Job Posting: Urban Farmer

[Marisa McLean]

JOB OFFER: Urban Farmer

Are you looking to work for a company that has values in the right place and that helps build more sustainable cities and communities?

MicroHabitat is looking for someone to fill the position of Urban Farmer with ambition, leadership and a passion for agriculture.

Introduction:

At MicroHabitat, we are implementing urban agriculture to improve the urban environment, the lifestyles of city dwellers and encourage a better understanding of environmental issues. We install vegetable gardens on the roofs of companies, institutions and schools in order to reconnect people to nature and their food.

Whats in it for you? 

A rewarding job where you can cultivate in unique places and enjoy summer

A competitive salary and paid vacation per year upon hiring

Free coffee and tea

A team-oriented work environment that encourages initiative and leadership

Happy hour and various social events throughout the year

Fun team activities with your colleagues - because MicroHabitat is first and foremost a big family!

Work and meet colleagues as passionate as you

Job Description :

The role of this person is to set up urban agriculture projects throughout Toronto with a multicultural clientele within their work and living environment located in different boroughs of Toronto under the supervision of the Director of Operations. This position will also be responsible for planning, installing and maintaining and harvesting food production zones. The goal of this position is raising awareness and transferring knowledge in urban agriculture to this varied clientele.

Tasks and main responsibilities:

The person holding this position will be responsible for setting up agriculture projects, managing their production areas, monitoring, supporting and evaluating the urban agriculture activities of the projects that they are responsible for. This position requires to work in concert with members of the MicroHabitat team in order to contribute to the company's expansion around the world and the deployment of urban agriculture in each of our cities. The person will also be responsible for leading educational workshops in English for clients of all ages. 

Horticultural management:

∙ Coordinate and prepare materials for installations.

∙ Carry out the installations and supervise the installation team during the installation season.

∙ Ensure the full maintenance of MicroHabitat urban farms and mobilize members of these organizations by offering project information and horticultural advice.

∙ Perform quality insurance horticulture maintenances of rooftop farms.

∙ Perform all other related tasks (harvesting, cuttings, watering, tying up tomato plants, controlling pests and weeds, cleaning crops, delivering crops).

∙ Carry out educational activities with MicroHabitat clients.

Representation and administration:

∙ Host information kiosks and workshops in English on urban agriculture for clients of all ages.

∙ Attend team meetings and meetings with partners.

∙ Write reports and document the activities of each of the production sites.

∙ Perform all other related tasks related to purchasing and maintaining MicroHabitat tools and infrastructure.

∙ Follow companies safety and COVID measures and procedures. 

∙ Perform quality insurance infrastructure visits of rooftops and rooftop farms.  

∙ Participate in the creation of standardization documents and training guides for the companies operations.

∙Work directly with the different branches of the company (sales and marketing) as well as the other cities where MicroHabitat operates. 

∙ Scout, acquire, maintain, assess and track all the necessary infrastructure needed for the MicroHabitat operations.

∙ Participate in grant research and filling.

Project management:

∙ Participate and manage all the different steps in the implementation of our food production sites

∙ Facilitate and participate in the implementation of urban agriculture projects around the city of Toronto. 

∙ Coordinate and prepare for installations, weekly maintenance visits and closing events of the food production spaces.

∙ Carry out horticultural activities with clients.

∙ Ensure the maintenance of all MicroHabitat food production spaces.

∙Perform all other related tasks (harvesting, cutting, fertilizing, watering, tying up tomato plants, pest and weed control, crop cleaning, crop delivery).

∙ Ensure that safety guidelines are respected in every area that touches the MicroHabitat operations.

∙ Ensure that cleanliness is maintained at all times, in all food production areas, as well as in every one of MicroHabitats clients spaces and its own.

∙ Ensure that all operation reports are filed. 

∙ Participate in operational process improvement.

∙ Schedule and coordinate food production site visits.

∙ Make sure that the operations are maintaining cleanliness at all times, in all food production areas, as well as in every one of MicroHabitats’ clients spaces and its own.

Client experience and marketing

∙ Send out marketing materials and content to clients.

∙ Ensure the satisfaction and retention of every client and potential client.

∙ Ensure that all operation reports are filed and shared with partners as well as clients. 

∙ Participate in client satisfaction process improvement.

∙ Participate in marketing content gathering for the marketing and sales team. 

∙ Make sure the MicroHabitat brand shines on every aspect of the business throughout the GTA.

 

Human resource Management:

∙ Support the MicroHabitat team in the hiring process of the Toronto installations team. 

