Fellow, Food Justice From Now On – Appalachian Center for Equality (ACE) bei American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)

The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker religious organization that promotes lasting peace with justice, as a practical expression of faith in action. Drawing on continuing spiritual insights and working with people of many backgrounds, we nurture the seeds of change and respect for human life that transform social relations and systems.

Join Our Team!    Make A Difference.    

POSITION DESCRIPTION

TITLE:                                                             Fellow, Food Justice From Now On – Appalachian Center for Equality (ACE)

JOB CATEGORY:                                           Non Exempt (Hourly)

STATUS:                                                         Part-Time, 28 hours per week

TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT:                            Specific Term (Two years)

DIRECT SUPERVISOR:                                 Program Director – Appalachian Center for Equality (ACE)

REGION/UNIT:                                             US / South           

LOCATION:                                                    Charleston, WV / Hybrid

APPLICATION DEADLINE:                         October 31, 2025

For consideration, please answer the application questions and submit a cover letter describing your interest in this position and highlighting your relevant experience and skills. Additionally, please make sure to add your resume.  

GENERAL SUMMARY OF POSITION

The aim of the Appalachian Center for Equality (ACE) is to improve the economic opportunities and conditions for young people in the southern West Virginia coalfields and throughout the state via systemic changes influenced by youth-led community and policy advocacy projects. Key responsibilities of the Food Justice From Now On Fellow include the planning and coordination of the Voices of Hunger project; organizing programming in coordination with partners, fellows, and other AFSC food justice programs; and supporting food security and intersectional justice issues in West Virginia through policy advocacy and community organizing.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS / RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Maintain good working relationships with community partners and food justice fellows.
• Coordinate the food justice (Seeding Sparks) fellowship program, including recruitment of fellows, management of mini-grant / stipend support, planning popular education workshops, and providing one to one mentorship / support.
• Support the growth of local food policy councils through Nourishing Networks popular education curriculum / training, and supporting local human rights and food-focused policy advocacy.
• Work with the Program Director and other AFSC staff to engage in effective project planning.
• Maintain regular project communications, including email updates, Voices of Hunger website updates, and social media platform management
• Support the program director in researching food justice grant opportunities and building funder relationships.
• Participate in AFSC-WV staff meetings and trainings.
• Participate in Just Economies Thematic Network meetings.
• Participate in human rights and food-focused networks, campaigns and initiatives involving structural change work most relevant to food security in West Virginia.
• Participate as a team member through regular attendance at regional and all-staff meetings.
• Regular attendance and punctuality are required.
• Operates safely in all conditions and follows policies and procedures.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

SUPERVISORY / MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS

N/A

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required.
• Minimum 2 years in relevant experience including project / team management and leading groups. Non-profit and food justice experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication and time-management skills.
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse groups of people.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize work, to plan and implement tasks with minimum supervision, and to respond quickly and effectively to unplanned activities.
• Knowledge and expertise in issues affecting diverse communities in West Virginia, e.g. rural populations, communities of color, food insecure families, and LGBTQ+ identities.
• Experience in basic budget development and management is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to work in coalition with partner organizations and other professionals.
• Demonstrated ability to advocate on issues impacting the communities we serve.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to use consultative decision-making processes.
• Initiative, creativity, patience, drive, energy, ability to listen and a sense of humor.
• Valid driver's license or independent ability to travel within West Virginia and to occasional regional and organizational meetings. (This position is a hybrid role with both in-person and remote work).
• Competency with social media, basic website management, word processing. Video and audio editing and constituent relationship management (CRM) skills are a plus.
• Ability to work evenings and/or weekends and to travel, as
• Ability to work effectively independently and within a team environment.
• Experience with standard Microsoft Office and related technology.
• Must be capable of working under tight time constraints in a high-volume environment with multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate with diverse staff.
• Respect for Quaker values and testimonies. Knowledgeable and supportive of the principles and philosophy of the American Friends Service Committee including non-violence and the belief in the intrinsic worth of every individual.
• Respect for and sensitivity to cultural, ethnic, racial, gender and religious diversity and familiarity with non-violent approaches to problem solving.
• Ability to organize, plan ahead and prioritize multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated dedication to the principles of fairness, equity and inclusion in regard to issues of race, class, nationality, religion, age, gender and sexual orientation, and disabilities.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

COMPENSATION

The AFSC offers a competitive Total Rewards package.  This position is Non-Exempt. Salary Family: Fellow, Job Code Fellow. Minimum Starting hourly rate is $29.67. Comprehensive medical and hospitalization plan; term life, Short Term Disability & Long Term Disability, defined benefit pension plan, 403b match, plus other benefits including vacation, Paid Time Off, sabbaticals, extended leaves, holidays.

The American Friends Service Committee provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. The policy applies to all terms and conditions or employment including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

AFSC’s Central Office and some of its offices in the U.S. are unionized workplaces. This position is represented.

AFSC maintains a deep commitment to a mandate of care for our staff and communities.  The American Friends Service Committee is a smoke-free workplace. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This position is an at-will employment, meaning that the employment relationship can be terminated by either the employer or the employee at any time, for any reason, with or without notice. In addition, position duties and expectations change over time. This job description is not intended to be an all-inclusive, exclusive or exhaustive list of the job functions that an employee in this position may be asked to perform from time to time. The employee may perform other related duties as assigned to meet the ongoing needs of the organization. If there is ever a time that you are unsure what is expected of you, you are expected to meet with your manager and ask questions. If you are unsure how to perform a certain task, ask your manager before performing.