NOFA/Mass Summer Conference - Food & Entertainment Coordinator

The Food & Entertainment Coordinator is a member of the Summer Conference Committee. This position is responsible for creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere at the conference to round out the workshop/educational atmosphere, and to ensure that the 100% organic conference menu has variety, is healthy, accommodating to everyone, and is very delicious.

Application deadline: January 25th

Food Coordination:

Soliciting Food Donations

  • Based on a contact list, and in collaboration with the NOFA/Mass Marketing Director, contact prior donors, and identify new potential food donors to solicit.
  • Keep an organized database of donations and their value.
  • Collect food donations that are used for the dining hall meals and the Children and Teen Conferences.

Coordinating the “Local Meal”

  • Work in collaboration with UMass Dining staff to put together a meal made entirely of local and certified organic foods to be served on Saturday night of the conference.
  • Use farmer contacts, past menus, appeals to farmers published in the NOFA newsletters and Natural Farmer and other outreach channels to deliver a high quality local/organic meal while also bringing your own creativity to bear on its creation.

Creating The Conference Overall Menu

  • In collaboration with UMass Dinning staff, coordinate seven meals at the conference, based in part on food donations you collect, referencing previous menus and past meal evaluations to put together something that has options for everyone (vegan, vegetarian, meat).

Liaison with UMass Retail Dining for Food Service on the Lawn.

  • UMass hosts a food vending option on the lawn. Act as a liaison with them as they plan their all-organic menu and delivery options.

Entertainment Coordination:

The Fair

The fair takes place on Saturday afternoon.  This event, along with dancing and other entertainment events at the conference, is intended to be a time to kick back, and enjoy – the parade, exhibits, the farmer’s market, the games, the raffle, the music. It is a time for families attending the conference to enjoy time together after being in separate workshop spaces throughout the weekend. The fair usually features games, animal demonstrations, crafting, and other fun activities. The event is also free and open to the public to attend, and it makes a wonderful way for people to first learn about NOFA.

Entertainment

Arrange for a film series and a variety of entertainment opportunities at the conference during the evening hours on Friday and Saturday. This entertainment includes activities for kids during the keynotes, Farm Olympics, a contra dance on Friday night after the keynote, and other entertainment on Saturday after the keynote.

Qualifications:

The successful coordinator will:

  • Be highly organized, and competent with use of word, excel and google docs.
  • Be comfortable soliciting food donations from businesses and organizations.
  • Be able to contract with entertainers and coordinate the schedule of events.
  • Be able to direct and oversee volunteers.
  • Enjoy working collaboratively as well as autonomously.
  • Be able to create and coordinate a dynamic and appropriate schedule of events.
  • Be able to work with UMass dining staff to create and execute the menu.
  • Enjoy having fun and helping others have fun.
  • Be a creative spirit.
  • Be able to multitask at the conference, particularly during the fair.

Additional Responsibilities:

  • Select and secure entertainers and presenters for the fair and the entertainment options.
  • Work with previous contact list, and find new contacts, to build this year’s schedule and menu.
  • Work with Conference Coordinator and Webmaster to create and post content about the menu, meal times, meal prices, and food donors on the NOFA Summer Conference website, and work with the Conference Coordinator to ensure that appropriate information is published in the program book.
  • Ensure the venues are ready for entertainer/presenters throughout the weekend.
  • Coordinate payments to entertainer/presenters.
  • Work with PR coordinator on publicity for the fair and entertainment events.

OTHER EXPECTATIONS:  NOFA Summer Conference Committee members are required to attend two or three in-person meetings and four conference calls per year, and must be present at the Conference itself, August 12-14 2016.  You must be able to arrive one day early on August 11.  In-person meetings take place in July for a UMass walk through, October for a wrap up session, and possibly one other in between.  It is also expected that the Coordinator will provide their own computer and have ready access to an internet connection in order to facilitate this work.

Phone meetings are scheduled almost quarterly.

NOFA Summer Conference committee members must be current NOFA members.

COMPENSATION: The pay for this position is a stipend, budgeted for 270 Hours of work, with a pay rate starting at $13 per hour ($3,250).  It includes free registration to the conference, free housing, and free meals during the conference. Mileage reimbursement to meetings and other job-related travel (subject to approval by conference coordinator) is at $0.575 per mile. The coordinator’s spouse receives half off registration. Coordinator’s children under age 18 receive free registration.

TO APPLY: Please email Jason Valcourt, NOFA Summer Conference Coordinator, if you are interested in this job. Send a resume, a letter of interest in the position, and a list of three job references to jason@nofamass.org. Use subject heading “Food & Entertainment Coordinator Application.” Call with questions at (970) 275-1355.

MA / Traveling