∙ Supervise the MicroHabitat team to carry out the installations during the installation period.     

∙ Track, evaluate and assess employee’s needs and performance. 

∙ Follow-up on employee reports.

Offseason responsibilities

- Prepare the MicroHabitat operational infrastructure, vehicles and inventory storage for winter. 

∙ Handle other miscellaneous duties and responsibilities as defined by the team during the offseason.

∙ Ensure the satisfaction of every client and potential client. 

∙ Ensure that all operation reports are filed 

∙ Participate in operational process improvement

∙ Undergo a Linkedin transformation, in order to represent the company in a matter that will standardize your image with the rest of the team and maximise your potential growth within the company.

∙ Lead generation work in support to the sales team. 

Schedule for applications and entry into position:

-Will be discussed 

Requirements

Qualifications required:

∙ Hold a College or university degree in agriculture and/or urban agriculture and/or horticulture and/or environmental science and/or sustainable development.

∙ Must have worked or studied in the field of agriculture, horticulture, urban agriculture or sustainable development.

∙ Have theoretical and practical knowledge in agriculture, urban agriculture or horticulture.

∙ Have experience in mobilization and workshop facilitation.

∙ Must have experience and be comfortable frequently using technological tools such as a smartphone, the Microsoft Office suite, the Google suite and video conferencing platforms (ex: Zoom, Google Meet, etc. ).

∙ Have good writing and speaking skills.

∙ Possess a valid driving license.

∙ Have two years of driving experience.

∙ Own a functional smartphone.

∙ Have a home workspace (Desk and office chair at home for telecommuting purposes). 

Skills sought

∙ Good mobilization capacity.

∙ Participatory leadership.

∙ Have a vision and passion for urban agriculture and sustainable development. 

∙ Interpersonal skills, interpersonal and communication skills.

∙ Autonomy, versatility and resourcefulness.

∙ Sense of initiative, organization and priority management.

∙ Good capacity for popularization and transmission of knowledge.

∙ Patience, empathy and generosity.

∙ Good physical condition.

∙ Ability in group animation and management.

Salary and Benefits

∙ Starting date: May 10th , 2021.

∙ Duration: Seasonal position as of May 10th 2021 until the 15th Novembre 2021

∙ Salary offered: $ 20 per hour + end of season Bonus. 

+ Allowance of $ 20 per month for personal phone use.

+ Possibility of adding you to the MicroHabitat phone contract after the first three months of service. 

+ Possibility of adding you to the MicroHabitat health insurance plan after the first three months of service.

+  4% vacation 

Normal work schedule: Monday-Friday 9 am-5pm. 

Possibility of overtime during the high season.

For any questions related to the position, do not hesitate to contact us at (438) 476-5273 extension 3

MicroHabitat - Toronto

85 Kincort St, Toronto, ON M6M 5G7

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[Heather Kilner]

Am I the only one who thinks the wage offered for this position doesn't seem reasonable for the expectations of the role? They want someone who's an expert gardener, workshop facilitator and supervisor to work for $20/hr?

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[Janet Horner]

They are expecting a lot for $20.00 per hour.  That is quite a skill set they are expecting.

 

Janet M Horner

Executive Director

ja...@whitfieldfarms.com

519 925 5975

 

Golden Horseshoe Food and Farming Alliance

JOB OFFER: Urban Farmer

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/trinity-f44a348b-c949-4aa5-815d-90dc79bb6124-1623933649399%40msvc-mesg-gmxus010.

[Johanne Daoust]

I have been gardening on the roof of my home for 17 years and when I read this job description I was metaphorically speaking “blown away.”

What this company is describing are two positions-one an admin position and the other the "horticultural management" of a veggie garden installation along with its daily and seasonal maintenance.

The amount of knowledge one needs to grow in non traditional areas is phenomenal as is gardening or growing food in general. As the necessity of this industry grows if you want to attract people with ambition, leadership and passion then be prepared to pay them their proper dues.

We all have passion when it comes to our gardens in-ground or roof but why should people who work in the agriculture sector be paid less than other professionals.

Johanne Daoust

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johanne_daoust/

[DEEPAK Monga]

All missed and no one is talking about Free Coffee and Tea in addition to $20.00 an hour 😷

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 17, 2021, at 2:02 PM, Johanne Daoust <jda...@sympatico.ca> wrote:

I have been gardening on the roof of my home for 17 years and when I read this job description I was metaphorically speaking “blown away.”

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/7EEE7D0D-3682-4C52-A85F-BB8B1600E9D7%40sympatico.ca.

[Laura-Ana Cuciureanu]

You're not alone! My thoughts exactly! For the ask, they should offer $30/hour if they value their employees. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/trinity-f44a348b-c949-4aa5-815d-90dc79bb6124-1623933649399%40msvc-mesg-gmxus010.

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Ana Cuciureanu

[Marc Green]

Lolol - nice catch Deepak!

There is a lot wrong with this job posting, unfortunately. It’s an absolutely massive amount of work for one person, with an even more massive set of skills being requested. Funnily enough, I may have most/all of those skills, but I’m 58 and have run my own edible landscaping company for 11+ years as well as working in management in film production for 25+ years. And there is NO WAY I would even think about considering a $20/hr rate, even with the free coffee and tea. 

They also mention 4% vacation pay, which should not require mentioning - it just is.

This is a job for at least two people, as Johanne Daoust said earlier, with each working for at least $20 an hour.

I don’t have the heart to tell them to reconsider their approach.

Do you?

Marc Green
The Backyard Urban Farm Company
(416) 450-3899 (cell)

[k_fullerton k_fullerton]

This is the description for a team of people not one.

So many things are wrong with this - so much responsibility,reporting, insurance checks etc . All this in 35 hours a week ?- ALL over the city? How can they even afford  do to get around?  Constant reporting and the tech support is $20.00 a month is  for a phone ? Where the heck is the laptop etc ? AND they have management responsibilities? Nuts!

I think this must be a very junior company who has no idea of what this entails.

k

 

JOB OFFER: Urban Farmer

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To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/CABYEeQztsSFz1oe%2BxMsJQLrSsUKWEfRrATcERxaDRqMHwXLc9A%40mail.gmail.com.

 

[Kate H]

...and a post-secondary degree, and tech skills, and a driver's license, and responsibility for food-prep areas, and report-writing & documentation, and HR...

Simple calculation -- suppose 10 roof-top gardens. A weekly half-day maintenance & training visit to each of those is 5 workdays all by itself.

But -- In the middle of it all is a mention of hiring an installations team. Perhaps the job posting is mis-titled -- not for a farmer but a farms manager? responsible for overseeing the execution of all of the following... That could make sense of the anomalous task list.

[Kate H]

... plus the job posting on the website requires bilingue English and French.

Looks like the company started in PQ and is entering Toronto -- where a Single Room goes for $850-$1000/month and more. So $3K (minus income tax and office and transportation expenses) is a hungry wage.

But the concept is attractive -- get large corporations to make green use of their roofs.

[Maria Nunes]

There is such a racket in feel-good/enviro/green work. Young, ideological people are hungry for meaningful work that they take on positions that really take advantage of their inexperience, financial vulnerability, and sadly, their ideology. And these are many very well educated (i.e. student debt ridden) people.

That's my sense anyway.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/07695f09-2078-431d-ac42-7ed3e2cbeac8n%40googlegroups.com.

[Andrea Stauber]

Good morning!

I am frustrated with these job position offerings (I am an independent business) requiring a skill set accumulated over many years of work in the field besides  higher educational/responsibilities/... that pay so little. With such low hourly wages one person can not have a comfortable life in Toronto. 

Why is it that a lawyer, accountant, massage therapist, dentist, yoga instructor, ... can charge so much higher rates but jobs working with preserving/supporting/healing/educating on natural habitats/food security/healing nature/.... is paid so little?

There is a fundamental change required in how work with nature/plants/soil/food ... is appreciated.

Just my thoughts,

Andrea F. Stauber

Natural Green Order

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/6152BE6F-D73C-4E20-929F-6D6323C679CF%40whitfieldfarms.com.

[Louis Fliss]

It's called private enterprise.   Capitalism folks.   Supposedly supply and demand.   We need to get the authorities to promote local sustainable organic food production.   We need to vote for those that share our values.   You need to get active people.  Go run for office!!  Go get out the vote!!  Insist on raising the minimum wage!!!   Next time you're at a restaurant patio talk about guaranteed universal basic income!!   Appreciate there is discrimination out there and some folks will be worried about feeding their family or keeping from spreading Covid to their loved ones because they don't have paid sick leave.  

Louis Fliss 

Flemingdon Park Resident 

Flemo Farm Volunteer 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/toronto-urban-growers/CAJsfh5fWVPEDHzkHeqiHMRffr9UF4o%3DkrYj2brP_6NzP%2BUWoZA%40mail.gmail.com.