Flower Hill Institute
Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance Program Job Postings
Background: Flower Hill Institute is a Native-owned, community-directed nonprofit. Our objectives include preserving and enhancing cultural resources, preparing youth to inherit leadership, improving economic self-sufficiency, agriculture, food sovereignty and security, and improving outcomes to climate change. Flower Hill Institute has a cooperative agreement with USDA Agriculture Marketing Service to provide technical assistance (TA) to meat and poultry initiatives that support the growth of domestic processing capacity and the ability of independent facility to service more customers in more markets. Flower Hill Institute offers support in the following four key areas:
Federal Grant Application Management: Navigating federal grants processes and procedures, from pre-award application processes through post-award grant management compliance;
Business Development and Financial Planning: Business and financial planning resources, market intelligence, and project/concept feasibility analyses;
Meat and Poultry Processing Technical and Operational Support: Advice and resources to support the operational needs--including workforce development of processing plant development and utilization; and
Supply Chain Development: Support for the development and maintenance of successful supply chain and marketing relationships between suppliers, processors, distributors, and customers.
Flower Hill Institute is looking to fill the following positions under this cooperative agreement.
Hub Director
Technical Assistance Provider
Intake & Award Manager
Accounting Director
Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Manage and monitor Technical Assistance progress as outlined under the Cooperative Agreement to ensure all scope objectives and timelines are met.
Participate in conference calls and meetings (face to face or virtual) about the progress of technical assistance activities, specific projects the Cooperator is involved in, the development of TA resources, outreach and presentations, and other matters related to TA activities as outlined in the Cooperative Agreement with USDA.
Communicate as needed with internal HUB team and/or USDA/TA providers to plan or follow-up on calls and meetings and requested assistance.
Ensure reliable, complete and timely reporting against project deliverables.
Help troubleshoot project risk.
Maintain a consistent look and feel for external communications.
Help implement strategies to increase the participation in programs and benefits to underserved clientele and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and landowners.
Hub Director Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Establish partnerships with organizations to provide outreach and technical assistance especially to historically underserved farmers and ranchers.
Develop and maintain effective communication and working relationships with tribal, federal, community-based organizations and non-governmental organizations to engage them in fostering and promoting USDA MPPTA.
Provide national leadership and guidance on developing outreach plans and strategies for successful project delivery.
In cooperation with HUB TA team, establish TA Coordination and referral process and procedures to compile, monitor and measure the level of technical assistance delivered.
Respond directly to inquiries as directed/requested.
Help establish procedures to monitor and measure the level of technical assistance delivered by individual TA providers.
Suggest implementation strategies to increase the participation in programs and benefits to underserved clientele and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and landowners.
This position requires travel.
Technical Assistance Provider Director Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Establish and manage a program that effectively provides technical assistance (TA) to USDA inquiries, program applicants and awardees covering the scopes of the cooperative agreement.
In cooperation with HUB TA team, establish TA Coordination and referral process and procedures to compile, monitor and measure the level of technical assistance delivered.
Conduct direct technical assistance to projects without an identified TA provider, with assistance as specified in the Cooperative Agreement.
Assuring that each project is focused on developing capacity and is based upon the species of animals, the production protocols (current and future) and the cultural traditions of the community/region, is based upon sound, realistic financial projections, will strengthen local/regional food systems, will increase producer capacity and raises the bar on worker health, safety and training.
Help establish procedures to monitor and measure the level of technical assistance delivered by individual TA providers.
Help establish a database with coordinated procedures for matching individual providers with applicants and awardees throughout the process. Effectively matching individual TA/OR providers with appropriate projects, based on the type of project, cultural considerations, geographic location and other factors.
Assist USDA in selecting TA proposals for funding (under MPPTA, if requested by USDA).
Develop and maintain online resources to assist projects in establishing and expanding successful processing enterprises.
Conduct educational and informational presentations (in-person and virtual) on topics important to all aspects of processing, including financing, marketing, supply chain development and other issues.
Conduct active outreach to connect with organizations that can assist in connecting the technical assistance network with historically underserved producers and communities.
This position requires travel.
Intake & Awardee Manager Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Oversee Intake activities, including reporting to HUB team and USDA as requested.
In cooperation with HUB TA team, establish Intake process and procedures to compile, monitor and measure the level of technical assistance delivered by individual TA providers.
As requested, develop and design information and outreach tools (e.g., webinars and workshops) to assist producer groups through grant preparation and application procedure as agreed upon with USDA-AMS.
Respond directly to inquiries as directed/requested including phone follow-up to bolster client satisfaction with USDA-AMS.
Help establish procedures to monitor and measure the level of technical assistance delivered by individual TA providers.
Oversee the development, distribution and tabulation of a survey so that end user feedback can be gathered 1-2 times annually. Data summary as specified in the Cooperative agreement.
Ensure that reporting to AMS is comprehensive through the compiling of quarterly and final reports to demonstrate the progress made toward the completion of project goals, objectives, and outcomes, and the agreement’s overall financial status.
Accounting Director Job Duties and Responsibilities:
Monitor the financial status of this agreement to ensure progress toward meeting measurable outcomes as well as compliance with Federal assistance regulations.
Establish reporting and financials process and procedures for all FHI contractors.
Follow all government requirements around financial reporting including Use the ezFedGrants (eFG) to manage Cooperative agreement, including requirements for financial management systems set forth or referenced in 2 CFR § 200.302.
Manage budget accounts, financial reporting and internal controls.
Maintain up-to-date financial records.
Provide all required federal financial reporting forms.
Ensure that reporting to AMS is comprehensive through the compiling of quarterly and final reports to demonstrate the progress made toward the completion of project goals, objectives, and outcomes, and the agreement’s overall financial status.
Establish and maintain FHI USDA-MPPTA-related public webpage(s) to house Meat and Poultry Processing Capacity Technical Assistance (TA) program information, resources, and communications.
Help with the development and design information and outreach tools (e.g., webinars and workshops) to assist producer groups through grant preparation and application procedure as agreed upon with USDA-AMS.
Manage FHI USDA-MPPTA-related public social media.
Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree with 10 years of related experience or advanced degrees with 5 years of experience.
A strong background in food industry processing, marketing, and distribution.
Specifically in meat and poultry processing.
Be a self-starter who can lead, take responsibility and who is comfortable in a work environment with substantial discretion on how goals are accomplished.
Excellent interpersonal skills in environments which involve interaction with diverse constituencies.
Excellent written and oral communication skills in environments which involve interaction with diverse constituencies.
Must be courteous and provide excellent customer service.
Must be a team player.
Maintain integrity and accurate reporting.
Location:
This is a remote position, travel to essential meetings is required.
Contact/Application information:
Interested and qualified applicants can apply by sending your resume to info@flowerhill.institute.
The above description reflects the minimum skills and experience necessary to fulfill the principal functions of the job and should not be construed as a detailed description of all the work requirements that may be performed in the job.
All information presented has been produced by Flower Hill Institute under a cooperative agreement with the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service for the Meat and Poultry Processing Technical Assistance (MPPTA) Program. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.