farmers inspired is the membership and purpose of North American Farmers’ Direct Marketing Association, Inc. (NAFDMA). NAFDMA – farmers inspired was founded in 1986 and is a membership based trade association dedicated to providing endless peer-to-peer learning opportunities, connections and resources for farmers who are passionate about the business of agritourism and farm direct marketing. farmers inspired includes innovative, resilient and creative farmers, extension agents, industry suppliers, researchers, farmers’ market participants, government officials and other professionals who are part of the thriving farm direct marketing and agritourism industry in North America. farmers inspired helps develop fertile businesses that cultivate crops, raise livestock, grow, bake, prune, brew, produce, boil, propagate, ferment, preserve, mix and sell products that add value for the community and advance the agrarian economy.

NAFDMA has exclusively retained Nonprofit HR to assist in its recruitment efforts for its next Executive Director. The position of Executive Director is a critical and visible position requiring strong business (financial, operations), and development experience and the ability to establish oneself as a thought leader in the agritourism and farm direct marketing industry locally, regionally and nationally.

The Executive Director will work collaboratively with the Board of Directors to establish long-range goals, strategies, plans and policies; and participate in the development of a vision and strategic plan to guide the organization forward. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director is responsible for providing leadership and operational management for NAFDMA. The Executive Director provides inspiring direction to the Mission and Vision within the boundaries, prudence and principles established by the Board. The Executive Director has central responsibility to maintain a positive image for NAFDMA – farmers inspired and ensure effective liaison with members and partner organizations.

The Executive Director must have broad management experience in a nonprofit setting, including program and project development, implementation and evaluation; short- and long-term strategic planning; and budgetary oversight. The Executive Director must possess exceptional leadership presence and the required experience serving as a spokesperson for an organization and demonstrated understanding of how to leverage organizational visibility, credibility and brand recognition through the media and other public relations sources to drive capacity.

The Executive Director must understand the process of visioning, planning, organizing and implementing the association’s annual convention with the capacity to create a delivery plan and oversee volunteers, partners, outsourced contractors and employees to coordinate all providers into a unified delivery team. The Executive Director must be an expert at financial management and oversight competencies and possess the ability to manage the public relations and business affairs of a nonprofit organization.

The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in one of the following disciplines: Business Management, Organizational Effectiveness, Nonprofit Management or related field and a minimum of 10 years of management experience of which at least 7 years should include experience successfully managing a nonprofit organization at a strategic and leadership level, or leading a business that has demonstrated growth and profitability. The position requires someone with proven success in building relationships among and working effectively with diverse groups, with a strong commitment to non-partisan competency. It is essential that s/he possess excellent written and oral communication skills, with considerable experience in writing and presenting information, particularly financial information, to a variety of audiences. The position requires experience working remotely and managing a remote workforce.

For consideration, interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume. Your cover letter must address your experience and qualifications being sought. Send materials to: execsearch@nonprofithr.com, ATTN: “NAFDMA Executive Director Search” in the subject line. Electronic submissions highly preferred. Interested individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. Please visit: www.farmersinspired.com for more information about the organization.