Virginia Association for Biological Farming
Operations Manager
Part-time @ 20 hours per week
$30 – $40/hr commensurate with experience
100% remote, with occasional travel to attend meetings
Reports to Board of Directors
Submit resume with cover letter to adamht@vt.edu by June 16, 2023
Overview
VABF is the principal statewide organization for promoting local, sustainable agriculture through education, networking, and education. VABF is a small, grassroots membership organization comprised of farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, and researchers.
This position guides the organization and staff in delivering measurable, cost-effective results that advance its mission and strategic objectives and brings oversight, processes, and systems to support healthy and thoughtful organizational growth, accountability, financial sustainability, and productivity. The Operations Manager is responsible for general support, strategic planning and evaluation, governance, development and fundraising, and finance and budgeting.
The overarching priorities for this position are:
- Update structures and processes to facilitate transition to a better staffed and resourced organization with greater reach and impact for sustainable agriculture.
- Strategic planning and evaluation to focus the organization’s work on priorities and big picture goals like mission and vision.
- Support board development and operations and codify organizational procedures to enhance governance.
- Define a development strategy and apply for grants to secure funding.
- Tighten up finance and budgeting processes and systems for greater financial sustainability.
- Support to ensure quality and compliant execution of grant-supported programs.
- Improve use of social media to promote the organization and enhance engagement of members and stakeholders in providing input to and carrying out the organization’s work.
Responsibilities
Leadership, Governance, and Strategy (40%):
- Support strategic direction for the organization; guides process to frame and update strategic plan and mission statement. Recommends timelines and resources needed to achieve strategic goals.
- Develops board and staff handbooks and ensures legal compliance.
- Develops analytic framework for planning and managing organizational change and growth.
- Establishes processes and systems for strategic planning, finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and program evaluation.
- Supports a strong Board of Directors to provide strategic direction and operational and financial oversight; serves as ex-officio of each committee.
- Plans and carries out board meetings, and coordinates with Committee Chairs to facilitate committee meetings and work.
- Actively engages members, board members, committees, partnering organizations, funders, and other stakeholders to get input on organizational priorities and direction, access resources, and build connections and relationships.
Finance and Administration (30%):
- Develops and continuously improves the organization’s financial and administrative processes and systems, including budgeting, human resources/payroll, and information technology.
- With Treasurer and Finance Committee, develops financial strategy to keep the organization fiscally sound and secure continuous funding.
- Supports budgeting, financial forecasting, cash flow, accounts payable and receivable, and audits for administration and programs.
- Coordinates and implements annual budget process; prepares annual budget with Treasurer and financial reports for board of directors.
- Develops and maintains an accounting system that provides the organization with quick access to financial information and enables strategic budgeting.
- Implements information technology and financial systems that support the growth of programs and the organization.
Development, Grant Management, and Communications (30%)
- Frames and executes the development/fundraising and donor outreach plan and priorities, with Board input.
- Develops fundraising tracking and reporting processes, including status and progress reporting on grant-supported projects and commitments.
- Oversees implementation of donor outreach and fundraising events.
- Researches public and private grant programs and develops grant proposals/projects with partners and collaborators, as appropriate.
- Leads grantwriting, and ensures performance and reporting of grant-supported projects against timelines, performance standards, and budget.
- Establishes grant program performance standards for accountability.
- Ensures effective communications through web presence, newsletter, and external relations, with the goal of creating a stronger brand.
- Develops and maintains ongoing relationships with major donors, partners, and other stakeholders. Uses external presence and relationships to garner new opportunities.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree; Master’s and degree in business or management preferred.
- 1-2 years of experience in project/program design, management, and evaluation; grantwriting and grant management; and partnership development. Demonstrated success in securing grant funding.
- Excellence in leading organization, building teams, setting strategic objectives, and developing a performance culture.
- Demonstrated resourcefulness and good judgment in setting priorities, proposing new ways of creating efficiencies, and guiding investment in people and systems.
- Prior experience with organizational development, managing finance and administration, budgeting, development/fundraising, working with a Board of Directors, and cultivating board relationships for a nonprofit organization a plus.
- Ability to multi-task in managing simultaneous projects and deadlines.
- Strategic planning, organizational, problem-solving, time-management, and basic data analysis skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including meeting facilitation, team-building, relationship management, public speaking, presentations, writing, editing and research.
- Ability to work independently and effectively with people of diverse thought, backgrounds and perspectives.
- Personal qualities of integrity, credibility, self-directed, and commitment to and passion for VABF’s mission.
- Computer literacy and reliable access to virtual meeting technology.
