The Kentucky Equal Justice Center seeks an advocate with experience in community organizing as the Coordinator for the Kentucky Food Action Network (KFAN). KFAN is a collective of individuals and organizations united under the common purpose of creating accessible and resilient food systems that prioritize the health of Kentuckians and the land across our Commonwealth by nurturing all aspects of Kentucky’s food system, from the producer to the consumer.
The Primary Deliverable: the KFAN Coordinator will nurture and organize a statewide coalition of food justice advocates with the core mission of supporting farming communities, centering marginalized communities, and ending hunger in Kentucky. Along the way, we will place a high priority on defending and improving state and federal anti-hunger programs.
Core responsibilities of the KFAN Coordinator will be to:
Keep the trains running on time: facilitate established working groups and campaign calls that carry out the work of the Network; increase the number of service oriented organizations and directly-impacted individuals in the Network; provide support and leadership development for Network members.
Communications and coalition building: participate in state and national networks focused on food and hunger; provide policy support to community partners; communicate with the public on new developments and proposals.
Advocacy: help directly-impacted Kentuckians confidently tell their stories to policy-makers; support KFAN members to comment on state and federal plans and proposals; prepare briefing papers on current and emerging food justice issues to inform Network members.
The KFAN Coordinator will be directly supervised by KEJC’s Food Justice Organizer, but will work collaboratively with the KFAN Steering Committee and staff from the other 3 KFAN support organizations—the Community Farm Alliance, Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, and Feeding Kentucky.
Duties and Responsibilities
The KFAN Coordinator will:
Facilitate the various working groups, webinars, and trainings of KFAN
Gather input, stories, and other data from network members and other sources to direct project planning, policy work, reporting, and other communications
Support communications needs of KFAN and its committees to keep the network well-informed. This could include, but is not limited to, assisting in the drafting of stories, calls to action, and advocacy messaging across KFAN-related social media, newsletters, and website content in collaboration with the Food Justice Organizer.
Prepare materials and trainings for network members on food justice and food systems, best practices, and current issues
Participate in meetings, conferences calls, and activities of state and national public interest partners, including Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, the Community Farm Alliance, and Feeding Kentucky, with a focus on identifying policy priorities, analyzing proposals, and providing policy support to Kentucky advocates
Identify opportunities for volunteers to contribute to KFAN or network projects and manage any volunteers working directly with KFAN
Provide support for the Steering Committee and committee meetings
Plan and execute public events in collaboration with the Food Justice Organizer and relevant partners
Contribute to and maintain records in data systems to keep network organized
Report regularly to the Food Justice Organizer and meet with the rest of the KFAN team to communicate activities, opportunities, learnings, and needs
Participate in KEJC events and activities, where reasonable and appropriate
Assist Kentucky Equal Justice Center in fundraising for sustainability
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will demonstrate:
Ability to effectively engage diverse stakeholder groups such as people struggling with poverty, food and farm businesses; community leaders; food systems practitioners and supporters; nonprofit, academic, and governmental organizations; and funders
Knowledge of issues impacting low income Kentuckians and a commitment to racial justice
A minimum of two years’ experience as an advocate, including outreach, organizing, messaging, and campaign coordination on issues in policy-making forums
An insured car, valid driver's license, and ability to travel
Experience hosting and/or facilitating groups, meetings, and events
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, including demonstrated public policy communications
Comfort speaking in front of groups
Excellent interpersonal and problem-solving skills
Comfort working in a multicultural setting, sensitivity to language and cultural contexts
Proficiency with communications tools like G Suite, Microsoft Office, Zoom, Canva, Every Action, and social media platforms
Ability to be a self-starter in developing and carrying out activities, to take initiative and work independently, as well as in a team
Proficiency in a second language, especially Spanish, is a plus
Location
Hybrid and remote work is possible for this position. The ideal candidate will be able to work some number of days each week from one of KEJC’s main offices in Lexington, Kentucky.
Salary and Benefits
Salary based on experience and our Professional salary scale. Examples: $40,956 at 3 years’ experience, $51,620 at 10 years’ experience. Generous benefits include health and retirement, dental, life and disability coverage. KEJC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but we provide health and retirement benefits through participation in state and county employee plans.
Three-Year Position with Potential Renewal and Sustainability
The KFAN Coordinator is a three-year initiative funded by a combination of grants. Sustainability of the position after three years will depend on new sources of support and successful fundraising strategies.
Application Instructions
Please email a cover letter, resume, short writing sample (or any relevant example of your work product - graphics, research paper, video, etc.) and a list of three references to:
Tyler Offerman, Food Justice Organizer
Kentucky Equal Justice Center
Please use the subject line: “KFAN Coordinator." References should include mailing and email address and phone number.
Application Deadline: June 30, 2023
Diversity Statement
KEJC welcomes your application. Employees shall be selected entirely on a nondiscriminatory basis with respect to age, ancestry, disability, ethnicity, familial status, gender, gender identity, limited English proficiency, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, veteran status and all other categories provided nondiscriminatory treatment by law, statute, or ordinance.
About Us
Kentucky Equal Justice Center was formed in 1976 to work with all of Kentucky’s civil legal services programs on statewide issues and projects. Today, we are a flexible and responsive public interest advocacy organization with a wide variety of community partners. We convene statewide legal aid task forces in key areas of poverty law and provide immigration law services through Maxwell Street Legal Clinic in Lexington.