Educational Program Assistant - Regional Farm to School Coordinator

JOB SUMMARY

UConn Extension, a part of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), seeks applicants for five (5) part-time (85% FTE / 29.75 hours/week) Regional Farm to School Outreach Assistants (Educational Program Assistant
2) to conduct outreach activities that are directly associated with increasing farm‑to‑school activities and local procurement among child nutrition program sponsors in Connecticut. Under the supervision of the Senior Educator in Food Systems, and the Visiting Associate Extension Educator in Food Systems, these positions will perform programmatic support for Extension outreach and education targeting.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide support with planning, technical assistance and training events for stakeholders as required by formal Extension programs.
• Provide support with delivery of technical assistance and training to target audiences.
• Disseminate information about upcoming learning events and opportunities to stakeholders.
• Participate in weekly project‑team meetings to plan Extension outreach programs for stakeholders, such as conferences, professional development workshops, and monthly virtual meetings.
• Provide event coordination support at in‑person educational events through tabling, registration check‑in, signage, filming, and distribution of evaluations.
• Design and develop learning materials (presentation, fact sheets, posters, and/or videos) on topics relevant to stakeholders. Topics to be covered include but are not limited to using incentives to purchase local and regionally grown food, planning menus to feature local ingredients, marketing locally grown items on the cafeteria line, how to meet and talk with producers, and how to develop an action plan for farm‑to‑school in a school/district.
• Conduct in‑person visits with program participants to document their activities (photo/video) and identify needs for training and educational resources.
• Assist stakeholders with completing and utilizing the Connecticut State Department of Education's CT Fresh ED Compass – a digital evaluation tool designed to help child nutrition sponsors establish baseline and track progress on increasing farm‑to‑school activities.
• Support the implementation of program evaluation to measure the performance of outreach programs.
• Contribute to a welcoming and inclusive workplace culture that values and respects individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Perform related duties as required.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 2 to 3 years of experience in food and agriculture, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Experience delivering farm‑to‑school outreach associated with promoting state programs, grants, and/or incentives.
• Experience and demonstrated skills in project management, including planning, logistics, marketing, implementation, and evaluation.
• Experience organizing and facilitating events with small and large groups of adult learners.
• Experience working with diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated experience utilizing written and verbal communication skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Completed leadership training or professional development in food systems in Connecticut or Northeast region.
• Leadership or membership of a Connecticut or Northeast stakeholder group committed to strengthening food and/or agriculture systems.
• Experience writing progress reports for federal and state grants.

APPOINTMENT TERMS

These are 12‑month, part‑time, 85% FTE positions (29.75 hours per week) durational UCPEA positions. These appointments are expected to be for 12 months, with renewal of the appointment contingent upon performance and available funding. For more information about the UConn Department of Extension, please refer to our website: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)..

The University offers a competitive salary, and outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn, and a highly desirable work environment. For additional information regarding benefits visit: .

Other rights, terms, and conditions of employment are contained in the collective bargaining agreement between…