Executive Director - Food + Farm Exploration Center - Spano Pratt : Job Details

Overview:

ORGANIZATION

The Food + Farm Exploration Center is a 50,000 sq ft facility on 24 acres, conveniently located off of I-39. The Exploration Center is a place for people to come together on a journey into the world of modern agriculture, to meet the people behind the food, to build new science and engineering skills, and to connect, play, and learn. It is a teaching farm, a childrens exploration space, a science center, and a community workshop all rolled into a tantalizing celebration of food and farming.

The Food + Farm Exploration Center is a place for people to discover agriculture as they interact with educational exhibits, programs, and events. Crucially, these experiences will help grow a sense of community, give people a reason to get excited about agriculture, and ignite a lifelong journey of learning about food and farming. It connects visitors to all kinds of people, to the region theyve come to visit, and to the places they live in. Food + Farm Exploration Center is building a bridge for visitors, meeting them where they are and finding ways to connect their agricultural needs and interests with its mission.

The Food + Farm Exploration Center connects the disconnects of where food comes from and the people who grow it. The exploration center brings people face to face with the truth: farmers are scientists, engineers, and innovators who are making incredible advances in technology and sustainability. The Food + Farm Exploration Center also increases agricultural literacy, shows how agriculture supports health and nutrition, and helps develop the next generation of the agricultural workforce.

Food + Farm Exploration Center offers the following:

CHILDRENS SEEDLINGS GALLERY: Activate the imagination, senses and creativity in a space designed for our little learners. Learn about agriculture in a way that is most familiar to our littlest learners through play.

AG STEM GALLERY: Over 60 immersive exhibits are featured which include.

An interactive sandbox. Level a field, install windbreaks, plant and water a field. Shape the soil to collect, channel or drain away water.

Interactive media and model equipment.

An optical sorter in action; it kicks out unacceptable potatoes and keeps acceptable ones in real-time.

A crop to light up where it grows on a map of Wisconsin.

EDUCATION: Food + Farm Exploration Centers goal is to educate all learners about the importance of agriculture in our daily lives through the creation of learning materials and experiences. This includes field trips, classroom outreach, and high school ag innovation challenges, as well as collegiate programs and adult education.

FARM TECH SHED: Onsite ag equipment showcasing the latest in technology and innovation. Visitors can sit in the driver's seat, explore the inner workings of the state-of-the-art farm machinery and equipment and even experience a birds-eye view from the mezzanine of the machinery.

EVENT SPACE: With over 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, the Ag Grand Hall was designed with one-of-a-kind events in mind, and full-time, on-site staff make meetings or conferences a success. The meeting space offers state-of-the-art technology and food and beverage options. The space also includes an adjacent observation deck accommodating up to 250 people overlooking the farm demonstration fields.

FARM DEMONSTATION FIELDS: Comprised of four one-acre field plots, the Farm Demonstration Fields are a learning space extension spanning beyond the actual walls of the exploration center. Each field has its own crop rotation and a center pivot irrigator. It allows visitors to witness agriculture in action right where it occurs in the field.

KITCHEN LAB: Combine agricultural science with culinary arts in a creative intersection! Build cooking confidence in a space that mimics a home kitchen. Programmatic offerings will range from novice to expert, youth to adult.

AG LAB MAKER SPACE: This classroom environment will engage visitors with both their hands and high-tech tools to promote problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Its a space uniquely designed to cultivate creativity and innovation with an agricultural focus.

COLORFUL PLATE CAFE: Open to the public; no ticket required to visit the caf. The cafe serves scratch made breakfast and lunch offerings with locally sourced ingredients that are simple and healthy. Great food comes from small kitchens!

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Executive Director for the Food + Farm Exploration Center will further the mission and vision to promote agricultural literacy and instill a greater appreciation of the origins of food and the people who grow it. The Executive Director will oversee the administrative, programming, and strategic plan of the organization while looking toward future opportunities. The Executive Director will develop diverse and ongoing sources of financial support while managing and developing relationships with donors, sponsors, community and industry leaders.

Responsibilities:

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Planning

Advance the centers primary goal to promote agricultural literacy, to increase the understanding of the origins of our food, and to deepen the relationship between farmers and consumers.

Maintain transparent communication and relationships between board, staff, and key external stakeholders.

Operations

Develop and implement a comprehensive business plan utilizing the boards strategic vision.

Identify operating efficiencies, expenditures, and revenue opportunities, driven by specific KPIs, in each department and program, and execute to improve bottom line performance.

Prepare, manage, and forecast the annual operating budget for the center.

Oversee all communications, marketing, and correspondence for the center.

Establish and maintain the necessary conditions for success across all levels, encompassing operational effectiveness, policies and procedures, etc.

Staff Development

Oversee department directors for each pillar of the center including education, marketing, donor development, events, and operations and exhibits (interior and exterior).

Develop a cross-functional organizational culture built on inclusivity and transparency and collaboration throughout the organization.

Build and maintain a cohesive staff to implement all the centers efforts.

Board Development

Participate in an impactful partnership with the centers Board of Directors, building alignment while also maintaining role clarity.

Build, sustain and strengthen all board functions like operations, administration, planning, committee work, policy and bylaw compliance, etc.

Donor Development

Collaborate with the board, fundraising committee, and donor development to create, assess, and enhance guidelines, objectives, and strategic plans for all philanthropic and development funds and programs on an annual basis.

Build trust and foster long-term partnerships to steward current and prospective donors.

Community Partnerships

Execute marketing/advertising and communications plan to increase visibility, grow and support revenue generating opportunities; increase F+FEC visitors, events, on-site meetings, industry support, educational opportunities, and school outreach.

Partner with organizational and state-wide community stakeholders to maximize the impact of the center.

Represent the centers mission in local, state and industry-wide circles, as well as at community events and public presentations.

Identify potential risks and opportunities both internal and external to protect the centers interests and integrity.

Qualifications:

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Demonstrated leadership of community-based and community-led approaches to program development, strategic planning, and evaluation.

Experience building and conducting outreach for educational programming.

In-depth understanding of how a nonprofit organization governs, operates, and thrives.

Successful experience building a high performing staff team and a dynamic culture.

Experience in building strategy, evaluating impact, tracking data, and short-and long-term visioning for educational results.

Experience with complex annual financial management and forecasting.

Competence in creating, reading, and understanding financial documents.

Ability to establish effective and meaningful relationships with a variety of key stakeholders, including service providers, donors, industry and community leaders, and/or decision-makers.

Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills.

Effective communication and relationship-building abilities, adept at engaging with staff, colleagues, and diverse stakeholders across various disciplines.

Experience with policy development and implementation in areas such as IT, HR, and DEI.

Proven track-record of working collaboratively with partner organizations and entities.

Strong writing, organizing, and presenting skills.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

The Executive Director must possess a passion for helping people understand where their food comes from and for supporting farmers in sharing their stories and an appreciation for the agriculture industry. The ideal candidate is a strategic leader and steward of the vision, who has a passion for Food + Farm Exploration Centers mission, for the people it serves, and the programs it offers, along with an affinity for the agricultural industry. The candidate should possess a track record of inspired leadership that develops talent, embraces growth, and contributes to a collaborative work environment.

COMPENSATION AND LOCATION

Compensation includes a hiring range of $120,000 - $145,000 and a competitive benefits package. The position is on-site, based in Plover, Wisconsin.

This position is not just a job; it's an opportunity to be part of Food + Farm Exploration Centers legacy. To be considered for this opportunity, please submit a cover letter, and resume to:

Shelly Beaver, Executive Search Consultant

[email protected]

OR

Lindsey Kriete, Practice Director

[email protected]