Network Operations Specialist, Food Systems Leadership Network (10 hours Part Time, No Benefits)

Network Operations Specialist, Food Systems Leadership Network

The Wallace Center’s mission is to bring together diverse people and ideas to co-create solutions that build healthy farms, equitable economies, and resilient food systems.  We cultivate relationships of trust and solidarity among food systems leaders – at the local, regional, and national level – and provide platforms for sharing knowledge and skill, building collective power, and acting collaboratively to transform the food system. Through our programs and leadership, we seek to affect systems change to bring benefits to the environment, to communities, and to the farmers and food businesses that are the building blocks of a healthy and equitable food system.

The Wallace Center is committed to centering anti-racism, racial equity, and inclusion in our programs, operations, and culture. Our work is guided by our 2021-2023 Strategic Plan, and we strive to embody our values in all we do:

• Systems-based and intersectional approaches
• Practitioner knowledge and leadership
• Anti-racism, equity, and multi-culturalism
• Ecological resiliency and regeneration
• Economic justice and fair markets
• Local and regional solutions and self-determination
• Human-centered and joyful organizational culture

The Wallace Center is a unit within Winrock International, an international nonprofit organization that works with people in the United States and around the world to empower the disadvantaged, increase economic opportunity, and sustain natural resources.

Category: Part-time, Temporary, Non-Benefit Eligible 

Group: Domestic

Unit: The Wallace Center

Reports To: Wallace Center Co-Director, Food Systems Leadership

Start: January 7, 2025

End: July 11, 2025

Location: Remote, anywhere in continental US. Winrock International has physical offices in Crystal City, Virginia and Little Rock, Arkansas, but the entire Wallace Center team works remotely.

Salary/Benefits: This position pays $35 per hour, for up to 10 hours per week. The role is not eligible for benefits.

Applications: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, current resume and two references via email to WallaceCareers@winrock.org with the subject line FSLN Network Operations Specialist. Applications are due Monday, December 23, 2024. International sponsorship is not available.

The Wallace Center is the backbone organization for the Food Systems Leadership Network (FSLN), a national peer learning community that connects current and emerging leaders, strengthens individual and collective leadership capacity, and fosters collaboration across communities. The FSLN invests in grassroots leaders and amplifies innovative ideas to accelerate community-led, equity-centered solutions that are vital for food systems transformation.

Since its launch in 2018 as a program of the Wallace Center, the FSLN has been evolving towards becoming a member-driven collaborative network, where members are informing, shaping, and leading the network’s actions and collaborating with each other to co-create a future where all communities are nourished and sustained through good food. In 2025, the Food Systems Leadership Network will engage an inaugural Network Leadership Council who will develop a new operational model for the network. This is an exciting and pivotal moment to contribute to the future growth and impact of this burgeoning network.  

The FSLN Network Operations Specialist will be a key contributor to the transition of the network to a new operational model in 2025, in addition to supporting the implementation and administration of network services and communications in the lead up to the transition. This position will also help build up the capacity and sustainability for the network’s future by building a knowledge management system for key network services including the Community Food Systems Mentorship Program, Communities of Practice, virtual workshop / training series, Racial Affinity Groups, Network Activation Grants, and Systems Leadership Retreats.

Key responsibilities will include:

·         Provide operational and administrative support for project implementation, including setting up vendors, drafting subcontracts and procurements, setting up honoraria, processing payments, and keeping project management trackers up to date.

·         Contribute to the maintenance and updating of the FSLN’s digital platform, including refreshing webpage content, editing and uploading recordings from 2024 trainings and Community of Practice calls, and updating the resource libraries and events calendar.

·         Develop a streamlined network member contact management system, including organizing and cleaning up email lists and member registration data.

·         Document and create Standard Operating Processes / Workflows for core network services.

·         Contribute to network communications including the monthly Catalyst newsletter and social media content.

·         Contribute to other network services and transition activities, as needed.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced professional who has a proven record supporting network operations and programs, especially within an institutional environment like Winrock International. They must be confident in and enjoy administrative work, including preparing and executing subawards, procurements, honoraria, etc. and creating systems to track administrative processes and tasks. They must have experience with the digital platforms used by the Food Systems Leadership Network, including Buddy Boss, Zoom, Canva, YouTube, and SharePoint.

The Wallace Center has been building strategies for centering racial and economic equity in our work and we are seeking candidates eager to forward that mission. We have worked hard to make the Center a safe, supportive, and human-centered workplace where food systems leaders of all races, genders, ages, abilities, and backgrounds will thrive. We are committed to building a diverse staff and strongly encourage applications from Black, Indigenous, and other candidates of color.

Education & Experience: This is a mid-level position and requires previous experience with project and/or program management and operations. The ideal candidate will have at least three years of relevant work experience OR a BA/BS degree in agriculture, food systems, environmental or public policy, public health, rural development, or related field

AND at least three years of demonstrated professional, work, or lived experience directly in one or more of the following areas:

• Food Systems Development: Experience working for a community-based food systems organization or mission-driven food business, government entity, or academic institution focused on building local and equitable food systems.
• Non-Profit Administration: Experience working for a non-profit organization, including familiarity with managing basic organizational activities, internal relationships, and administrative responsibilities. 
• Network Stewardship: Experience supporting collaborative networks with a social change mission, including member recruitment and engagement, network weaving, priority setting, and network governance.
• Policy: Engagement in local, state, and federal policy advocacy.
• Communications: Experience generating, disseminating and managing high quality written content and editing for online and traditional media.
• Research and Evaluation: Demonstrated ability to aggregate research and/or data to support unique research or evaluation on a topic or event.
• External Relationship Management: Experience positively communicating and working with diverse stakeholders.

Preferred Skills: 

• Previous experience at Winrock is highly preferred. 
• Adept at project and grant administration, with a proven record of creating standard operating procedures and tracking systems.
• Strong time management and organizational abilities for completing detailed administrative, communications, and other assigned tasks.
• Knowledge of and experience with Wordpress, BuddyBoss, Zoom, Canva, YouTube, and Sharepoint.
• Demonstrated writing skills (English fluency) for published content designed for a variety of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders and communities.
• Takes initiative, self-starter, and self-directed as well as the ability to work effectively in a team.
• Ability to meet deadlines and manage multiple concurrent tasks.
• Ability to learn new policies, procedures, and the language of contracts and compliance.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office software, including SharePoint, Teams, Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint.