VAFAIRS Specialist

About the role

This role supports agricultural producers and rural communities by identifying market and structural changes that impact profitability and growth. It provides leadership, education, and technical assistance to clients pursuing direct and value-added marketing opportunities, including developing business plans, grant applications, and project strategies.

Responsibilities

• Assist with the identification of structural changes in the areas of agricultural production, marketing and finance and the rural economy that could affect producer profitability
• Provide leadership and expertise to producer groups engaged in direct and value-added marketing projects and entrepreneurial and rural development activities
• Help to motivate diverse clientele pursuing new agricultural enterprises and facilitate development of their proposals whereby producers can aggressively pursue the direct and value-added marketing of agricultural commodities, renewable energy and related niche markets
• Develop presentations to stimulate the participation of private and public technical and financial resources in the development of direct and value-added marketing, renewable energy opportunities, and rural community development
• Conduct client interactions, either in-person, by phone, or through email
• Research, collect, verify, and analyze data from both industry and client information to develop grants and other written proposals
• Work directly with clients and in partnership with other personnel to develop and implement a wide variety of value-added project strategies
• Prepare or modify business plans, feasibility studies, marketing plans, grant applications, and other documents
• Illustrate technical data graphically and translate findings into written text
• Assist with the facilitation and execution of VAFAIRS strategic plan

Qualifications

• College degree or equivalent work experience
• Experience in agriculture commodities/marketing and/or rural development
• Knowledge of agriculture production, commodity or food marketing, or financial analysis
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Strong research, analytical and organizational skills
• Motivated self-starter with the ability to work both collaboratively with diverse and multi-disciplinary teams and independently with purpose and accuracy in a fast-paced environment

Benefits

The position offers an exceptional benefits package, including ongoing job development and support in all roles, paid training and continuing education reimbursement, medical and dental insurance available on your first day, generous employee 401K contribution, excellent Paid Time off (PTO) plan and more!