Program Assistant

in development, communications, publications and database management

Summary:

We seek a thoughtful, creative individual to assist our leaders in Vermont and Maine with the critical work of program management in our long-established social justice venture. This person will work closely with those leaders on the logistics of our most important events, programs, and trainings. We seek a highly motivated, energetic individual at a point in their own career where they have skills to offer as well as the strong desire to learn, be mentored, and work alongside others with deep experience in this field. This position offers someone with openness and skills the chance to learn a great deal, to have significant responsibilities and accomplishment, and to work alongside senior individuals doing significant social justice work.

The Program Assistant r will join a 20-year-old social profit venture, Knoll Farm, and its supporting foundation, New Learning Journey.  We are an organic family farm with a nationally recognized learning center that has been supporting social change efforts and leaders for two decades. Knoll Farm and New Learning Journey work locally and globally: the farm is a beloved part of the immediate community in central Vermont; our programs, including the  Better Selves Fellowships, First Light in Maine and Oregon Land Justice Project mean our work has impacts for people and communities across the country. The core work of both Knoll Farm and New Learning Journey is the convening of people around their differences to advance equity and justice.

Our Program Assistant implements the Better Selves Fellowships, manages all communications for Knoll Farm, and organizes our annual benefit concert at Knoll Farm.  They also work closely with senior staff in Vermont and Maine on short- and long-term story projects that can range from website development to social media communications, newsletters, annual reports and print publications, to films.

Beyond that, the project assistant will be called upon to assist as their skills allow in the creation of events, meetings, and trainings that advance our goals of equity and justice.  This position works closely with Peter Forbes, the farm and foundation’s co-founder in Vermont.  

The ideal applicant is mature, intuitive, resourceful, flexible, enjoys working on a variety of tasks and is graceful with many different kinds of people.   Most importantly, they have an intuitive understanding of voice, how to understand what a body of work needs to say, can most authentically say, and then to work with senior staff in conveying that story. 

They should have solid experience working with contact tracking systems, social media, and In Design.  We expect they will have a strong personal interest and commitment to social justice, inclusion, equity and the forms of re-learning and relationship-building that make this possible. New Learning Journey and Knoll Farm are growing, and this position offers opportunities for individual and professional growth.

This full-time position is based in the offices at Knoll Farm in Fayston, VT and offers considerable flexibility in hours and work location during late fall, winter, and early spring. From late spring to early fall, the work requires full-time presence at Knoll Farm . In addition to a competitive salary, the benefits of this position include paid vacation, health benefit reserve, and opportunity for professional development in facilitation, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Position responsibilities:

• Implement the Better Selves Fellowship, including application review, logistics for participants, and onsite care for fellows.
• Manage communications from Knoll Farm to a community of 6,000 people, through our website, newsletter, and mailings.
• In partnership with others at Knoll Farm, format and produce our annual book of images called Gratitude which reflects the mission and values of Knoll Farm through images and selected stories. 
• Manage the annual benefit concert event for Knoll Farm in August. 
• In partnership with others at First Light, format and produce an annual report on the accomplishments and learnings of First Light.
• In collaboration with senior staff at NLJ, assist with short- and long-term communications projects including the creation of books, newsletters, printed publications, social media.

Qualifications

• Creative communicator with an intuitive sense of voice.  Someone who enjoys working in a variety of communication formats and has either experience or a strong eagerness to learn.
• Technical ability to manage communications on email newsletters, social media, and via print materials using In Design.
• Detail oriented, organized, energetic desire to develop relationships and get things done.  
• Someone with a balanced commitment to good process and good product and understands the relationship between both.
• Flexible, able to manage their own workflow while responding to changing priorities. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to communicate in writing or speaking.
• Cultural humility, and respect and experience in working with a variety of diverse partners and individuals.
• Demonstrates professionalism: respect for themselves and others, meeting commitments, communicating needs, sense of responsibility.
• This position is ideal for those who possess  an energetic desire to develop and maintain relationships with collaborators, donors, co-workers. 

Compensation

Compensation: $38,000- 42,000 year-round, full-time, flexibility to work remotely seasonally.

How to Apply

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter and resume to info@knollfarm.org. The deadline to apply is November 1, 2023 

Inclusivity Statement

Much of our work seeks to reshape the legacy of place-making. As part of that, we hope to recruit, mentor, and support employees in this work who bring different backgrounds, stories and experiences to this field. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law.