Farm Director

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit organization based in Decorah, Iowa focused on conserving and promoting America’s culturally diverse but endangered garden and food crop legacy for present and future generations.

Primary Role:

Seed Savers Exchange has an exciting opportunity for someone with a passion for growing crops for seed, organic agriculture, and land stewardship. We are seeking a mission-driven Farm Director who is a collaborative leader with significant experience in farming and seed saving. The Farm Director is responsible for the overall management and direction of the farm, field operations staff, and infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have strong organizational management skills, collaborative leadership experience, and a background and passion for thoughtful ecosystem management.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Serve as team lead for field operations.
• Support day-to-day farm operation activities including garden allocation and usage, cultivation, crop rotation, soil health and fertility, cover cropping. Lead initiatives to determine how the farm lands integrate with natural areas and implement best management practices for both.
• In conjunction with the Preservation Director and Sales & Business Director, set annual goals for on-farm seed production.
• Provide consistent and timely communication updates on crops across departments to those staff responsible for evaluation, collection seed increases, and commercial productions.
• Develop and manage the field operations budget in collaboration with facilities and field operations staff.
• In conjunction with the Facilities Manager, oversee machinery maintenance and operational systems.
• Coordinate with field operations and facilities staff to develop efficient systems and processes.
• Lead annual organic certification renewal, including preparation for on-site inspection.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly supervise the Field Operations team.
• Serve as a collaborative leader and coach who brings the best out of people and leads with positivity and humility.
• Provide professional development opportunities for staff.

External-Departmental Responsibilities:

• Serve on the Director team to collaborate to move the organization forward across departments.

Skills:

• This position requires someone who has very strong interpersonal skills, is a problem solver, and able to weigh options and make decisions with input. The Farm Director needs to be adaptable and have strong team-building and development skills.
• Strong budgeting and work planning skills.
• Ability to delegate and work with staff to manage workloads for a healthy work-life balance.
• Able to understand and manage capacity.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to perform physical activity: lifting up to 100 lbs. (assisted); carrying (50 lbs.), bending frequently, climbing, pushing, and pulling.
• Ability to perform responsibilities in wide-ranging weather conditions.

Qualifications:

• Exceptional communication skills.
• Proven collaborative leadership experience and a leader who serves the broader organization with humility and drive for excellence.
• Create a culture that promotes high employee retention.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent experience with a minimum of 5 years of farm management experience.
• Significant experience in farming and seed saving is required. The candidate should have a deep understanding of seed production, including the processes of saving seeds from various crops, maintaining genetic diversity, and ensuring seed purity. Practical experience in organic and regenerative farming practices is essential.

Additional Information:

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing farm operations with a focus on sustainable practices and seed saving. They should be knowledgeable about the importance of seed preservation in maintaining biodiversity and food security. The candidate should also be well-versed in the challenges and techniques of seed saving, be able to plan and execute complicated crop plans, understand growing requirements of most crop types, and have the skill set and knowledge to overcome seasonal challenges with little to no crop loss. In addition we are looking for a leader that can provide positive mentorship and therefore provide growth opportunities for our farm team.

Seed Savers Exchange is an equal opportunity employer and enthusiastically encourages people from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to apply. Seed Savers Exchange does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, mental or physical disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or any other basis prohibited by law.