Tag Archive for: rural communities

Project Assistant

The National Center for Appropriate Technology or NCAT has been helping people build resilient communities through local and sustainable solutions that reduce poverty, strengthen self-reliance, and protect natural resources since 1976. NCAT is a national, private non-profit organization providing trusted, individualized technical assistance, hands-on training opportunities, practical educational resources, and peer-to-peer learning networks on nationally acclaimed projects in food, agriculture, energy, and climate resilience. Headquartered in Butte, Montana, NCAT has offices in 11 states. NCAT works to foster and promote sustainable technologies and systems, especially for the benefit of economically disadvantaged individuals and communities. NCAT is committed to advancing racial equity and inclusion in its work and organization.

NCAT is seeking a full-time Project Assistant to work with NCAT project leaders, external partner organizations, and producers to support the adoption of conservation agriculture practices that improve climate resilience, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Project Assistant will provide support and administration of USDA Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities project. The assistant will work closely with the NCAT team to develop, implement, and adapt internal processes and procedures, collect project data, submit quarterly reports, facilitate partner communications, gather producer documents to demonstrate eligibility for an incentive and ensure compliance with Federal regulations, among other responsibilities. This position provides an exciting opportunity to be part of an emerging program and requires a high degree of organization and attention to detail, advanced communication skills, and the ability to prioritize workload.

The successful candidates for the position will be located in the NCAT office in Berea, KY, occasional travel may be required.

QUALIFICATIONS: This position requires at least three years of relevant professional experience or an equivalent of education and/or experience. A degree in business administration, agriculture, agribusiness, or a closely related field and Previous work experience in a non-profit organization is preferred.

DESIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

  • Commitment and passion for the NCAT mission;
  • Strong interest and knowledge of mission-driven, non-profit organizations;
  • Familiarity with ag-related organizations and government agencies;
  • Ability to navigate complex situations and work effectively with a diverse range of stakeholders;
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with experience in public speaking, presentation, writing, research, and distilling complex material into digestible information for producers, the public, and external partners;
  • Ability to coordinate and liaison between several teams and disseminate information in a timely manner;
  • Knowledge in the areas of regenerative agricultural practices, soil health principles, climate-smart farming, NRCS conservation planning process and practices strongly preferred;
  • The ability to build relationships with farmers, ranchers, community organizations, government agencies, and non-profit organizations and other partners;
  • Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, large database systems, and project management tools;
  • Knowledge or ability to learn federal procurement policies and procedures;
  • Ability to work independently and in a team environment;
  • Ability to prioritize work assignments and to complete tasks in a timely manner;
  • Ability to travel, as occasional travel may be required.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

  • Promote and support NCAT’s mission;
  • Support development, implementation and adaptation of standardized operating procedures for complex project processes;
  • Assist with ensuring compliance with the project contract terms and ongoing USDA guidance, and amending partner subaward agreements, producer agreements and project SOPs accordingly;
  • Coordinate partnership team meetings, including but not limited to scheduling, preparing agendas, compiling and distributing meeting notes, and keeping track of follow-up action items;
  • Work closely with producers and partners to gather necessary information and documentation to meet federal requirements; and to confirm producer eligibility for program payment;
  • Process applications, contracts, payment requests and other necessary documentation for producers;
  • Assist with processing NCAT team travel requests and other administrative documentation as needed;
  • Data entry into CRM and across various other tracking systems such as GIS, MS Excel, Data Management Software systems and applications;
  • Aid in the collection and aggregation of reporting data across internal teams and external partner organizations, prepare detailed and complex quarterly reports, and submit timely;
  • Support processing of sub-awardee payment requests in compliance with federal procurement policies and regulations.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:
This salary is $16.82 – $20.19 hourly depending on qualifications, and experience. Excellent benefits include a flexible schedule, paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays, health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance, a cafeteria and 401(k) plan, and a pleasant, professional environment.

APPLICATION PROCESS:
Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate can be identified. Early applications are encouraged. Applicants are encouraged to visit www.ncat.org and attra.ncat.org to learn more about NCAT. NCAT employees interested in the position should email Human Resources a letter of interest as soon as possible. All persons interested in being considered for the position should upload a resume and cover letter through BambooHR. Please submit a current resume and a cover letter highlighting experience and skills relevant to the listed qualifications. Resume and cover letters can be uploaded at https://ncat.bamboohr.com/careers. Simply choose the position you are applying for and then click “apply for this job” to upload the required resume and cover letter. Questions about the application process can be directed to:

Kriss Sullivan, Director of Human Resources
e-mail: jobs@ncat.org

NCAT’s mission is to help people build resilient communities through local and sustainable solutions that reduce poverty, strengthen self-reliance, and protect natural resources. Our work brings together diverse partnerships and communities to help reduce poverty and protect our natural resources. We strive to be a multicultural organization that embraces the rich dimensions of diversity such as race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical ability, religious or political belief and marital or veteran status. Diversity creates healthy communities. Special consideration will be given to applicants who are reflective of the communities that we serve. NCAT is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

For additional information about NCAT please visit our homepage.