The Food Forest Collective – Site & Programs Director

Beacon Food Forest, Seattle, Washington
March 6, 2025
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Job Description

Position Title: Site & Programs Director  (Full-time 40 hrs per week)

Organization: Food Forest Collective  

Location: Beacon Food Forest, Seattle, Washington (Hybrid: mostly in-person, some remote) 

Reports To: FFC Board of Directors  

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About Food Forest Collective

The Food Forest Collective is a nonprofit committed to fostering sustainable, community-driven food systems at the Beacon Food Forest in Seattle. We strive for a resilient and fair local food ecosystem, empowering individuals and communities to care for the land, grow food, and participate in ecological restoration. Guided by the principles of Care for the Earth, Care for the People, and Fair Share for All, our mission centers on food justice, land stewardship, and climate restoration.

About Beacon Food Forest

The Beacon Food Forest in Seattle is a public, community-driven urban garden that offers a sustainable and inclusive space for public land stewardship. As one of the largest food forests in the U.S., it blends permaculture principles with ecological restoration, providing free, accessible food for the local community while promoting environmental stewardship and education. www.beaconfoodforest.org

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Position Overview

The Site & Programs Director will oversee the daily operations of Beacon Food Forest, organizing community efforts to advance projects on-site while serving as a public representative for the organization. The Director will be contributing to a green space that feeds people in need, that improves local ecology, and is an example around the world for what is possible when everyday people decide that food is a human right and that climate justice starts one acre at a time. Responsibilities will vary from day to day. For example, one day may involve harvesting vegetables from the BIPOC garden and delivering them to a food bank on a Sunday morning, while another might include leading a Tuesday work party and tour with students from a local middle schoolers followed by a committee meeting to plan future site projects in the evening. 

What we are looking for

An excellent communicator who can break a complex vision into smaller tasks and delegate to volunteers. An enthusiastic leader who has a deep understanding of diversity, equity, inclusion, and disability justice. A grassroots organizer who understands that the process is more important than the product and that leadership is leading alongside, not top-down. A person with experience in working the land who is ready to roll up their sleeves and do the physical and organizational work that leads to climate repair. 

Food Forest Management (50%, In-person)

  • Leading on-site activities: Leading, in collaboration with volunteers and other staff, tasks, programs and volunteer events  in-person at Beacon Food Forest.
    • Working with the BFF Volunteer community to steward the Food Forest, including general maintenance, planting, harvesting, watering, design, expansion, path maintenance, litter pick-up, and food production.
    • Provide Tours and Q&A sessions for corporate groups, school groups and community organizations. 
    • Leading Monthly 3rd Saturday Work Parties with 50-150 volunteers and core volunteers
    • Coordinate and lead volunteer work parties with corporate groups, school groups and community organizations. 
    • Organizing the macro vision for the Food Forest into micro tasks for the community.
    • Leading other BFF volunteer events on weekends and evenings (Thursday Sunset Labs, Special Work parties)
  • Site Maintenance
    • Manage project materials procurement, inventory and management 
    • Coordinate reporting and repairing after vandalism/theft. 
    • Maintaining the food forest between work parties.- weeding, watering, harvesting, path maintenance, litter pick-up. 
    • Applying knowledge of sustainable growing practices (we acknowledge that knowledge comes from many directions- indigenous traditions, family knowledge, formal and informal education, etc.). 

Administration & Team Collaboration (30%, Hybrid)

  • Attend regular online meetings including the Board (monthly), Site Development (biweekly), Grants & Fundraising (weekly)
    • Reporting updates about projects/programs to the board at monthly meeting
    • Hosting bi-weekly meetings of the Site Development Committee  and updating BFF community on ongoing site projects
    • Following through with Site Development Committee on grant deliverables as part of on-site projects work
    • Meeting weekly with the Grants & Fundraising Committee which includes the Grants & Fundraising Coordinator, Community Relations Director and volunteers
    • Attend one-on-one or group meetings outside of regular committee meetings depending on needs/projects.
  • Monitoring BFF Slack channels, following up to support projects and to coordinate volunteer events

Community Engagement (20%, Hybrid)

  • Engagement with local and international organizations and community partners, news media, volunteers and the public at large as an official representative of Beacon Food Forest.
  • Being a public facing representative for BFF at outside community events or with community/governmental leaders (ex. Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Public Utilities)
  • Collaborating with community partners on projects at BFF
  • Monitoring and responding to incoming emails from the Contact Us page on the BFF website.
  • Orienting and onboarding new volunteers over email/Zoom and in-person at BFF
  • Directing outside contacts to specific BFF committees and volunteers
  • Helping to organize and lead Annual BFF events such as our Harvest Fest & Spring Open House

Key Qualifications

Required qualifications: 

  • Required to work daytime, evenings and weekends.
  • Required to stand, walk, or bend for extended periods of time.
  • Frequently required to lift objects up to 50 pounds. May occasionally be required to move objects weighing more than 50 pounds. 
  • Must have access to a vehicle to transport materials to and from the Food Forest.
  • Required to work outdoors in all types of weather.

Desired qualifications:

  • A deep commitment to food justice, racial justice, health equity, and community empowerment.
  • At least 2 years of experience in food access, food systems, community organizing, or a related field.
  • Experience in managing programs or projects, with strong organizational and time management skills.
  • Familiarity with the structure of grassroots organizations and of collective decision making
  • Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with diverse community members, organizations, and stakeholders.
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, fluency in languages other than English not required but are a plus
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
  • Strong problem-solving skills and ability to adapt to changing needs and circumstances.
  • Proficiency with email, Slack, Google Drive, Google Suite and basic data management tools.

Work Schedule & Compensation

  • Schedule: 40 hours/week
  • Compensation: $35/hr 
  • Start Date: As soon as possible  
  • Location: Hybrid, mostly in-person in Seattle, WA  with some online work and meetings.

Benefits: FCC will provide a monthly $500 medical stipend for this position