Cultivate Toronto is a 100% volunteer-run organization. We are looking for motivated self-starters who work well as part of a team and who are looking for a chance to develop their leadership and management experience in a challenging and rewarding position. Being a part of the CultivateTO team means being passionate about fresh and local food and wanting to making a real difference in the community. Volunteers will have the opportunity to manage key projects, gain valuable hands-on experience, and contribute to a growing organization. Priority placement is given to those who can commit to at least one year or longer.
We are currently seeking to fill the following roles for the 2016 season:
Marketing & Communications Leads
The Marketing & Communications Leads are responsible for monitoring, implementing, and assisting with the development of Cultivate Toronto’s marketing and public relations strategy. These positions will work closely with the Marketing and Communications Manager, the executive team, and Community Relationship Managers. These are part-time volunteer positions with a fairly steady workload year-round and a minimum commitment of 5-8 hours per week.
Duties:
● Developing and implementing the marketing and public relations strategy.
● Monitoring the success of our branding strategy through social media analytics
● Monitoring our social media presences on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn and recommending changes to our strategies on the basis of information collected
● Reviewing website content to ensure all information is current and recommending changes as needed
● Assisting with the development of media contact development, creating PR materials such as press releases and media kits.
● Writing and preparing e-mail communication campaigns to members using MailChimp.
● Determining collateral required for events and working with the Graphic Designer to prepare the proper pieces.
● Providing marketing guidance and support to the executive team
● Responsible for writing, editing, and sending monthly newsletter content to our network
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is a motivated self-starter who works well as part of a team and is looking for a chance to develop their leadership and management experience. Also:
● Past non-profit marketing strategy and communications experience.
● Strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills, and a passion for local food.
● Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships through virtual communication as well as in-person meetings.
● Experience in planning, leading, and managing projects, as well as reporting on progress.
● Proficient in Microsoft and Google products, social media platforms, WordPress, and MailChimp.
● Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills with strong writing and editorial abilities.
● Ability to work, collaborate, and communicate with a remote team.
● Ability to commit for at least 1 year.
Garden Operations Manager
The Garden Operations Manager is the one of the driving forces behind Cultivate Toronto’s gardening activities, working closely with four Hub Coordinators, and garden volunteers. Each growing season, the Garden Operations Manager will help to design and implement our farming plan across our various growing spaces. This is a part-time volunteer position with a workload that peaks during the spring and summer months. The minimum commitment is 5-8 hours per week. Training materials and access to previously developed guides and strategy plans will be provided.
Duties:
● Participate in crop selection activities and coordinate planting, harvesting, and distribution activities
● Supervise, train, and assist Hub Coordinators and garden volunteers with growing of food in our garden spaces in East York and Regent Park. Note: Garden teams usually spend 2 days per week in the garden, with work taking place on evenings and weekends.
● Collaborate with the Community Relationship Manager to keep consistent communication with CSA participants (both land-sharers, who donate the land that we grow on, and shareholders, who purchase a portion of the harvest) to address their concerns and keep the relationships mutually beneficial and productive.
● Document weekly planting and harvesting activities for annual reporting and best practice development.
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is a motivated self-starter who works well as part of a team and is looking for a chance to develop their leadership and management experience. Also:
● Excellent knowledge of urban agriculture and demonstrated ability to grow a wide variety of vegetables from seed to harvest and maintain soil health using organic methods. Previous participation in a farming internship is preferred but not required.
● Past experience as a Project Coordinator/Manager or other role leading a program without direct supervision on a day-to-day basis.
● Strong team leadership skills and an outgoing personality.
● Strong organizational and time management skills and flexibility to travel to different garden hubs, multiple evenings a week, for the duration of the growing season.
● Capacity to collaborate and communicate with a remote team.
● Proficiency with Microsoft and Google products.
● Ability to commit for 1 or more years.
