FaRM Agronomy Program Manager, Prairies
Farmers for Climate Solutions (FCS) is a national farmer- and rancher-led coalition advancing solutions that help the agriculture sector prosper in a changing climate. We offer peer-to-peer field programming that supports farmers and ranchers to adopt on-farm practices that build resilience and improve economic and environmental sustainability. We amplify farmer and rancher voices to policy-makers, industry, and financial institutions so that, together, we can build a future in which Canadian agriculture thrives.
The Farm Resilience Mentorship (FaRM) Program is a free, national training program that works through regional and provincial partners and agronomists to support farmers and ranchers to adopt low emissions, high resilience management practices like cover cropping, improved nitrogen management and rotational grazing. The FaRM Program has had a successful first 4 years and is now scaling its efforts for the next 4 years to work with more producers and agricultural professionals.
FCS is seeking a FaRM Agronomy Program Manager, Prairies to lead the execution of all aspects of the FaRM Program’s extension capacity-building and industry relationship-building work in the three Prairie provinces and to support program implementation nationwide. This work includes overseeing a Prairie agronomist and producer-led field trials program, curating Prairie knowledge transfer and extension materials for an extension journal, and expanding and maintaining a network of diverse Prairie sector partners to advance the ultimate outcome of supporting farmers and ranchers in adopting low emissions, high resilience practices. This is an opportunity to work with partners across Canada (with a focus on the Prairies) to advance low emissions, high resilience farming and ranching on millions of acres of farmland.
EXPERIENCE WE ARE SEEKING
The list below describes the mandate of the FaRM Agronomy Program Manager, Prairies, and the experience/qualifications needed to succeed in the job. If you possess approximately 80% of the essential experience/qualifications, we encourage you to apply.
The FaRM Agronomy Program Manager, Prairies will report to the FaRM Program Director and collaborate with the rest of the FCS team to fulfill the following mandate described below.
Lead and strengthen the FaRM Program’s initiatives, partnership-building, producer and agronomist recruitment and engagement, and learning material development, with specific focus on the Prairie provinces, by:
Actively leading recruitment of new agronomists, delivery partners, value-chain partners, and producers to the program on the Prairies in conjunction with Prairie partners
Working to continually improve program participant quality of experience based on participant feedback and program data collection
Working with partners to develop and curate learning materials focused on low emissions, high resilience Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) adoption
Supporting the FaRM Program Implementation Partners to deliver impactful BMP content to program participants
Working with the FaRM Program team and a Scientific Advisor to coordinate, supervise and advise on Prairie field trials execution, application review and selection, troubleshooting, and dissemination of results
Supporting creation of regional BMP implementation partial budget analyses and case studies focused on BMP profitability and Return on Investment (ROI), and integrating these into existing BMP learning materials
Coordinating, curating, and disseminating an online extension journal, including critically reviewing field trial knowledge transfer material and partner submissions to maximize journal impact
Supporting the FaRM Program’s data analysis from field trials, impact survey and other sources
Experience/qualifications
Essential:
Post-secondary degree or diploma in related field
3-5 years experience as an agronomist (CCA or P.Ag) or equivalent experience in a professional environment in a related field
Strong and vast networks in Prairie agriculture, especially in agronomist and industry circles
Clear understanding of climate change science and how agriculture can be a climate solution, with strong communication skills to a diverse audience with a wide range of beliefs on climate change
Awareness of the diversity of challenges, values, needs and demographics of farming and ranching communities and organizations in Canada, especially on the Prairies
Experience synthesizing complex information and tailoring messages to communicate clearly and plainly to various audiences
Ability to build bridges between FCS and Prairie partners, with acute sensitivity to the realities and pressures faced by Prairie producer audiences
Experience coordinating and/or delivering peer-to-peer farmer and/or rancher training, extension and/or field programming
Experience widely disseminating knowledge transfer materials, and experience publishing in peer-reviewed journals and/or through other industry-focused channels
Experience developing agronomist and/or producer-friendly knowledge transfer and learning materials for virtual and in person learning
Asset:
Training and/or licensing as a professional agricultural economist, and/or demonstrated strong understanding of the economics of low emissions, high resilience agriculture practices
Experience with on-farm field trials and communicating technical results to agronomist and producer audiences
Data analysis experience and skill
Contribute to the FaRM Program’s general strategy and implementation, as needed, by:
Coordinating with and helping to prepare for and attend meetings of program advisors
Contributing to short-medium-term work planning and long-term strategic planning for the FaRM Program
