Community Engagement Coordinator

Mission, Vision, and Values

The Nashville Food Project brings people together to grow, cook and share nourishing food, with the goals of cultivating community and alleviating hunger in our city. At The Nashville Food Project, we embrace a vision of vibrant community food security in which everyone in Nashville has access to the food they want and need through a just and sustainable food system. This mission and vision are guided by core organizational values, including hospitality, stewardship, interdependence, learning, justice, and transformation.

Organizational Background

The Nashville Food Project (TNFP) was born from the idea that good food is a matter of basic dignity. Since its start in 2007, TNFP has served thousands of Nashvillians facing food insecurity. In 2011, TNFP was incorporated as an independent nonprofit, shifting the focus of its meals program toward a collaborative partnership model and launching an urban agriculture program. Today, TNFP continues to connect people to nourishing food and to each other through vibrant urban agriculture projects, made-from-scratch meals, and food shared with local partners working to disrupt cycles of poverty.

Position Summary

The Community Engagement Coordinator is a key role on the Community Engagement team. They support volunteer coordination and other community touchpoints that advance TNFP’s strategic and programmatic goals. Reporting to the Volunteer Engagement Manager (VEM), the Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC) focuses primarily on stewarding TNFP’s volunteerism efforts, including volunteer scheduling and communication, event facilitation, appreciation efforts, and record-keeping. The CEC role is extremely relational: they collaborate extensively with all TNFP teams, serve as a primary point of contact for thousands of volunteers, and consistently interface with public audiences. The CEC also supports general community engagement activities aimed at raising awareness about food system challenges and how to participate in TNFP’s work.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Volunteer Program Coordination (50%)

• Manage scheduling for regularly occurring and one-off volunteer events
• Publish and manage volunteer opportunities on TNFP’s volunteer management platforms and communicate fill rates, changes, or cancellations with program staff
• Serve as the main point of contact for volunteer communications (email, phone, and in-person) across all programs
• Collaborate with the VEM to respond to and schedule volunteer group requests from social, civic, corporate, school, and other nonprofit organizations
• Ensure timely volunteer data record-keeping, including tracking volunteer hours across all programs and special volunteer events
• Manage group volunteer requests that connect community, work, school, and other groups with volunteer opportunities that match organizational needs and steward meaningful relationships

Volunteer Engagement & Facilitation (40%)

• Support the facilitation of 2-4 weekly volunteer events in TNFP kitchen, garden, and market sites
• Ensure all volunteer sites are stocked with key supplies (first aid kits, bug spray, etc.)
• Collaborate with the VEM to collect, analyze, and respond to volunteer feedback
• Support the coordination and facilitation of activities aimed at nurturing and appreciating the volunteer community, including larger events (Volunteer Appreciation Week, volunteer celebration brunch, etc.) and ongoing efforts (celebrating milestones, acknowledging exceptional volunteer contributions, volunteer lead training, etc.)
• Support community outreach and volunteer recruitment efforts, including tabling, presentations, and meeting attendance, to connect community members with opportunities to volunteer with TNFP

General Community Engagement Support (10%)

• Collaborate with the VEM, Senior Director of Community Engagement (SDCE), the Development team, and program teams to coordinate and facilitate special community events and convenings
• Collaborate with the VEM and SDCE to support community education touchpoints aimed at raising awareness about food insecurity and TNFP’s work
• Support efforts to collect community input – via surveys, qualitative conversations, and convenings – about how TNFP’s programs can better respond to and support community needs
• Contribute to educational and informational material creation, as capacity allows

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• High school diploma/equivalent or relevant life experience
• Extremely sound judgement and maturity
• Experience with public speaking and/or facilitating educational or volunteer opportunities, and a willingness to grow those skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple workstreams, tasks, and priorities simultaneously
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and ability to communicate with and cultivate relationships among diverse groups
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Cooperative and collaborative work ethic and a positive attitude
• Interest in anti-hunger work and food justice
• Ability to complete physical work outside in various conditions
• Flexibility in hours throughout the week, and willingness to work some evenings and weekends on a regular basis
• English fluency, oral and written
• Valid driver’s license

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working and/or organizing with community-based groups
• Experience with event coordination and management
• Demonstrated commitment to social and environmental justice
• Awareness of, and sensitivity to, power dynamics within marginalized, immigrant and refugee, and/or BIPOC communities
• Bilingual language proficiency and/or experience working with communities that do not speak English as a first or primary language
• Proficiency and comfort using computers, including Microsoft Office and Google Suite
• Immigrants, refugees, and people of color are strongly encouraged to apply

CLASSIFICATION

This is a full-time, exempt salaried position at 40 hours/week. Occasional weekend and evening hours may be required. This grade of this position in the TNFP Compensation Policy is 35E.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Starting annual salary for this role is $45,000-47,000, commensurate with experience. TNFP offers a benefits package for full-time employees including:

• 75% employer paid health insurance for employees, voluntary dental and vision insurance
• 25% employer paid health insurance for dependents, voluntary dental and vision insurance
• Employer paid term-life and AD&D insurance, and long-term disability insurance
• Cell phone stipend
• 15 paid holidays
• Generous Paid Time Off(PTO) program
• Parental leave
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities
• Flexible work environment (i.e., remote and/or hybrid), including hours and location

To apply, please send a resume and cover letter outlining your interest in our work and mission to info@thenashvillefoodproject.org.  Priority application deadline: July 22, 2026. Applications received after this date may still be considered until the position is filled.

In all aspects of its work, The Nashville Food Project strives for a culture of inclusivity and fairness without discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other characteristics protected by law.