[Hiring] Senior Manager: Food Systems @AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST

Role Description

The Senior Manager leads AFT’s work to strengthen efforts aimed at building local and regional food economies, with a focus on federal policy, procurement, technical assistance, and infrastructure needs. This role supports bipartisan coalition building, policy education, applied research, and strategic communications, partnering closely with AFT’s national and state policy teams in support of a durable, bipartisan policy environment that helps grow local and regional food markets.

Reporting to the Vice President for Farmland Protection and Strategic Priorities, the Senior Manager leads a multi-year initiative supporting a coalition of organizations advancing federal policy that helps build durable local and regional food supply chains. The Senior Manager sets vision for and drives the coalition-building, communications, and research elements of this work, partnering with AFT’s national policy team on direct legislative and regulatory engagement. Expected activities include:

• Supporting, growing, and diversifying a broad coalition of food system and supply chain stakeholders.
• Building alignment around a shared agenda.
• Gathering data and research and mapping program impact.
• Supporting communications.
• Identifying opportunities for collaboration and coordination across the coalition.

The Senior Manager will direct a data-driven communications strategy that pairs geographic impact data with farmer and community stories. The role requires close collaboration with AFT’s policy, research, and communications functions, along with regular engagement with stakeholders, to support efforts to keep local and regional food market programs a legislative and administrative priority.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in food and agriculture policy, ideally including familiarity with federal food and agriculture programs.
• Proven track record building and managing bipartisan coalitions or multi-stakeholder partnerships across a diverse range of organizations.
• Working knowledge of the federal legislative and regulatory process; experience partnering with a policy or government relations team preferred.
• Strong communications and media relations skills, including experience with earned media, storytelling, and message development.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and deliver high-quality work in a fast-paced, dynamic organization.
• A collaborative, entrepreneurial “team player” with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build consensus among partners with varied perspectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience in food and agriculture policy, government relations, coalition management, or a related field.

Working Conditions/Travel

• Based at AFT headquarters in DC or remote with regular travel to Washington DC.
• Occasional travel of up to 10% may be required, including for stakeholder convenings, site visits, and conferences.

Benefits

• Insurance coverage begins the 1st of the month following the date of hire.
• Medical & Prescription Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Company Paid Life Insurance & Long-Term Disability (LTD)
• Voluntary Life Insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – Healthcare & Dependent Care
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• 401k Plan
• Sick Leave: Regular full-time employees accrue 13 “sick days” per year.
• Vacation Leave: Accrue 15 days during the first year increasing by one day per year to 20 days per year maximum.
• Holidays: AFT observes twelve fixed holidays and a week between Christmas and New Years off during the year (all offices closed) plus a choice of up to three (depending on hiring month) floating holidays.

Why you should apply

• Be a part of a purpose-driven, committed, knowledgeable, high-performing, experienced and fun team.
• A diverse and inclusive work environment.
• A cause and mission you can be proud of.
• Competitive compensation & benefits.
• Remote work opportunity.

Timeline

To be considered applicants must submit a resume, answer all screener questions and include a cover letter explaining what they are a right fit for both AFT and this role. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the role is filled.

Please apply directly through AFT’s Paycom Career Portal using this link:

If the link is unavailable, please visit AFT’s Careers page and select this position to submit your application.