CFGN Network Coordinator

About CFGN

The community food growers network is a ‘group of groups’ actively engaged in growing food plants and supporting others to grow food, in healthy, sustainable ways. We focus on connecting, cooperating and supporting each other, within and beyond our neighbourhoods. Our members are based across London.

We aim to increase community food growing activity through education, awareness raising, lobbying, campaigning and direct action, at a local, regional, national and international level.

CFGN has grown quickly in last three years and our volunteer capacity is near its limits especially as the work of running our own food projects is very labour intensive. In order to meet the potential of the network and continue working towards the long-term aims of the organisation we are now looking to recruit a network co-ordinator and mobaliser.

This role will support CFGN members in event organising, build new relationships with existing growing projects, work on internal and external communications and work with food sovereignty organisations on a regional and national level.

Conditions of Work

Part time: 1 day a week, also with additional network membership commitments – attending meetings and events

Salary: £10 p/h

Based: at home and networking events, some travel costs reimbursed

Responsible to: Community Food Growers Network Steering Group

6 month contract, subject to 2 month probationary period

 Deadline for application: 1st December, 2013

Interview date:  16th December, 2013

Start date: January, 2014

To apply: Please send your CV to mail@robingrey.com with a one page explanation of why you want the job and how you meet the person specification detailing your skills and experience.

Job Description

The role will be a dynamic position, responding to the needs of the network and developing our work in key areas. The main responsibilities of the role are outlined below:

1. Network Building:

A key area of work will be building the network, both by supporting existing members to organize events and by approaching and supporting more people to find suitable land and set up community food-growing projects.

• Organize and attend public events such as seed-swaps, information evenings, film screenings and Summer Celebrations.

• Attend meetings across London (& further afield) on relevant issues.

• Build new relationships with existing growing projects- set-up meetings and visits.

• Be a point of contact for Media.

• Respond to CFGN emails.

• Support other CFGN members in event organizing.

• Fundraising for campaigns and the development of the network.

2. Website development

The network co-ordinator will maintain and update the website and social media presence, making it a ‘go-to’ place for news and politics about food-growing in London and beyond.

• Making the website a go to place for information on Food growing politics specifically in London, and also the UK

• report from quarterly meetings (project & discussion where appropriate)

• improve and populate resources or links

• Update the food-growing news – campaigns, funding, project news, EU, national & local government policy

• Create and co-ordinate content

3. Newsletter:

The network co-ordinator will organize the editing and printing of a quarterly ‘newsletter’ which will help improve communication between members and provide an outreach resource.

• Co-ordinate content, editing and printing of a short quarterly newsletter.

4. Social networking:

The network co-ordinator will help maintain a CFGN presence on social media which will be a tool for campaigning and awareness raising

• Build a presence and following on social media that CFGN can use for campaigning and awareness raising.

 Personal specification

The successful candidate will have the following knowledge and experience

 Essential

• At least one years involvement in a network of community food growing projects

• At least one years experience in organic or agro-ecological horticulture in a community setting

• Experience of updating wordpress websites

• Ability to work independently and self-manage

• Experience co-ordinating and editing printed and e-newsletters

• Proven event management experience

• Experience organising and motivating volunteers

• Experience of representing a diverse group

• Experience supporting the development of new food growing projects

• Experience of responding to media.