Garden Specialist - PHV - Close Date: 04.19.2024

SUMMARY:

The Garden Specialist provides oversight of the daily operations of the Potawot Community Food Garden, by leading routine garden maintenance tasks, in addition to the promotion of gardening, traditional foods, and food products to our Tribal community. The Garden Specialist provides a higher level of assistance in the development of processes and systems, including policies and standard operating procedures for the garden. Within this position the Garden Specialist works closely with our community by overseeing the Potawot Community Food Garden education program activities, including school field trips, tours for community groups, farm to school activities, food assistance programs, community food workshops and UIHS program events. Within this position, the planning and implementation of all work is guided by the cultural, traditional values and practices of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Level I

• Assists UIHS communities and other collaborating organizations in the development of community gardens.
• Operates, directs, and assists in labor associated with large scale garden, site preparation, and maintenance.
• Leads the labor associated with large scale garden, site preparation, and maintenance. This includes:
  • Pest management efforts and the application of pesticide and chemical free gardening techniques for maximum crop production.
  • Planting, cultivating, irrigating, fertilizing, and mulching various crops.
  • Preparation for winter by clearing fields, composting, sheet mulching, and planting a cover crop.
  • Crop production, crop rotation and tool maintenance.
• Facilitates the ordering and acquisition of necessary garden supplies including seeds, mulch, soil amendments, fertilizer, garden educational materials/supplies and related garden equipment.
• Oversees the health and wellbeing of orchard trees, including mulching, watering, pest management and annual pruning.
• Oversees the health and wellbeing of beehives, including regular hive maintenance and harvesting of honey.
• Responsible for logs, maintenance, and upkeep of all UIHS vehicles, equipment or other gear used by the garden staff, related to garden activities.
• Utilizes local and statewide resources for crop disease diagnosis and treatment, and for various soil and environmental testing.
• Assists with the production and distribution of added value food products such as jam, tea, dehydrated produce, honey, salves, balms, etc.
• Works closely with the Community Nutrition Manager, Garden Technician and other UIHS staff in developing satellite produce stands and other methods of distributing produce and food products to the broader UIHS community.
• Adheres to food safety, accreditation, and compliance standards/guidelines.
• Maintains a professional, organized, clean working environment by following organizational policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines, and safety standards.
• Must be willing to learn more about the American Indian culture and attend at least one Cultural Presentation/Training per year.
• Must be willing to work with American Indian/Alaska Native people and be sensitive to their culture.
• Performs all duties in accordance with the UIHS Mission, Vision, and Guiding Principles.
• Performs other tasks as assigned.

Level II - Able to act independently in completing the above duties and:

• Tracks and monitors crop production, crop rotation and tool maintenance; utilize various computer programs to maintain accurate records and create reports.
• Coordinates and oversees gardening and traditional foods educational learning opportunities.
• Oversees and coordinates community garden volunteers, interns, and work experience placement activities and hours.
• Assists in overseeing specific grant related components, including but not limited to adherence to Notice of Award conditions, quarterly and annual reporting, quality improvement and communication with funders.
• Works within the UIHS community via appropriate committees, coalitions, consumers, and direct groups to support community garden programs.
• Assists the Community Nutrition and Tribal Public Health Managers in researching and preparing documents needed to apply for new grants, which includes: the project narrative and timeline, scope of work, logic model, and other required documents.
• Leads the production and distribution of added value food products such as jam, tea, dehydrated produce, honey, salves, balms, etc.
• Assists in development of department policy, standard operating procedures, and quality improvement activities within the clinic as directed.
• Undertakes special projects as assigned by the Community Nutrition Manager.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: This position oversees volunteers, interns, UIHS staff placed at Potawot Community Food Garden through a variety of community programs, including training.

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE: Educational degrees must be from a US Department of Education accredited school

• Level I: High school diploma or equivalent and four (4) years related experience and/or training; or Associate of Arts (AA) degree in related field or equivalent from two-year college or technical school and two (2) years of related experience and/or training in a community garden, organic agriculture, permaculture, horticulture, small scale agriculture or similar occupation. Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in an unrelated field.
• Level II: High school diploma or equivalent and five (5) years related experience and/or training; or Associate of Arts (AA) degree in related field or equivalent from two-year college or technical school and three (3) years of related experience and/or training in a community garden, organic agriculture, permaculture, horticulture, small scale agriculture or similar occupation. Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in a related field.

COMPUTER OPERATIONS

• Basic personal computer skills including email, word processing, spreadsheet, graphics, PowerPoint etc.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos. Ability to write simple correspondence. Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS:

• Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.

REASONING ABILITY:

• Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Must possess a valid driver’s license for Levels II and III and be able to be covered by the agency’s insurance. For Level I, a driver’s license is not required.
• Must provide proof of vehicle insurance for Levels II and III.
• Must have or be able to obtain a Food Handlers certification within (1) one month of hire and maintain such.
• Must have or be able to obtain BLS certification within six (6) months of hire and maintain such.

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Ability to work with American Indian people and be sensitive to their culture.
• Comply with all safety policies, practices, and standard operating procedures. Report all unsafe activities to supervisor and/or Human Resources.
• Must be able to present a positive working environment.
• Must be able to work with a wide variety of people in a positive manner.
• Must be able to operate and maintain garden watering and irrigation systems.
• Must be able to operate and handle garden tools (loppers, shovel, rake, hand pruners, long hose etc.).
• Must be able to operate standard small farm equipment (tractor, rototiller, weed trimmer, etc.).