About Urban Growers Collective

Urban Growers Collective (UGC) is built upon the foundation of Growing Power, a nonprofit organization and land trust established in Milwaukee, WI in 1993. Growing Power operated its urban farming and education non-profit for 25-years before closing its doors in the Fall of 2017. The Growing Power Chicago branch was established in February 2002, to address the need for scalable food system models that were inclusive, impactful, and economically viable. After Growing Power closed, Chicago’s leadership team, committed to continuing the legacy of Growing Power, formed UGC to build upon our 15-years of successes creating thriving urban farms and training programs in Chicago.

UGC tackles food insecurity through a variety of programming. Our portfolio of programs includes: the Fresh Moves Mobile Market; Farmers for Chicago, our job-readiness program which trains over 300 teens annually, 30 formerly incarcerated adults through an 18-month job-readiness program, as well as our Incubator Farmer program which provides land and technical assistance for new Chicago farmers; our head- start preschool farm which serves over 150 preschoolers and their families; and finally, we provide education to a larger audience through a series of agriculture, small business development, and equality building workshops. Our core values honor shared leadership and collective decision making; racial, economic, gender and LGBTQ equity; and employee well-being: we have witnessed how these values lead to thoughtful, holistic programming and yield environments that nourish and create prosperity.

Position: We are seeking an individual who has an interest in all aspects of sustainable urban agriculture activities, focusing the bulk of their duties on providing administrative support to the executive team and management staff. The position is dynamic and requires a well-organized individual with excellent communication skills, as well as the ability to work well with diverse individuals and communities.

Primary Responsibilities Bookkeeping using Quickbooks Online, Gift & Receipt Processing, electronic filing of backup documentation and maintenance of trackers using Google Sheets;

Carry out administrative duties such as e-filing, typing, copying, binding, scanning etc.

Maintain computer and manual filing systems;

Bookkeeping activities, such as, invoicing, receiving payment, entering bills and making payments in QuickBooks along with preparing and filing the associated documentation;

Create and oversee completion of monthly staff credit card trackers;

Complete month- and year-end bookkeeping tasks, including grant tracking activities and reporting support, audit support activities and report preparation for financial management; and

Organize and schedule meetings and appointments for financial management.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree is preferred but not required.

Minimum of two-years related experience in an administrative and bookkeeping role.

Excellent attention to detail, organizational and problem-solving skills.

Robust written communication skills; strong editing skills and ability to write clearly and concisely.

Strong computer skills with proficiency in Quickbooks, Google Suite and MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.).

Ability to work in an open-office environment.

Friendly and positive demeanor with a willingness to take feedback and grow as an employee.

Must be able to work well under pressure in a team environment, handle multiple assignments, and meet deadlines.

Ability to work as a team and gather necessary information from program, finance, and development staff.

Passion for sustainable food systems and urban agriculture.

UGC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or genetics.