American Farmland Trust seeks Program Manager

Reporting to the California Regional Director, the California Agricultural Land Protection Policy and Program Manager (Manager) will play a leadership role in accelerating efforts to protect agricultural land in California. The Manager will serve as a key American Farmland Trust (AFT) representative to legislative and administrative leaders in advancing AFT's state policy agenda to protect agricultural land. The Manager will coordinate the newly formed Alliance for California Agricultural Land, supports AFT’s National Agricultural Land Network (NALN) and help build the capacity of agricultural land trusts in the state. 

The Manager is responsible for coordinating policy research, education, advocacy, and legislative and administrative policy development, and related coalition building to advance AFT’s agricultural land protection policy agenda. In addition, the Manager will coordinate trainings, peer networking and direct support for agricultural land trusts to build capacity to accelerate the pace of agricultural land protection and spur innovation in responding to new challenges and opportunities, such as promoting regenerative practices on protected agricultural land, fostering opportunities to promote equitable land access, and ensuring the affordability of protected agricultural land for a new generation of farmers. 

Legislative and Administrative Policy:

• Conduct research and help develop AFT’s agricultural land protection policy agenda for California
• Cultivate relationships with policymakers and their staff 
• Advocate on relevant state legislation, budgets, and administrative or regulatory policies with state agencies, legislators and other public officials
• Collaborate and contribute to AFT’s national policy policies as appropriate and leverage these efforts to support California’s policy agenda

Strategic Partnerships and Coalition Building:

• Organize and lead lobby days, briefings, workshops and meetings to advance AFT’s policy agenda
• Represent AFT at policy conferences, hearings, and other forums as appropriate
• Coordinate the Alliance for California Agricultural Land including the development and execution of a coalition policy strategy.

Land Trust Capacity Building:

• Coordinate and facilitate agricultural land protection trainings, peer networking and direct assistance for the agricultural land trust community including developing training programs with the National Agricultural Land Network

Communications:

• Help produce communications materials, white papers and policy briefs relevant to AFT’s policy agenda and land trust capacity building
• As needed, communicate with the media, AFT members, and the public, on policy initiatives, including through social media
• Contribute to federal policy briefs, white papers, and policy recommendations

Fundraising:

• Provide input on fundraising materials, and attend key funder meetings 
• Pursue funding opportunities identified by AFT to support ongoing policy work 

Administration:

• Develop and manage the annual state policy budget and workplan related deliverables process and other project budgets as needed
• Provide regular comprehensive state policy updates and recommendations to relevant AFT staff, as appropriate

Working Conditions

The position is remote to be located in or nearby the Greater Sacramento Region, California. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers and phones. Occasional work in the evenings or on weekends may be required to meet deadlines.  

Travel

The position requires travel to attend conferences and events, conduct partner and community outreach, and host technical assistance workshops, approximately 20% of the time. In addition, infrequent travel to other national locations may be determined when directly connected to AFT outcomes.