MN Grown Emerging Farmer Marketing Specialist - State Prog Admin Intermediate

MN Grown Emerging Farmer Marketing Specialist

This position will assist staff in promoting Minnesota Grown and raised food and farm products through the Minnesota Grown Program. This position will:

• Conduct program outreach, needs assessment, and engagement activities with priority producer populations.
• Serve as the point person for community advisors contracted to advise Minnesota Grown on adapting program outreach, communications, and service provision methods to better serve diverse producers.
• Analyze data and make recommendations to program staff on changes in these areas.
• Lead implementation of selected changes.
• Assist with providing Minnesota Grown member marketing services including membership recruitment and renewals, making updates to the Minnesota Grown directory, helping Minnesota Grown members access cost-share and marketing material programs, and representing the program at producer-facing events.

This vacancy is located in St. Paul and will have the ability to telework.

This is a temporary position anticipated to last one and a half years.

Minimum Qualifications

To facilitate proper years of service crediting, please ensure that your resume clearly describes your experience in the areas listed and indicates the beginning and ending month and year for each job held.

• Two years of experience in marketing, communications, agricultural program administration, or delivery of educational or marketing programs to agriculture or horticulture producers.
• A Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, agricultural education, agricultural marketing, business administration/management, public or nonprofit administration or related field may substitute for one year of experience.
• Additional required experience includes:
• Working knowledge of marketing local food and farm products, including an understanding of challenges, trends, and opportunities in the field, gained through formal training, work experience, or from having an agriculture background.
• Experience communicating, collaborating with, and engaging diverse groups of farmers, producers of local food/farm products, and agricultural organizations that serve them.
• Project management skills sufficient to set and achieve goals, priorities, and timelines for projects and activities and collaborate and engage others in project execution with clear shared expectations.
• Intercultural competence and human relations sufficient to build partnerships and collaboration among diverse colleagues, both within the MDA and externally across sectors, as well as speak clearly and persuasively in public to a diverse clientele.
• Must have a valid driver's license and an acceptable motor vehicle record subject to review.
• The ability to celebrate diversity and a strong commitment to a respectful and inclusive work environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, agricultural education, agricultural marketing, business administration/management, public or nonprofit administration or related field.
• Experience collecting data through surveys, focus groups, and/or interviews.
• Experience analyzing a mix of quantitative and qualitative data to assess needs and market conditions, summarize findings, and make data-informed program recommendations.
• Spanish or Hmong language skills.
• Experience preparing project budgets and tracking spending.
• Experience writing standard operating procedures, program guidelines, and other correspondence to communicate program standards and requirements.
• More than two years of experience in marketing, communications, agricultural program administration, or delivery of educational or marketing programs to agriculture or horticulture producers.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 30 pounds.

Additional Requirements

A job offer will be contingent upon successfully passing a background check. It is the policy of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, as part of its hiring procedures, to conduct background checks on the finalist(s) for positions within the agency. The background check may consist of the following components:

• SEMA4 Records Check (applies to current and former state employees only)
• Employment Reference Check
• Conflict of Interest Review

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture will not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an Equal Opportunity employer/educator committed to the principles of diversity. We prohibit discrimination against qualified individuals based on their race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or membership in a local commission as defined by law. As an affirmative action employer, we actively seek and encourage applications from women, minorities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with protected veteran status.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to all qualified applicants with disabilities. If you are an individual with a disability who needs assistance or cannot access the online job application system, please contact the job information line at 651-259-3637 or email careers@state.mn.us. Please indicate what assistance is needed.