NORTHEAST ORGANIC RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM COORDINATOR JOB

NORTHEAST ORGANIC RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM COORDINATOR JOB  Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) The Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY) is the oldest and largest organization in New York devoted to organic and sustainable farming and gardening, and counts over 800 farms among its 1400 members of farmers, gardeners, and eaters. We are seeking a Coordinator to organize the NOFA-NY Organic Farming Research Symposium in conjunction with the NOFA-NY winter conference in Saratoga Springs, NY in January 2012.  Symposium Coordinator will review conference research proposals, communicate with researchers across the Northeast and nationally about their organic farm research, put together a comprehensive program, and manage symposium registration and on-site logistics (January 19-20, 2012). The position requires a self-starter who has experience in or familiarity of organic agricultural research, experience in event planning, good customer service skills, and an interest in helping grow the local organic farming movement.  This position is a contract position from now until August, 2012.  Time required is occasional through the summer, but greatly increases in the fall and winter.  The position will report to the executive director and will work closely with the education & outreach coordinator and will be required to attend occasional meetings throughout the summer and fall, either in the NOFA-NY office in Rochester, NY or by phone. Click the READ MORE TAB for more information about the job and how to apply

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Specific Responsibilities

Symposium Coordination:

·         Coordinate and work with an advisory planning team of event stakeholders

·         Send out call for proposals to all northeast academic departments of agriculture

·         Coordinate with the education & outreach coordinator to align symposium event with larger NOFA conference.  Support larger conference needs as requested.

·         Work with advisory committee to select proposals to be included in the Research Symposium and communicate with selected presenters

·         Request and collect research summary and 5-minute research summary presentation from each presenter and coordinate their event registration.

·         Coordinate poster presentations.

·         Promote and advertise the symposium through press releases, save the date cards, and the NOFA conference promotional brochure.

·         Create and post symposium schedule on the NOFA-NY conference website

·         Compile research summaries into a Conference Proceedings booklet and print for distribution at the event.  The electronic version of the proceedings will also be posted to the conference website at this time.

·         Work with event host to coordinate setup, AV, meals, registration, etc. in coordination with NOFA staff.

·         Help with event attendance registration in coordination with NOFA staff.

 

On-Site Management:

·         Provide on-site logistical support throughout Symposium.

·         Help with event registration.

·         Administer and collect on-site evaluations.

·         Provide support to NOFA general conference when applicable.

 

Post-Conference Responsibilities:

·         Write thank you letters to all presenters.

·         Compile Symposium Proceedings.

·         Administer and analyze overall symposium evaluations following the symposium.

·         Administer and analyze follow-up evaluations distributed to all participants 6-months after the symposium to measure changes in behavior.

·         Write final report

·         Write recommendations for including research into future NOFA conferences.

Compensation
Independent contractor position.  Compensation: between $12,000-16,000 depending on experience, plus hotel, meals, conference registration, and mileage reimbursement to attend the event in Saratoga Springs, NY January 18-22, 2012.

Qualifications

·       Experience:  Experience in event planning, organic agriculture academic research , program evaluation, and organic farming.  Experience with database software and web promotion a plus.

·       Skills: Highly organized, very detail oriented, excellent customer service, strong interpersonal and training skills; access to high-speed internet required; proficiency in MS Excel and MS Word required.

·       Capabilities: High energy and enthusiasm. Ability to work well with a wide range of people, work well under pressure, handle multiple tasks at once, and adapt to changing situations on a daily basis.

·       Conditions: Strong interest in and commitment to promoting the goals of NOFA-NY.  Passion for organic agriculture a must!  Occasional travel required.

How to Apply

Position open until filled.  Please send cover letter, resume, and three references to director@nofany.org by Friday, Aug 12, 2011.  Interviews will be offered to select candidates on a rolling basis.

NOFA-NY is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply.