Director of Community Engagement

The Nashville Food Project

Nashville, TN 37209

Community & Nonprofit

Position Description / Responsibilities

Mission, Vision, and Values

The Nashville Food Project brings people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city. At The Nashville Food Project, we embrace a vision of vibrant community food security in which everyone in Nashville has access to the food they want and need through a just and sustainable food system. This mission and vision are guided by core organizational values, including hospitality, stewardship, interdependence, learning, justice, and transformation.

Organizational Background

The Nashville Food Project (TNFP) was born from the idea that good food is a matter of basic dignity. Since its start in 2007, TNFP has served thousands of Nashvillians facing food insecurity. In 2011, TNFP was incorporated as an independent nonprofit, shifting the focus of its meals program toward a collaborative partnership model and launching an urban agriculture program. Today, TNFP continues to connect people to nourishing food and to each other through vibrant urban agriculture projects, made-from-scratch meals, and food shared with local partners working to disrupt cycles of poverty.

Position Summary

The Director of Community Engagement is an external-facing role that leads TNFP’s community engagement efforts and brings together a diverse group of volunteers, partners, and community members to support the work of the organization. Reporting to the Chief Program Officer (CPO), the Director of Community Engagement (DCE) is responsible for developing and overseeing the organization’s volunteer engagement efforts; building and stewarding its network of local partners; and curating events, workshops, and other offerings that engage community members and partners toward realizing the mission of TNFP.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Volunteer Engagement

• Lead the development of a range of opportunities for recurring volunteer engagement across all TNFP programs
• Ensure that all TNFP programs have robust volunteer support and engagement
• Design and host monthly events that raise awareness of TNFP’s mission and vision and encourage volunteer engagement across all TNFP programs
• Develop a communications strategy to promote volunteerism in all TNFP programs
• Design and oversee volunteer management systems for tracking volunteer opportunities
• Cultivate and steward relationships with social, civic, and educational organizations to identify, develop, and expand opportunities to engage volunteer groups
• Collaborate with program teams to design, coordinate, and facilitate volunteer opportunities and engagement events for corporate partners
• Facilitate quarterly opportunities for TNFP board members to engage in volunteer activities across all programs
• Plan and execute volunteer appreciation events at least twice per year
• Facilitate volunteer sessions as needed, working in collaboration with program teams and community engagement staff

Partnership Development

• Represent TNFP at partnership networks and meetings to strengthen existing partnerships and develop new partnerships and programmatic opportunities
• Design, coordinate, and facilitate public presentations to connect community members and partner organizations with TNFP’s mission, vision, and programs
• Develop and maintain a robust and diverse network of ongoing and prospective partnerships with nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies and coordinate efforts with program staff to establish mission-aligned partnership opportunities across all programs
• Develop and oversee a system and protocol for managing and responding to inquiries for TNFP to participate in special events, speaking engagements, panels, and media campaigns
• Co-lead TNFP’s coordination of FeedBack Nashville, supporting the design and implementation of the project’s community outreach strategy
• Collaborate with the Development Team to create communication campaigns promoting community engagement opportunities across all TNFP communication platforms
• Support program teams in designing community-based engagement and participant-led initiatives across TNFP programming (e.g., Community Advisory Councils)
• Ensure the reach of TNFP’s community engagement efforts is inclusive of diverse community members and partner organizations

Administrative

• Supervise the Volunteer Engagement Manager
• Develop and manage systems for regularly receiving and responding to volunteer feedback
• Implement impact tracking protocol for monthly, quarterly and annual reports on community engagement activities and outcomes
• Collaborate with the CPO to establish annual priorities and goals for community engagement and outreach across all programs

Position Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience and confidence in managing teams of diverse individuals
• Experience designing and facilitating volunteer opportunities with individuals and groups
• Confidence in public speaking
• Highly organized and confident working independently and collaboratively
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to cultivate safe and ethical community relationships
• Awareness of, and sensitivity to, power dynamics within marginalized, immigrant and refugee, and/or BIPOC communities
• Strong communication skills—written, verbal, and in one-on-one interactions
• Cooperative and collaborative work ethic and a positive attitude
• A valid driver license and safe driving record

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or higher
• Interest in anti-hunger work and food justice
• Proficiency and comfort using computers, with abilities in Microsoft Office and Google Suite
• Experience with participant- and community-led programming
• Bilingual language proficiency in Spanish or Arabic

Application Instructions

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter outlining your interest in our work and mission to info@thenashvillefoodproject.org. Please include "Director of Community Engagement" in the subject line. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. Priority consideration will be given to applications received by Friday, November 17, 2023.

In all aspects of its work, The Nashville Food Project strives for a culture of inclusivity and fairness without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics protected by law.