The Better Food & Farming Lead will develop and coordinate EFN’s new funder interest group, the Better Food & Farming Group (BFFG). BFFG aims to share knowledge and expertise, and enable more efficient, collaborative and strategic grantmaking for sustainable food and farming primarily in the UK.

Location: Working from home, ideally within 90 minutes of London by train. Regular travel to London will be required, including attendance at evening events, with occasional travel to other parts of the UK.

Salary: £45,000 pro rata

Contract: Fixed Term Contract, initially for one year with the potential to extend to three years.

Hours: Maximum 4 days a week (80% FTE), with flexible working arrangements for the right candidate(s)

Closing date: Sunday 10 May, 23:59

Provisional interview dates: W/C 18 May

Further details: Job specification

About the role

The Better Food & Farming Lead is a new role which will lead the development and coordination of EFN’s new Funder Interest Group, the Better Food & Farming group (BFFG). BFFG aims to share knowledge and expertise, and enable more efficient, collaborative and strategic grantmaking for sustainable food and farming. BFFG will have a domestic (UK) focus on restoring nature and enabling climate resilient food production through the adoption of more sustainable farming practices at scale.

While BFFG is new, it will be housed within EFN with the support of the team and a consultant Strategic Advisor, giving you the creativity and founding energy of a start-up, matched by the support and networks of an established and respected organisation. 

About you

Applicants should have at least five years’ experience working in food and/or farming or a related industry, experience managing relationships with a variety of stakeholders across the sector, and a strong commitment to environmental issues and to their intersection with the food and farming sector, including an awareness and knowledge of topics such as regenerative agriculture, nature-friendly farming, soil health, etc. as well as domestic food policy.

Essential:

• Experience working on food and farming issues, giving you a detailed understanding of the challenges faced in creating more sustainable, just and equitable food and farming systems.
• Ability to see ‘the bigger picture’: you have knowledge of how food production, climate change, and biodiversity loss are interconnected – particularly in the UK context. 
• A creative and entrepreneurial mindset 
• Exemplary influencing and communications skills, both written and verbal.
• Experience of coordinating and supporting networks of organisations/individuals
• Experience planning and creating inclusive and outcomes-oriented events, meetings, webinars, workshops. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills; trustworthy and confident in managing and cultivating partnerships with discretion and tact.
• Advanced IT skills, including online meeting platforms.
• A self-starter who can manage complex projects with the input of a remote and (mostly) part-time team.
• Ability to distill complex sector insights into concise, actionable briefings for busy funders.
• A commitment to EFN’s mission and JEDI commitments.

Desirable:

• Experience in setting up “co-funding alliances” or pooled funds
• A deep understanding of where philanthropic capital can most effectively intervene.
• Experience of impact measurement and evaluation and learning (MEL) processes.
• Experience within funding, either as a fundraiser, philanthropic advisor or grantmaker.
• Experience of commissioning research to build evidence and shape programme initiatives.
• A good understanding of social and environmental justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI).
• Skilled use of CRM systems such as Salesforce.
• An enjoyment of people, and an enthusiasm for working within an organisational culture that emphasises kindness and mutual respect.

Using AI

We understand that applicants may choose to use AI tools to support applications—for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, applicants are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Our JEDI Commitment

EFN places great value on diversity; we firmly believe that EFN will be a more effective organisation with staff members who bring a variety of experiences, backgrounds and perspectives to bear on our work. We particularly welcome applications from marginalised groups, especially people of colour and other ethnic minorities, people who identify as LGBTQIA, Disabled people, young people, those who identify as working class or have done so in the past and those most affected by the consequences of climate change and nature loss.

How to apply

Please view the job description in full. Then we’d like you to answer four questions about you, your experience and how you’d think about, and/or tackle tasks and scenarios that this role may face. You should aim to write no more than around 2-3 paragraphs for each question. We also ask if you can fill in our equal opportunities monitoring form, but this is optional.

Please then email your CV to us. (Please note: you do not need to send over a covering letter).

We will aim to hold first round interviews (virtually) during the week commencing 18 May. If you have any questions about the role, please email Oscar. 

Please note: By the start of any employment with EFN, you must have the right to work in the UK and documentary evidence to support this.