Farm Manager/Immigrant-Refugee Outreach Specialist

Summary

Who is Eligible: This position open to King County Employees only. This recruitment may also be used to fill future career service opportunities.

Come join our team as we support multi-jurisdictional efforts to conserve working farms and forests, restore habitat for fish and other wildlife, control noxious weeds, and acquire open space. The Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD), within King County’s Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP), is looking for a Farm Manager/Immigrant-Refugee Outreach Specialist to join the Agriculture, Forestry, and Incentives Unit (AFI). 

The Agriculture, Forestry, and Incentives Unit (AFI) is part of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ Rural and Regional Services Section, which supports multi-jurisdictional efforts to conserve working farms and forests, restore habitat for fish and other wildlife, control noxious weeds, and acquire open space. AFI is comprised of a team of dedicated individuals that supports forestland and farmland owners, provides farmland access to farmers from historically underserved communities, preserves important working lands and other types of open space, and contributes to efforts focused on increasing environmental health and climate resiliency of urban and rural landscapes throughout the county. This position will directly contribute to the County’s Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, Strategic Climate Action Plan, and Local Food Initiative.

Why This is a Great Opportunity: 

King County currently owns and manages a portfolio of farms that together encompass about 275 farmable acres and support over 100, mostly BIPOC, farmers. 

This portfolio is likely to grow as demand for access to County-owned farmland currently exceeds supply. One of the goals of the agriculture program is for King County-owned farmlands to become models for regenerative agriculture, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship, and the Farm Manager will have primary responsibility for achieving this goal. This position will directly contribute to advancement of goals and identified in several of the County’s core initiatives. The Farm Manager will have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to King County’s food sector and the lives of King County residents.

About the Role: 

The Farm Manager will coordinate the Farmland Leasing Program and will serve as the key point of contact for tenant farmers, most of whom are from historically underserved communities. The Farm Manager will identify management priorities for King County-owned farms, develop and implement annual work plans, oversee the farm program budget, and make recommendations for equipment and infrastructure needed to better manage County-owned farms and support tenant farmers. 

Although the Farm Manager will have responsibility for the entire farmland leasing program land portfolio, they will have day-to-day responsibility for implementing infrastructure and management projects on farms in the northern portion of King County (essentially those County-owned farms located north of I-90). The Farm Manager will work closely with other staff and contractors to complete farm projects county-wide. The Farm Manager will participate in efforts to improve farmland access for immigrant/refugee/BIPOC farmers, will be expected to respond to requests for assistance from tenant farmers and to address unanticipated/emergency issues in a timely manner, and will also be asked to assist farmers who do not directly lease land from King County.

Key Program Areas Include:

• Management of King County-owned farmland
• Coordination of Farmland Leasing Program
• Support for Immigrant/Refugee farmers 
• Strategy development 

About the Team: 

The Agriculture, Forestry, and Incentives Unit (AFI) is part of the Department of Natural Resources and Parks’ Rural and Regional Services Section, which supports multi-jurisdictional efforts to conserve working farms and forests, restore habitat for fish and other wildlife, control noxious weeds, and acquire open space. AFI is comprised of a team of dedicated individuals that supports forestland and farmland owners, provides farmland access to farmers from historically underserved communities, preserves important working lands and other types of open space, and contributes to efforts focused on increasing environmental health and climate resiliency of urban and rural landscapes throughout the county. This position will directly contribute to the County’s Equity and Social Justice Strategic Plan, Strategic Climate Action Plan, and Local Food Initiative.

Commitment to Equity, Racial and Social Justice:

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive. We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a PFAS Specialist (WQP II), you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity 

Apply now for a rewarding career at the Water Land & Resources Division with King County Department of Natural Resources & Parks (DNRP) . Join our talented workforce in protecting and restoring the natural environment and promoting more resilient, sustainable, and equitable communities. Enjoy training, comprehensive benefits, and growth opportunities.

Job Duties

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Farmland Management (Percentage of Time Spent: 60%) : Responsible for assessing needs on all farms in the County’s farmland leasing program portfolio and developing annual work plans to address those needs. On-farm work will be focused on farms in the northern portion of King County, although there will be needs and opportunities to work on all farms across the County. Work will include operation, maintenance, and repair of typical farm machinery and equipment, coordinating volunteers to assist with farm management tasks, and selecting and managing contractors. 
• Farmland Lease Program Management (Percentage of Time Spent: 20%): Coordinate the county’s farmland leasing program and serve as primary point of contact for farmers who lease county farmland, many of whom are from immigrant/refugee communities and may have communication challenges.
• Immigrant/Refugee Farmer Outreach Coordinator (Percentage of Time Spent: 10%) : Provide leadership to agriculture team to better address farmland access needs of immigrant/refugee/BIPOC farmers, including participation in partnership efforts, such as Washington Farmland Trust’s Working Farmland Partnership. Coordinate translation of key farm program documents into primary languages used by tenant farmers and others who can benefit from King County support. 
• Strategy Development (Percentage of Time Spent: 10%): Support AFI Agriculture Team with data collection and development of recommendations for program strategic planning. Contribute to discussions about long-term strategic importance of farms in the current County portfolio as well as new farms under consideration for inclusion in the County’s larger Farmland Access Program.

