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Non-profit Organization, Humanitarian Aid, International Development, Social Services

Community Garden Coordinator - 2025652

Kent, Washington, United StatesOnsiteFull TimePosted 2 months ago

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Role summary

World Relief seeks a compassionate Community Garden Coordinator to oversee a 2-acre garden and restoration site serving refugees and immigrants in Western Washington. This role focuses on practical garden management, food and environmental justice, strengthening the local food system, and advocating for healthy environments. Responsibilities include site maintenance, program development, workshop facilitation, grant writing support, data collection, community outreach, volunteer coordination, and building relationships with gardeners, partners, and stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have a passion for serving vulnerable communities and a commitment to World Relief's mission.

Are you a person of compassion? An advocate for justice? Someone who stands up for the rights of the vulnerable and speaks out for the marginalized, the exploited and the forgotten?  Do you believe in our calling as Christians to welcome the least of these and love our neighbor?

If you answered ‘yes’, to any of the above, World Relief, and millions of people around the world need you.

At this pivotal moment in time, we are rapidly expanding and growing our team to meet the increasing needs of our world. We are looking for people who want to use their gifts and talents to make a real and tangible difference in our world and the lives of the suffering.
 
If you’re looking for a purpose-driven career in which you can grow your talents, while also standing up for the rights of the vulnerable, we want you to join us today.
 
 
ORGANIZATION SUMMARY
World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to boldly engage the world’s greatest crises in partnership with the church. The organization was founded in the aftermath of World War II to respond to the urgent humanitarian needs of war-torn Europe. Since then, for 80 years, across 100 countries, World Relief has partnered with local churches and communities to build a world where families thrive and communities flourish.

Today, organizational programming focuses on humanitarian and disaster response, community strengthening and resilience, and refugee & immigrant services and advocacy.

POSITION SUMMARY:
 
The World Relief Western Washington (WRWW) Community Garden Coordinator role exists to serve refugees and immigrants by overseeing a 2-acre community garden and native restoration site where refugee-immigrant community members can grow culturally relevant food. Garden programs focus on practical community garden management and support, food and environmental justice, strengthening the local food system, and advocating for ecologically healthy environments that will result in thriving refugee-immigrant communities.  
 
 

ROLE & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Community Garden Operations and Management (35%)
  • Responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of garden site, equipment, and surrounding
    infrastructure
  • Manage the maintenance of all garden-related facilities: garden tool sheds, watering systems
    (cisterns, hydrants, electric pumps), walking paths, and garden plot infrastructure
  • Maintain or coordinate the maintenance (weeding, mulching, composting, pruning) of all
    natural, community spaces such as the food forest, native restoration zones, raingardens,
    bioswale, and pollinator berm
  • Oversee garden improvements: planting new fruit tree varietals, expanding irrigation systems,
    creating new native restoration zones, de-paving to expand gardening opportunities, and any
    other opportunities that expand refugee and immigrant access to agriculture and natural
    spaces
  • Coordinate and collaborate with the Learning and Development Coordinator to maintain and
    improve the Kids’ Learn and Play Zone
    •  
    Program Development and Coordination (40%)
  • Assist Resiliency Programs Manager in setting and fulfilling the goals and objectives of the
    Community Garden
  • Develop and promote educational aspects of the Community Garden, including workshops for
    gardeners and community members, educational tours, leadership trainings and related
    activities
  • Assist the Resiliency Program Manager in soliciting funding for Community Garden programs
    and infrastructure through grant-writing, donor engagement and events
  • Alongside Resiliency Programs Manager, maintain positive relationships & communication
    with Hillside Church, neighbors and other organizational or governmental partners and
    stakeholders
  • Expand WRWW’s agricultural program offerings through exploring additional partner sites and
    creating market gardening infrastructure and opportunities
  • Maintain up-to-date data and provide regular reports on Community Garden activities and
    outcomes, including pre- and post-testing, class attendance, etc. Ensure that all grantor
    reporting requirements are met in a timely manner
  • Ensure enrollment/participation goals are reached through community outreach and
    promotion
  • Oversee pre- and post-season surveys and data collection for grant reporting and program
    evaluation purposes
  • Solicit and obtain donations of gardening materials (seeds, plant starts, compost) from local
    organizations to equip gardeners with the necessary resources to garden
  • Cross-program coordination to host events and educational opportunities at the garden,
    including school-aged focused environmental education
  • Supervise garden-focused high school Equity and Sustainability Youth Interns during the
    summer months, providing mentorship and garden task oversight
    •  
    Community Building & Volunteer Coordination (20%)
  • Strengthen relationships with refugee and immigrant community gardeners through wellness 
    check-ins, hosting community-focused events, and resource sharing
  • Create bridges to other service organizations (agricultural, legal, ESL, etc.) within the 
    community to refer community gardeners out to for additional needs and services 
  • Form connections with local ethnic community-based organizations and cultural hubs for 
    program referrals
  • Explore creative ways to engage the garden participants in community and economicempowerment related opportunities
  • Maintaining a web of partners and relationships with other community garden programs for 
    the purpose of shared learning, resource sharing, and collaboration
  • Schedule, plan and coordinate volunteer work parties to engage local partners and complete
    necessary annual maintenance tasks
  • Participate in organizational outreach events to make connections with local volunteer groups
  • Maintain positive relationships with recurring volunteer partners
    •  
    Other (5%)
  • Collaborate with the Commercial Teaching Kitchen Coordinator and Learning & Development 
    Coordinator to maximize the use of shared spaces for educational opportunities (garden area, 
    commercial teaching kitchen and church building).
  • Identify and organize technical experts and volunteer collaborators to support in the 
    instruction and implementation of community garden programs
  • Participate in monthly all-staff meetings, staff trainings, periodic leadership meetings, and biannual staff retreats
  • Other duties as assigned

    • JOB REQUIREMENTS:

  • Mature and personal Christian faith
  • Committed to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief
  • Desire to serve and empower the Church to impact vulnerable communities
  • Able to affirm and/or acknowledge World Reliefs Core Beliefs, Statement of Faith, Christian Identity and National Association of Evangelicals' For the Health of The Nation document
  • Ability to work well with diverse groups of people – previous cross-cultural experience is 
    required
  • A desire to serve immigrants and refugees in support of the mission, vision and values of
    World Relief
  • Gardening/farming experience required
  • Good organizational skills and ability to prioritize and balance multiple projects/deadlines at
    one time
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
  • Self-motivated worker with the ability to problem solve and demonstrate initiative
  • Flexibility in schedule with frequent evening or weekend hours required
  • Good computer knowledge, including MS Office, and the ability to learn new programs.
  • Professionally responsive, dependable, and maintains excellent follow through
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
  • Dependability, flexibility and the ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced work environment
  • Previous experience teaching/training adults
  • Curiosity and a love of learning
  • Valid WA State Driver's license, proof of insurance, and reliable transportation required
  • Ability to perform a variety of physical activities with program participants which may include,
    but are not limited to, walking, standing for long periods of time, shoveling, digging and lifting
    up to 50 pounds

    • PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Previous experience in program oversight preferred
  • Previous experience with immigrants and communicating across language barriers is preferred.
  • Proficiency in one or more common immigrant languages (Spanish, Dari, Arabic, Ukrainian, French, Burmese, Nepali) highly desirable
  • Working knowledge and experience in agriculture and/or the natural sciences is desirable.
  • Technical knowledge in the field of environmental science.
  • A working knowledge of U.S. food systems and their current inequities.
  • Previous experience working with children and youth preferred. 
  • Experience in a community-facing coordinator role.
    • World Relief offers a competitive benefits package and employee discount program for full-time, Regular, employees.
     
    World Relief is honored to be recognized with the Gold-level Cigna Healthy Workforce Designation for exceeding the core components of our well-being program including leadership and culture, program foundations and execution, and whole person health.
     
    ***
    Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
     
    We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.
     
    For World Relief staff, strong commitment to the mission, vision, and values of World Relief is essential, and Christian faith is a prerequisite for employment, based upon United States federal guidelines provided in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
    Ready to apply?
    You'll be redirected to World Relief's application page.