Community Relationship Manager
The Community Relationship Manager in Regent Park is the main liaison between Cultivate Toronto, our gardening team, and our internal and external stakeholders within the Regent Park hub. The Community Relationship Manager is responsible for building and maintaining our relationships with our partner organizations, and is responsible for building and maintaining our relationships with individuals and groups within the neighbourhood. Working closely with the executive team, the Community Relationship Manager will provide monthly updates on the status of our community relationships, will manage our participation in the weekly Taste of Regent Park farmers’ market, which occurs on Wednesdays from 4:30pm-8:00pm between July and September. The Community Relationship Manager will provide insight and expertise into how we can continue to grow participation in Cultivate Toronto’s programs, while increasing our own engagement in partner organizations’ activities. This position will also work closely with the marketing team to collaborate on planning our communications products, as well as special events and promotions. This is a part-time volunteer position with a fairly steady workload year-round and a minimum time commitment of 4-8 hours per week.
Duties:
● Conduct environmental scans of Regent Park to develop new community partnerships and create mutually beneficial relationships between Cultivate Toronto and other organizations in Regent Park
● Engage with Taste of Regent Park coordinators and other market participants to identify opportunities for collaboration
● Manage all appropriate communications in order to share our vision with other organizations and stakeholders, identifying and requesting the development of necessary communications products as needed
● Maintain consistent communication with partner organizations to address any concerns and ensure relationships are mutually beneficial and productive
● Work closely with hub coordinators and volunteers to determine best practices regarding transporting vegetables to the market each week, manage records of market sales, and contribute to decision-making regarding the type of produce that will be sold at the market on a weekly basis
● Manage volunteer participation in market sessions by soliciting two volunteers per market, oversee all logistical details regarding the transportation of produce to the market, and act as key point of contact regarding any market-related issues that arise on a weekly basis
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is a motivated self-starter who works well as part of a team and is looking for a chance to develop their leadership and management experience. Also:
● Strong interpersonal skills, an outgoing personality, and a passion for gardening and local food.
● Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships through virtual communication as well as in-person meetings.
● Past sales, marketing, or business experience an asset.
● Proficient in Microsoft and Google products.
● Strong written and oral communication skills.
● Ability to work, collaborate, and communicate with a remote team.
● Ability to commit for at least 1 year.
● Available to attend the Taste of Regent Park most Wednesday nights from July-September, from approximately 4:30pm-8:00pm
Garden Hub Coordinator
The Garden Hub Coordinators work together, and under the direction of the Operations Manager, to ensure healthy harvests at Cultivate Toronto’s East York hub OR rooftop garden in Regent Park. This is a part-time volunteer position with a minimum time commitment of 6 hours per week. Partial travel reimbursements are available if required.
Duties:
● Manage the gardens: start seeds, prepare beds, build garden structures, transplant seedlings, carry out weekly fertilizing, watering, pruning, weeding activities while managing pests, and harvesting produce.
● Provide hands-on training and guidance to interns and volunteers.
● Maintain weekly, detailed records, of harvest weights, crop failures, and growing notes from the gardening season.
● Gardening tasks can start as early as April and run through the summer into October. The busiest time of year is May when the majority of the garden planting season and garden preparation is performed
Qualifications:
The ideal candidate is a motivated self-starter who works well as part of a team and is looking for a chance to develop their leadership and management experience. Also:
● Strong gardening/farming skills and a passion for local food. Expertise with organic farming principles or natural growing methods is an asset.
● Demonstrated ability to work without direct supervision.
● Ability to commit for the full growing season: 2-3 hours, 2 days of the week. Most likely one weekday evening plus 3-4 hours on Sunday afternoons from May to October; occasional work may be scheduled in March and weekends in April.
To apply for a position:
If this sounds like you, please submit your cover letter and resume as one single document (Word or PDF) by e-mail to info@cultivatetoronto.com. Please cite the name of the position you are applying for in the e-mail subject line and mention where you saw the job posting in your cover letter.