Experience, Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills

Qualifications You Bring: 

• Minimum of 10 years of commercial farming experience, at least 5 years of which must be in the Puget Sound region.
• Significant experience with the operation, repair, and maintenance of typical farm equipment and machinery (e.g., tractors and associated implements, irrigation infrastructure, solar powered wells).
• Experience supporting farmers, especially BIPOC and immigrant/refugee farmers, and farmland owners with issues related to farm management, farmland access, and access to capital.
• Understanding of issues pertaining to resilient agriculture and how to ensure farmland is managed to address the challenges presented by climate change.
• Intermediate skills using Microsoft Office Suite products, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and fluency in at least one language, in addition to English, widely spoken by members of King County’s immigrant/refugee farming community. 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Washington Pesticide Applicator’s License (Agricultural Weed Control and Agricultural Insect and Disease Control).
• Knowledge of regulatory and permitting challenges faced by private farmland owners and experience supporting landowners to overcome those challenges. 

Competencies You Bring:

• Action Oriented: Readily acts on challenges. Identifies and seizes new opportunities, displays a can-do attitude in good and bad times. Steps up to handle tough issues with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.
• Collaborates: Works cooperatively with others across the organization to achieve shared objectives. Represents organization’s interest while being fair to others and recognizing their limitations and challenges. Partners with others to get work done. Credits others or their contributions and accomplishments. Gains trust and support of others.
• Communicates Effectively: Is effective in a variety of communication settings: one-on-one, small and large groups, or among diverse styles and position levels. Attentively listens to others. Adjusts to fit the audience and the message. Provides timely and helpful information to others across the organization. Encourages the open expression of diverse ideas and opinions. 
• Customer Focused: Gains insight into customer needs. Identifies opportunities that benefit the customer. Builds and delivers solutions that meet customer expectations. Establishes and maintains effective customer relationships. 
• Decision Quality: Pushes self and helps others achieve results. Pursues objectives with energy, drive, and the need to finish; meets deadlines. Has a track record of exceeding goals successfully. Persists in accomplishing objectives despite obstacles and setbacks.
• Resourcefulness: Able to identify and secure resources (people, equipment, funding) to tackle important tasks. Creative and takes initiative to get important projects completed even when resources limited. Able to manage multiple tasks to get work done.

Supplemental Information

Working Conditions:

• Remote and Onsite Work Details: Employees in this role work remotely from a home location, with onsite reporting requirements on an average of 2-3 days per week; 4-5 days per week during peak seasons. The frequency of onsite work is determined by business needs and may be adjusted accordingly. Onsite reporting locations may be at various King County worksites including the collaboration space at King Street Center (201 S. Jackson St, Seattle, WA 98104). This work arrangement promotes work-life-balance and reduces carbon footprint under the department’s vision of Green Where We Work. 
• Remote Work Location Requirement: Employees must reside in Washington State and be within a reasonable distance to King County worksites to meet onsite reporting requirements. 
• Work Location: 201 S. Jackson St. Seattle, Washington
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week.
• This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. 
• Union Representation: This position is represented by Teamsters Local 117.
• Physical Requirement: Must be able to perform standard farm management tasks, which includes walking on uneven terrain, working in inclement weather, and lifting items up to 50 pounds.

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants. We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

• King County application
• Cover Letter detailing your background and what you can bring to this position.

Note: Additional documents won’t be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:

William Herbert

Human Resource Analyst

206-477-5494

[email protected]

Discover More About the Water Land & Resources Division: Visit our website and check us out at Social Media Links.

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore an interactive map of our recent accomplishments and check us out at Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Keeping King County Green News.

Sign up for Job Alerts to be notified of additional career opportunities with King County. Select the Natural Resources category for DNRP opportunities and explore other categories of interest. 

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State’s best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we’re changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation’s best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our “True North”, we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles – we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

King County offers a highly-competitive compensation and benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and support our employees’ health and well-being. Eligible positions receive the following benefits and have access to the following programs:

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage: King County pays 100% of the premiums for eligible employees and family members
• Life and disability insurance: employees are provided basic coverage and given the opportunity to purchase additional insurance for both the employee and eligible dependents
• Retirement: King County employees are eligible to participate in a pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and a 457(b) deferred-compensation plan
• Transportation program and ORCA transit pass
• 12 paid holidays each year plus two personal holidays
• Generous vacation and paid sick leave
• Paid parental, family and medical, and volunteer leaves
• Flexible Spending Account
• Wellness programs
• Onsite activity centers
• Employee Giving Program
• Employee assistance programs
• Flexible schedules and telecommuting options, depending on position
• Training and career development programs

For additional information about employee benefits, visit our Benefits, Payroll, and Retirement Page.

This is a general description of the benefits offered to eligible King County employees, and every effort has been made to ensure its accuracy. If any information on this document conflicts with the provisions of a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the CBA prevails. 

NOTE: Benefits for Term Limited Temporary (TLT) or Short Term Temporary (STT) positions, including leave eligibility and/or participation in the pension plan through the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems, will vary based upon the terms and details of the position. Short Term Temporary positions are not eligible for an ORCA transit pass.

For inquiries about the specifics of this position, please contact the recruiter identified on this job posting.

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