Supporting launch of the FaRM Program’s Request for Proposal processes, and participating in application review and selection
Supporting data collection, management, analysis and continuous program improvement within a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework
Leading and supporting relationship-building with wider diversity of sector partners
Co-leading ongoing sector consultations and focus groups to assess emerging sector needs and how the FaRM Program can best meet them
Preparing for and attending speaking engagements to promote the FaRM Program and FCS’ work
Managing contractors as required
Contributing to the FaRM Program fundraising and funder reporting to increase impact and ensure program sustainability
Experience/qualifications
Essential:
Proven Project Delivery and Management training and/or experience
Excellent organizational skills and ability to meticulously track and re-prioritize multiple tasks and details based on changing project needs
Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing project needs and priorities
Experience negotiating, drafting, appropriately scoping work for contracts, and successfully managing contractors to drive project outcomes
Asset:
Experience coordinating and facilitating/moderating events, networks
General understanding of program evaluation and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (M.E.L.) frameworks
Experience applying and reporting to funders
Support FCS daily operations, as required, by:
Assisting FCS’ communications team in developing communications tools, campaigns, products and messages for the FaRM Program with Prairie audiences in mind
Collaborating with all FCS staff, teams and external partners to carry out FCS’ mission and acting as an ambassador for FCS and its mission at all times
Supporting in translating the FaRM Program’s results and learnings into select policy advocacy and Strategic Initiatives, such as Agricultural Policy Framework negotiations or piloting de-risking tools
Contributing to funding applications and reporting related to strategic projects.
Experience/qualifications
Essential:
Ability to manage work and deadlines independently, and collaborate with a team and diverse stakeholders, ensuring colleagues are informed and able to contribute as needed
Solid computer skills with demonstrated competence in the Google Workspace environment and other user-friendly apps such as Zoom
Available to travel for staff retreats, relationship-building, partner meetings, conferences or trainings
Based in the Prairie provinces, with significant Prairie agriculture experience
Asset:
Comfortable speaking confidently about agronomy in a policy lobbying/advocacy setting
Ability to communicate clearly in written and verbal French
TERM OF EMPLOYMENT AND BENEFITS AVAILABLE FOR THIS POSITION
This is a full time, 24 month term position (with possibility of extension pending funding) that begins as soon as possible. You must be based in and have the legal right to work in Canada. You must live and have significant agricultural experience on the Canadian Prairies. Benefits available for this position include:
Extended health, pharmaceutical, and dental coverage
Life and disability insurance
Pension plan
4 weeks of annual vacation, as well as emergency and sick leave (plus office closure between Dec 25th and Jan 1st)
Flexibility regarding working hours and location
35 hour work week
Salary starts at $77,326.95 with annual wage step increase to a top step of $84,137.55
Benefits and protections as a member of the Public Service Alliance of Canada
FCS staff work remotely from locations across Canada. Staff require reliable internet service that allows for smooth online video and audio communication. FCS staff receive a computer, a contribution to a phone plan, and other support to facilitate work from home.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY
FCS works within, and is representative of, a Canadian agricultural sector that has significant work to do to advance action for reconciliation and decolonization, improve intersectional analysis, and amplify the voices and leadership of equity-deserving farmers (i.e. young farmers, women farmers, farmers with disabilities, Black farmers, Indigenous farmers and food providers, farmers of colour, small-scale farmers, and 2SLGBTQ+ farmers). We are committed to policy and programming that acknowledges and serves the diversity within our sector. FCS believes that our sector, and our work as a coalition, will be stronger with decreased barriers to entry and better opportunities to succeed for equity-deserving individuals. If you belong to an equity-deserving group, we encourage you to apply to join our team and self-identify in your application if you feel comfortable doing so. If you require accommodations during the recruitment process, please let us know. All information received in relation to accommodation will be kept confidential.
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS
To apply for the position please click on this application link: https://fcs.bamboohr.com/careers/29
Please include a cover letter referencing your motivation to apply for this role, reflections on your relevant experience and skills, and any other information you would like to share, as well as a résumé and an abbreviated list of relevant extension and/or peer-reviewed publications or materials you have created and/or collaborated on.
The deadline for applications is August 27th, 2025. Interviews of short-listed candidates are anticipated to be held during the weeks of September 1 and 8, 2025.
Only candidates short-listed for the position will be contacted. We are unable to accept questions about the position or recruitment. Thank you for your interest in working with Farmers for Climate Solutions!