Executive Director

Overview:

The Executive Director of Forsyth Farmers' Market, Inc (FFM) directs and develops all FFM programs, serves as the public face of the organization, spearheads fundraising, and cultivates the good food movement in Savannah. They make sure all these aspects run smoothly, work well together, and further the mission of the organization—to promote understanding of and participation in a local food system that supports sustainable production and increases access to local products. FFM is a relatively young (founded in 2012), grass roots organization that has experienced significant growth in recent years and has a variety of programs on the ground. The ED supervises staff and volunteers and reports to the board of directors.

This is a full-time, salaried position with a generous PTO package and a healthcare stipend. The annual salary range will be commensurate with education and experience, likely in the $75-$90k range. FFM currently has 7 FT staff, several PT staff, two VISTA interns and an annual budget of $900,000.

Qualifications

The candidate must demonstrate a passion for farming and food justice. They will need to be as comfortable in a field as a boardroom and will need to relate to a wide variety of constituents. The ideal ED candidate is a hands-on, dynamic leader that can shepherd the organization into a healthy future.

Expected Experience in:

● Program development

● Staff management

● Successful grant writing and fundraising

● Successful deployment of community outreach campaigns

● Advocacy and public relations management

● Computer and software literacy

● Work in a related field is preferred

Specific Tasks:

Organizational Leadership

● Guide the many programs to work together and plan for growth

● Ensure that all business practices comply with regulatory and legal requirements

Staff Management

● Foster an organizational culture of transparency and collaboration

● Assist staff in recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining volunteers

● Plan and execute staff development

Board Relations

● Collaborate with the board of directors on strategic planning

● Communicate with board reports at monthly meetings and for special projects, give regular updates as needed

● Assist in recruiting and training a board with the skills needed to support and guide the organization and represent the organization’s constituents

Communications and Public Relations

● Develop and maintain good relationships with a wide range of stakeholders

● Coordinate FFM representation at events and meetings called by key partners

● Manage the organizational messaging

● Represent FFM with the media and throughout the community

Financial Oversight

● Work with board and leadership team to ensure sound financial management, legal and tax compliance, and good business practices

● Cooperatively develop and track annual budget, including grants management, with board and staff

● Financial reporting to board

● Reporting to grantors

Special Events

● Ensure FFM is well represented at a wide variety of events

Fundraising

● Identify, solicit, acknowledge, and steward new and existing sponsors/donors

● Research, identify, and secure relevant local, state, and federal grants

● Work with the board to develop and execute annual fundraising strategy

● Manage donor software

EEO/AA: Forsyth Farmers’ Market is committed to providing equal opportunity for all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law. Forsyth Farmers’ Market’s policy regarding equal employment opportunity applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, job assignments, promotions, working conditions, scheduling, benefits, wage and salary administration, disciplinary action, termination, and social, educational and recreational programs.

To Apply:

We are conducting rolling interviews as eligible candidates apply and hope to fill the position as soon as possible. Please email 1) cover letter, 2) resume, and 3) an example of your work to FFM.Exec.Director@gmail.com. No phone calls please. An example of your work can be a grant application, an educational program curriculum, a plan for a fundraiser, or other relevant product.