Location & travel: Melbourne preferred. Other locations, including regional, will be considered, however must have reliable phone and internet access. National travel may be required.

Position type: 3 year contract

Reporting to: Senior Manager, Policy & Programs

Expected start date: March 2024

Position Purpose

The Program Manager will oversee the successful delivery of Farmers for Climate Action’s (FCA) Nature Positive Program over the next three years. This role will add valuable capacity for FCA to embed nature as a key focus of its advocacy work, as well as manage the delivery of Frontline Voices, an initiative that aims to support the growth and development of leading farmers practicing and advocating for nature positive agriculture.

In delivering Frontline Voices this role will manage the coordination of two key participant cohorts, comprising the Nature Positive Agriculture Champions (NPAC) and a dedicated First Nations Agriculture Champions (FNAC). The Program Manager will be the key liaison and support for farmer participants and responsible for project management and reporting, stakeholder engagement, and collaboration with industry and community partners to amplify the program’s reach and impact.

This role will work closely with FCA team members, farmers, and industry. For the right candidate, this is a unique opportunity to support the next generation of farm leaders to advance nature positive agriculture in Australia, while advocating for the strong policies and investment needed to further advance nature and climate in agriculture.

Role Accountabilities

Program Management:

• Lead the delivery, project governance, and reporting of the Nature Positive Program for FCA, including Frontline Voices, ensuring alignment with the program objectives of each stream and FCA’s mission.
• Oversee all program components, including participant recruitment, advocacy and media training, logistics, and contractor engagement, while ensuring seamless integration with FCA’s enabling workstreams and organisational governance.
• Coordinate the representation of the Nature Positive Program and Frontline Voices Ambassadors at domestic and global fora.

Participant Support & Stakeholder Management:

• Recruit, onboard, and support a diverse cohort of farmers for Frontline Voices, ensuring inclusive representation and meaningful participation.
• Ensure a positive participant experience through organised program management, clear communications, and genuine connection to participants of both workstreams.
• Build and maintain relationships with industry, media, and advocacy partners to strengthen program impact and visibility.
• Facilitate opportunities for participants to connect with diverse audiences, including Australian farming communities, policymakers, and global stakeholders, to share their unique experiences and insights.
• Engage the FCA audience and membership network with key nature-related insights and opportunities emerging from Frontline Voices.

Logistics & Coordination:

• Coordinate the delivery of intensive workshops and ongoing training (as required) focusing on building the capacity of program participants across policy advocacy, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement, partnering with a range of specialist service providers.
• Ensure high-quality outcomes for participants who are building skills in narrative development, media interaction, public speaking, and social media strategy to amplify their advocacy effectively.
• Provide ongoing support to ensure participants build confidence and proficiency in the highlighted skills.
• Identify and coordinate opportunities for participants to attend diverse forums across the agriculture, nature, community, and industry sectors in Australia and overseas.

Budget Management:

• Manage the allocation of budget for various program components, including consultants and specialist providers of necessary training.
• Monitor and manage spend, and maintain budgetary records throughout the project in lead-up to acquittal.

Monitoring & Evaluation:

• Implement and manage processes to assess program progress and gather participant feedback to improve delivery.
• Produce reporting for funders and stakeholders, and consistently highlight key achievements, challenges, and opportunities for scaling program impact.
• Support the assessment of the overall program’s outcomes and impact through the development of required reporting frameworks, collection of data, and presentation of information for partners and funders.

Collaboration and Support:

• Work collaboratively as part of the FCA team to successfully establish and integrate the Nature Positive Program as a new workstream for the organisation.
• Support as needed on adjacent FCA projects and workstreams that impact the success of the Nature Positive Program.

Other tasks as directed by the Senior Manager Policy & Programs and broader project team.

Role Competencies and Attributes

Relevant knowledge and experience

You bring demonstrable knowledge and experience working in agriculture, environmental programs, or community-based initiatives. Experience working directly with farmers or within agricultural industry bodies is essential, as is familiarity with the challenges and opportunities of nature positive agriculture. You are energised by the strategic design of a new program and thorough project management, as much as by rolling up your sleeves to deliver on key components. Experience managing First Nations programs or working in culturally sensitive environments is preferred.

Tertiary qualifications and professional expertise

Relevant tertiary qualifications in agriculture, environmental science, community development, project management or related fields are an advantage. A minimum of 5 years of industry experience or 3 years in a similar role with a focus on program delivery is required.

Relationship management skills

You get energy from engaging with diverse stakeholders, including farmers, policymakers, and industry leaders, to build and maintain strong relationships. You understand the value of clear, intentional communication and also the importance of picking up the phone for a 1-1 conversation. You understand rural and regional communities and have a proven ability to navigate complex dynamics by finding common ground to advance mutual goals.

Program and content development expertise

You have experience designing and delivering educational content, including webinars and workshops, tailored to farmers and agricultural stakeholders. You can effectively engage audiences, distill complex information into actionable insights, and understand the impact of quality content to attract participants and broaden program impact.

Leadership and communication skills

You are an articulate communicator and comfortable presenting ideas to diverse audiences, from farmers to senior policymakers. You are equally comfortable contributing to the strategic design of a new project as rolling up your sleeves to get the job done. You are collaborative and ready to empower others and create a positive, team-oriented environment.

Adaptability and problem-solving

You thrive in dynamic environments and proactively manage multiple priorities. You take initiative, identify opportunities, and navigate challenges with creativity and enthusiasm, ensuring the successful delivery of program objectives.

Intercultural awareness and competence

You demonstrate awareness and confidence in working with people from different cultural backgrounds, ages, geography, and industry. You have experience working sensitively and productively with First Nations communities and farmers. You have experience building trust-based relationships and an appreciation for meaningful co-design processes that reflect First Nations priorities.

How we work

Farmers for Climate Action has grown rapidly since its inception in 2015, and our farmer-driven movement is supported by an active Board and a small team of dedicated staff.

• We are evidence-based and informed by the best available science.
• We are collaborative, inclusive, and respectful.
• We respect and embrace the diversity and wisdom of farming communities.
• We are empowering our farmers to use their voices as leaders and for rural Australia to take action on climate change.
• We are sustainable and are committed to being here for the long haul by being ecologically, financially, and socially responsible.
• We are a strategic, high-performance team working towards delivering tangible, long-term results.

Our team is spread across Australia, and we provide the option for people to work from our office hub in Melbourne, or to work from their farm or home. We use a range of digital collaboration tools to stay in touch and work effectively together and are committed to making sure team members have everything they need to get the job done.

We offer four weeks of annual leave as well as personal and carers leave provisions. We strive to maintain a culture of well-being. We are set up to support part-time and flexible working conditions and strive to ensure all staff have a healthy work-life balance, including people with caring responsibilities.

Key Stakeholders

Joint project team, FCA team members, partners, philanthropic and allied organisations, First Nations communities, farmers, and other agriculture and environmental professionals.

Please submit any additional questions or role inquiries to [email protected] using the subject line: Nature Positive Program Manager enquiry via EthicalJobs.