FARMS AND GARDENS OPERATIONS COORDINATOR - New York City, NY : Job Details

THIS IS A TEMPORARY GRANT-FUNDED POSITION.

The New York City Housing Authority's Division of Resident Services, Partnership, and Initiatives (RSPI) engages and connects NYCHA residents to critical programs, services, and the priorities within the Authority's strategic plan to preserve New York City's public housing. RSPI's Department of Resident Health Initiatives (RHI) builds health and advances health equity through innovation and cross-system collaboration that connects residents to preventive health resources, helps create healthier environments, and cultivates resident leadership in health. The Department's portfolio of work includes Smoke-Free NYCHA, Healthy Start @ NYCHA, Health Care Partnerships, Farms and Gardens, and strategic public health collaboration with the NYC Health Department and other partners in areas such as community mental health capacity building.

Resident Health Initiatives seeks a dynamic Operations Coordinator to join the NYCHA Farms and Gardens team and leverage strategy and innovation to help lead the expansion of work grounded in public housing resident leadership and community partnership.

Farms at NYCHA is a collaboration between NYCHA, citywide and local nonprofit operators, NYCHA residents, and other stakeholders to expand healthy food access, provide youth workforce and leadership development, and create more sustainable and connected public housing communities. The program has resulted in a network of farms on NYCHA land operated by partners that engage NYCHA residents to design, build, cultivate and program farm sites.

NYCHA gardening has been active for the past 60 years, with hundreds of resident- and partner-managed sites. Gardens are unique spaces that promote community building, safety, and health and wellbeing and are conducive to supporting a range of intergenerational activities.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Resident Health Initiatives, the Operations Coordinator is responsible for co-designing and activating key program infrastructure that supports the successful mobilization of staff and resident and partner resources to achieve program goals.

Duties of the Farms and Gardens Operations Coordinator include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Create, monitor, improve, and drive the consistent and effective utilization of operational tools that support program expansion and success. Coordinate the collection of program data for reporting to support transparency, accountability, and continuous quality improvement.

2. Manage program communications, including day to day stakeholder communications, the program's e-newsletter, print collateral, news stories, and social media to promote the initiative and its impact.

3. Create, monitor, and adjust tools that support critical working relationships with external partners that operate farms and support resident gardening. Work with other team members to ensure partner resources are leveraged to proactively address needs across farm and garden sites. In collaboration with other project staff, help identify and activate new strategic partnership opportunities.

4. Provide direct supervision for NYCHA Health Corps Members, Public Health AmeriCorps Members serving a 10-month service term. Ensure Corps Members have the knowledge and tools to execute tasks assigned by members of the Farms and Gardens team. Provide coaching and mentorship to ensure Corps Members have opportunities to grow and learn during their service term and are optimally positioned for advancement upon completion of the program.

5. Help design and implement strategies to secure resident stakeholder input in the program and to connect resident leaders and partners to ensure programming across sites is sustainable and responsive to local priorities and needs.

6. Working closely with other project staff, lead the coordination of an annual summit to elevate dialogue and accelerate collaboration to support project goals.

7. Work with other Health Initiatives teams to ensure optimal program alignment and provide support to additional Health Initiatives projects as needed.

Additional Information

1. This is a grant funded position. Extensions are subject to the availability and renewal of funding.

2. NYCHA residents are encouraged to apply.

Please read this posting carefully to make certain you meet the qualification requirements before applying to this position.

Minimum Qualifications

1. A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college and two years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties described above; or

2. High school graduation or equivalent and six years of experience in community work or community centered activities in an area related to the duties as described above; or

3. Education and/or experience which is equivalent to 1 or 2 above. However, all candidates must have at least one year of experience as described in 1 above.

Preferred Skills

1. Prior experience with urban agriculture or related work connected to sustainability, community building, and public health. 2. Exceptional project management/business planning skills and experience working effectively in a high-pressure environment and with diverse stakeholders. 3. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and strong attention to details. Strong interpersonal skills and ability to handle sensitive and complex information. 4. Demonstrated experience working with multidisciplinary teams to coordinate or manage complex projects. Proven ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams. 5. Strategic thinker and problem solver. Proven ability to analyze organizational issues, identify solutions, mitigate risks, and implement recommendations. 6. Experience helping to lead teams and provide mentorship opportunities. 7. Preference will be given to candidates with relevant health equity experience and specific experience working with NYCHA residents and/or in public housing or other affordable housing communities.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

As a prospective employee of the City of New York, you may be eligible for federal loan forgiveness programs and state repayment assistance programs. For more information, please visit the U.S. Department of Education's website at

Residency Requirement

NYCHA has no residency requirements.

Additional Information

The City of New York is an inclusive equal opportunity employer committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and providing a work environment that is free from discrimination and harassment based upon any legally protected status or protected characteristic, including but not limited to an individual's sex, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity, or pregnancy.