Center for Regional Food Systems

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 Partnership Specialist. This position is classified as Academic Specialist – Outreach.

The Partnership Specialist will cultivate partnerships for the Great Lakes Midwest Regional Food Business Center and the Michigan-based Network for Inclusive Food Business Engagement project (NIFBE). Both the GLM-RFBC and NIFBE projects are large, 5-year federally funded programs. The GLM-RFBC engages regional partners and will offer assistance and a grant program for farmers, producers, and food business entrepreneurs, prioritizing those who have been historically marginalized. The Michigan-based NIFBE project seeks to develop partnerships to foster culturally appropriate technical assistance for historically marginalized farmers, producers, and food business entrepreneurs.

The Partnership Specialist will provide leadership, coordination, and implementation of activities to support a thriving network of lasting partnerships for these two complementary efforts that seek to drive more equitable and inclusive engagement of and assistance to food and farm businesses.

Responsibilities may include but are not limited to:

• Developing agendas and coordinating, hosting, and facilitating regular, inclusive meetings with four key regional partners and the project leadership team supporting the GLM-RFBC,
• Coordinating and facilitating activities at the local, state, and regional levels to further develop partnerships, including to foster trust, center racial equity, and outline and maintain values and agreements for working together and serve the communities mentioned above;
• Actively developing, managing, and nurturing lasting strategic working relationships with internal and external stakeholders in support of the respective project goals;
• Clearly establishing and communicating partnership roles, goals, and objectives;
• Developing strong engagement strategies and maintaining regular communication, both informal and formal, with network partners and other external partners in support of project activities;
• Developing, leading, and executing an outreach strategy with statewide and regional partners, including development of compelling messaging and related materials with the CRFS communications team to support it;
• Supporting partnership activities that adhere to the GLM-RFBC data sovereignty statement agreed upon by the group of key partners (currently in development);
• Supporting implementation of project activities as needed, including technical assistance delivery, regranting, and evaluation and monitoring to measure program activities, outcomes, and impacts across the region;
• Developing and implementing training and/or other capacity-building opportunities (virtual and/or in-person) to increase skills and knowledge related to partnership development, as needed and requested;
• Serving on the CRFS leadership team for the GLM-RFBC;
• Regularly communicating activities with and between project partners, collaborators, and CRFS and ensuring activities accurately reflect project-specific partnerships, goals, and agreed-upon values as applicable;
• Interpreting, synthesizing, and sharing about practices and findings through public reports, presentations, and other outreach materials and methods and contributing to project reports, work plans, and other deliverables; and
• Performing other duties related to this role not explicitly stated above.

Expectations for CRFS Academic Specialists

• Contribute to relationship-building and regularly convene and/or collaborate with CRFS staff and state, regional, 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, evaluation and research, data collection and/or analyses, 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, evaluation, 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; 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.

Status

This is a full-time, annual year (12-month), fixed-term position. Initial appointment will be for one year with annual reappointment throughout the remaining 4 years of the 5-year GLM-RFBC project contingent upon funding and 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Bachelor's

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• At least five to seven years of relevant professional experience.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with demonstrated experience of managing relationships and partnerships and developing internal and/or external networks.
• Demonstrated ability and comfort with navigating through communication and relationship building with diverse community partners and complex projects and environments.
• Familiarity and experience with implementing equity-based group or network development, trust-building, and/or data sovereignty-related activities.
• Strong outreach and facilitation skills, experience, and training, and interest in continued development of these skills preferred. Experience with training, educating, and/or facilitating groups of adult audiences preferred.
• Proven ability to effectively and diplomatically engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholder groups and experience working with historically marginalized groups; experience or familiarity working with sovereign tribal nations preferred.
• Demonstrated experience using approaches that foster equity in outreach and programming and working with multicultural and diverse populations.
• Demonstrated leadership and project management skills in collaborative work environments preferred.
• Demonstrated resourcefulness, collaboration, and ability to problem-solve and think critically.
• Proven ability to self-direct and balance multiple streams of programming, projects, and deliverables simultaneously and to easily shift between working independently and collaboratively, including as part of or leading a team.
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills and experience using a broad range of communication tactics.
• Understanding of, and committed to, a culture of anti-racism and inclusivity. 
• Experience with and high degree of comfort using software for facilitating in-person and virtual meetings and visualizing group development processes. Experience with Asana, Qualtrics, and Salesforce preferred.
• High degree of knowledge of, and comfort and flexibility with, using other technology in completing job requirements including the Microsoft Office suite; electronic communication and online search, file-sharing, and collaboration platforms (including SharePoint and Google); electronic survey and data visualization software; and phone/web conferencing systems.
• Available and willing to occasionally travel by car throughout Michigan and Great Lakes Region and by plane within the U.S., including overnight. Possession of a valid, current state driver’s license required.
• Residency within the state of Michigan and the ability to work weekly in CRFS offices on the MSU main campus in East Lansing, MI.

Required Application Materials

• CV or resume
• Cover letter describing your interest in and qualifications for the position. Include a statement of your philosophy that specifically addresses the alignment between your goals and the MSU Center for Regional Food System’s commitment to racial equity as expressed in its Racial Equity Statement (canr.msu.edu/foodsystems/about/racial-equity-statement).
• Names and contact information of three (3) professional references

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

Special Instructions

If you have questions about the position or search process, you may contact Colleen Matts at matts@msu.edu.

Remote Work Statement

MSU strives to provide a flexible work environment and this position has been designated as remote-friendly. Remote-friendly means some or all of the duties can be performed remotely as mutually agreed upon.

Website

https://www.canr.msu.edu/foodsystems/

Department Statement

Center for Regional Food Systems (CRFS)

The mission of the Center for Regional Food Systems at Michigan State University is to engage the people of Michigan, the United States and the world in applied research, education, and outreach to develop regionally integrated, sustainable food systems.

CRFS Racial Equity Statement

CRFS recognizes that racism in the food system is historic, ongoing, and systemic. As we collaborate with partners to advance food systems rooted in local regions and centered on food that is healthy, green, fair, and affordable, we emphasize racial equity as a foundation of our work.

MSU Affirmative Action Statement

The MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) at Michigan State University is committed to achieving excellence by creating and sustaining an accessible and inclusive culture that values cultural and academic diversity. We are an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. The CANR is particularly interested in candidates of all backgrounds who are committed to the principle that academic excellence is achieved through open access and proactive inclusion.

MSU is an affirmative-action, equal-opportunity employer and is committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The university actively encourages applications and/or nominations of women, persons of color, veterans, and persons with disabilities. Michigan State University employment opportunities are open to eligible/qualified persons without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status. Michigan State University is a pioneer Land Grant institution based in East Lansing, Michigan that provides regional, national, and international leadership in basic and applied research, excellence in teaching, an emphasis on international engagement, and a strong extension program that partners with diverse stakeholders to bring science-based responses to social and environmental challenges.

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.