Tuesday, August 11

Yale Sustainable Food Project

Job Opening: Special Assistant to the Director

The Yale Sustainable Food Project has an opening for a full-time
position as Special Assistant to the Director, to begin no later than
September 15.

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Special Assistant will have
primary responsibility for two areas: support to the executive
director, and developing and implementing the Sustainable Food
Project’s public programs, including tours, visits, and special
events. The Special Assistant has a high-level of responsibility in a
dynamic, innovative, and stimulating work environment.

This is an opportunity to support and learn from the Sustainable Food
Project, and to be part of building a revolutionary movement to change
the way we eat as a nation.

Essential Duties
1. Events & public programs (50%)
- Develop and implement events that advance the Project’s priorities
and build investment in the Project’s work.
- Hire and supervise pizza makers and event interns, who create events
centered around the Yale Farm’s wood-fired pizza oven.
- Coordinate visits and tours by outside groups and community members
to the Project.
- Act as initial contact with public via phone and email, and filter
communiqués to appropriate persons. Answer routine inquiries and re-
direct inquiries to the appropriate Project staff in a timely manner.
- Lead the logistical coordination of various development events,
staff meetings, and other meetings as necessary, including onsite &
offsite meetings with coordination of travel plans for participants as
needed.
- Represent YSFP at external events.
- Oversee any special projects, as determined by the Project’s
director.

2. Administrative support (50%)
- Maintain a consistently high level of professional support to the
executive director to ensure smooth leadership and effective
operations.
- Prepare timely expense reports for the executive director and
coordinate timely expense reports for staff.
- Review and monitor budgets relating to specific events and special
projects.
- Act as office manager, including maintaining all of the office
equipment, supplies, and subscriptions: copier, fax machine, printer,
supplies, subscriptions, and stationery.
- Other duties.

Required Education and Experience
1. Bachelor's degree.
2. 2-3 years work experience, preferably as an executive assistant or
in events.
3. A passion for sustainable food and agriculture.

Required Skills
1. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as
strong organizational, management, and supervisory experience.
2. Self-motivated, with ability to work independently and
collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and stimulating environment
while maintaining high professional standards.
3. Demonstrated ability to work with a positive attitude as an
effective and collaborative team member.

Hours
This is a full time position. Regular days of work are Monday through
Friday. Hours of work vary depend on program demands, but will
generally be 8:30am-5:00pm. Weekend and evening hours occasionally
required.

To Apply
Please send a cover letter and resume to
sustainablefoodproject@yale.edu, and also submit them through Yale’s
HR website at http://www.yale.edu/hronline/stars/application/external/index.html
(search for requisition # 7964BR, or use the keywords “sustainable
food project”). If you have any questions, please contact us via email
(sustainablefoodproject@yale.edu) rather than over the phone or by
mail.

Applications will be accepted through Tuesday, September 1. Interviews
will be held on an ongoing basis.

For more information on the Sustainable Food Project, go to
http://www.yale.edu/sustainablefood/.

Americans Need to Cook More

While cooking with locally-grown food is ideal, for most Americans just cooking more in general would reduce the environmental impact of their consumption habits, cut costs, and trim waistlines.

Michael Pollan identifies Americans' growing fascination with cooking shows and laments their diminishing time spent actually cooking in his recent article in the New York Times Magazine:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/magazine/02cooking-t.html?_r=1