigan Farm to Institution Network (MFIN), and Cultivate Michigan, its local food campaign. Responsibilities include coordinating and/or supporting:
  • a management team and advisory committee, network recruitment, membership;
  • communications through various channels (website, email, social media, etc.);
  • network activities and events, including virtual and in-person meetings, tours, trainings, and marketplaces and other buyer-seller events for institutional food service operators and farmers and food vendors, etc.;
  • shared measurement tracking and other research efforts through Cultivate Michigan and other related projects; and,
  • gathering of regular feedback and needs from members to shape and guide network activities and overall direction.

• Lead or support other projects that relate to CRFS’ statewide and national farm to institution and farm to school strategy, which may include:
  • serving as a state lead for the Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub, recruiting and supporting applicants for a regranting program and providing technical assistance to grantees;
  • evaluating and providing technical assistance for 10 Cents a Meal, including documenting and sharing program results;
  • partnering with national organizations, consultants, and practitioners to provide outreach and education about school-based local food purchasing incentive programs (similar to Michigan’s 10 Cents a Meal program);
  • maintaining current Michigan Farm to School resources and communications and providing outreach and technical assistance for farm to school practitioners, farmers and vendors, and supporters; and,
  • engaging with and contributing farm to institution expertise to federal and other grant-funded outreach projects as needed, led by CRFS and MSU staff or external partners.

• Staff supervision.

Expectations for all CRFS academic specialists:

• Contribute to relationship-building and regularly convene and/or collaborate with CRFS staff and state and national partners virtually and in person;
• Engage with relevant networks led by CRFS and/or partners and appropriate professional organizations;
• Provide leadership for outreach, training, technical assistance, research, data collection and analysis, including through web-based platforms, electronic surveys, etc., and share results;
• Develop papers, resources, and other creative forms of scholarship in a timely fashion for diverse audiences, including practitioners, stakeholders, the general public, and academics. Publication examples include reports, fact sheets, guides, videos, webinars, and journal articles;
• Present on outreach, research and/or education projects and findings at conferences, meetings, and other venues, which may include scholarly, government, association, and community audiences;
• Document and share project work and accomplishments; maintain regular internal and external communication about project activities; write grant proposals and reports and pursue future grant funding; develop and report on an annual plan of work;
• Actively participate in CRFS staff and strategic meetings and stay current on CRFS projects, activities, resources and publications as relevant to this work;
• Represent projects and CRFS in a professional manner in all forms of engagement and communication; and
• Help to foster, facilitate, and maintain the CRFS culture of anti-racism, trust, support, and accountability.

Available:  November 1, 2023, or when a suitable candidate is identified

Status: This is a full-time, annual year (12-month), fixed-term position. Initial appointment will be for one year with reappointment contingent upon availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

Current MSU Benefit Highlights: Compensation for this academic specialist position includes generous paid time off; a 10% retirement match with a 5% employee contribution to the base retirement plan; health and dental insurance plan options; education assistance benefits for employee and dependents; employer-paid life insurance; and a large menu of voluntary benefits. Additional details about benefits at Michigan State University can be found on the MSU Benefits website.

Reporting: Individual reports to Jahi Johnson-Chappell, Director, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems and Jude Barry, Associate Director, MSU Center for Regional Food Systems