Member Certification Specialist jobs in Santa Cruz, CA

Position Summary:

CCOF is seeking a Farm Certification Specialist who provides bilingual (English/Spanish) technical services to certified farm clients and new applicants to support equitable access to the certification process for clients of diverse backgrounds.   

The right candidate will have a high level of integrity and a deep passion for our mission to advance organic agriculture for a healthy world. The Farm Certification Specialist must be bilingual in English and Spanish and excel in customer service and communication skills. The right candidate will share our commitment to equity and inclusivity.   

This is a full-time, non-exempt position that reports to the Spanish Services Supervisor. This is a United States-based remote position. 

This position does not include on-site inspections of certified organic operations and will not include field work in the future.   

Applications will be reviewed beginning April 22, 2024. Position will remain open until filled.  

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Review client inspection reports and mid-year client updates to evaluate compliance with USDA National Organic Program (NOP) and other applicable standards.  
• Review applications of prospective farm and post-harvest handling operations to evaluate ability to comply with USDA NOP and other applicable standards.  
• Assess topics such as land history, seed and planting stock use, crop rotation and soil management, natural resource management, input materials (fertility, soil amendments, pest control, etc.), equipment, post-harvest handling, labeling, records, and audit trail documentation. 
• Make both autonomous and semi-autonomous decisions about compliance with USDA NOP and other applicable standards.  
• Maintain accurate client database records in CCOF’s complex, proprietary database. 

Specific Duties:    

• Provide technical assistance on regulatory topics to CCOF clients. 
• Provide clear and accessible written and verbal communication about the certification process and regulatory requirements to CCOF clients via email, letter, phone, and occasional virtual or in-person meetings. 
• Utilize regulatory text and other resources, including technical support staff office hours, to make compliance decisions. 
• Ensure timely review of client updates and inspection reports by independently managing workload. 
• Complete a quality and quantity of work on par with other Farm Certification Specialists of similar tenure. 
• Ensure that USDA NOP and other applicable standards and CCOF Quality System requirements are implemented. 
• Ensure that client database records are consistent and current.  
• Attend recurring staff meetings and monitor internal communications to maintain updated knowledge of current topics, updates, and announcements.
• Work on special projects as deemed necessary by the Director of Farm Programs. 

Required Qualifications: 

• Exceptional critical thinking skills to independently navigate unfamiliar situations and use available resources to problem-solve. Able to ask for assistance when needed.  
• Bilingual proficiency in both English and Spanish extending to written and spoken communication for Spanish speaking audiences including farm operators in the US and Mexico.   
• Proficient in clear written and verbal communication to effectively engage with diverse groups and demographics.  
• Able to confidently navigate roles involving communicating regulatory requirements. 
• Highly organized, motivated, and detail oriented with the ability to organize, monitor, plan ahead, and follow through on tasks with competing deadlines while maintaining quality. Able to identify and address errors, leveraging them as opportunities for continuous learning and improvement. 
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams) and other relevant applications like database programs. Able to effectively manage emails and notifications, learn database programs, and maintain accurate database records.  
• Proficient in delivering technical support and building trust through attentive and empathetic customer service interactions. 
• B.A. or B.S. degree or higher in an applicable field such as environmental science, agriculture, or related fields. OR at least 3 years of experience in an applicable field gained through work or volunteer positions. 

Desired Qualifications: 

• Completion of IOIA Organic Farm Inspector training or equivalent, including auditor training for food quality production systems. 
• Experience with and/or knowledge of organic regulations, organic industry, and environmental regulatory programs.  
• Hands on field experience in agriculture, ideally in organic farming practices. 
• Experience working remotely and/or collaborating effectively with remote teams. 
• Commitment to CCOF’s mission to advance organic agriculture for a healthy world.
• Knowledge and familiarity with DEI principles. Willing to talk about race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, ability, or gender and the ways our identities shape our experience at work. Understands the historical context for inequities and its present-day implications. 

Supervisory Responsibilities or Key Relationships: 

• This role does not have any supervisory responsibilities. 

Physical and Travel Requirements: 

• 8-hour regular workday schedule that falls within the 7:00 am to 7:00 pm timeframe in the employee’s time zone. This ensures client contact availability during most normal CCOF business hours (8:00 am – 5:00 pm Pacific Time). 
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. 
• This position may involve occasional opportunities to travel domestically for staff events, and/or to represent CCOF professionally at industry events in the US or Mexico. 

Other duties: 

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Compensation: CCOF takes pride in offering competitive pay and benefits such as superb health plans, 401(k) program, and generous sick/personal and vacation time. The Farm Certification Specialist’s starting salary range will be $56,238 – $60,000 and will depend on qualifications and experience.  

Hiring Process: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Interested applicants, please submit the following documents:

• Cover letter summarizing your interest in CCOF and the position, and qualifications
• Current resume
• List of three professional references 

Incomplete applications will not be considered. No phone calls, please. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Thank you for your interest.

CCOF is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage people with diverse backgrounds and experience to apply.

Inclusivity is a core value at CCOF. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable work and learning environment for all employees. We believe every member of our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.