About Urban Growers Collective
Urban Growers Collective (UGC) uses urban agriculture and community food system development to dismantle inequities and structural racism, which prevent communities of color from living healthy, vibrant lives. UGC cultivates nourishing environments in Chicago’s historically disinvested communities, seeding pathways to freedom while supporting residents’ health, economic development, healing and creativity through urban agriculture.
As a Black- and woman-led 501(c)(3) organization, we believe that achieving food justice is a necessary first step in healing the historical trauma experienced by communities of color, building their resilience, and, ultimately, achieving liberation. While our work is rooted in farming, UGC’s approach is holistic. Our eight farms over 11 acres primarily on the Southside of Chicago, IL growing over 25,000 pounds of fresh produce annually, enabling food access to tens of thousands of food-insecure Chicagoans and providing safe and healing spaces for educational and life-enriching opportunities to hundreds of individuals each year through public workshops, workforce development, and land stewardship.
Now, UGC is preparing to open a new renewable energy facility and hub for urban agriculture and green jobs on Chicago’s South Side, the Green Era Campus. Through this work, we are breathing new life into long-neglected communities, building a sustainable model for a just food sector, and redefining what’s possible for Chicago’s local food systems.
Position: The Director of Finance and Social Enterprise is responsible for providing strategic leadership for Urban Growers Collective by supporting the CEO and the executive management team to establish and maintain fiscal controls, pro forma modeling to support growth and financial innovation. This role is supported by a bookkeeper and external accounting firm.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Minimum of BA in finance, community development or related field
- Experience in a senior management position, 5-10 years of leadership experience in finance, banking, real estate, private equity or community development
- Proven financial analytical skills including ability to identify risks, opportunities, trends and relationships
- Proven experience initiating new projects and pro formas, with entrepreneurial passion, vision and tenacity
- A hands-on team player who takes pride in team accomplishments and is flexible to fill any gaps needed to achieve goals
- Ability to make decisions, justify recommendations and be responsible and clear with stakeholders
- Experience in change management and community development, sustainable or/and urban community food system experience a plus
- Confident with a solid understanding of ethics and experience in multicultural and limited resourced environments and communities.
Duties, responsibilities and activities included but not limited to:
- Oversee the company’s fiscal activity, including budgeting, reporting, and auditing.
- Oversee monthly financial budgeting reports including monthly profit and loss by division, forecast vs. budget by division and weekly cash flow by division.
- Manage administration of payroll
- Lead the preparation of audits, tax returns and all financial filings required by law, as well as ongoing monitoring of budgets and spending.
- Lead the creation of reports, software implementation and tools for budgeting and forecasting.
- Ensure timeliness and accuracy of financial and management reporting data for federal funders, foundations, investors and donors.
- Lead the preparation and timely filing of all local, state and federal tax returns.
- Lead cash flow planning process and ensure funds availability.
- Manage cash, investments and asset management area.
- Explore in collaboration with CEO and Development Department, generative sources of enterprise capital and social investment opportunities for UGC and collaborators and provide advice on potential returns and risks.
- Maintain outstanding banking relationships and strategic alliances with vendors and business partners.
Travel: Local travel to various worksites is required.
Work Environment: While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly works in an office setting. Hybrid options are available, in person preferred.
Physical Demands: All duties and responsibilities are essential functions and requirements and are subject to possible modification to reasonably accommodate individuals with disabilities. To perform this job successfully, the incumbents will possess the skills, aptitudes, and abilities to perform each duty proficiently.
Compensation: Commensurate with experience
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Holidays, Vacation Pay, Personal/Sick Pay, Wellness Benefits, Employee Assistance Program, Student Loan Assistance Program, Retirement Plan
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.
About Urban Growers Collective
Urban Growers Collective is a Black- and women-led non-profit farm in Chicago, Illinois working to build a more just and equitable local food system. We aim to address the inequities and structural racism that exist in the food system and in communities of color. Rooted in growing food, our mission is to cultivate nourishing environments which support health, economic development, healing, and creativity through urban agriculture.
We provide hands-on job training and create economic opportunities for youth, beginner BIPOC farmers, and men who are at high risk for gun violence. Our aim is to provide jobs while working to mitigate food insecurity and limited access to affordable, culturally-affirming, and nutritionally-dense food.
Our team cultivates eight urban farms on 11 acres of land, predominantly located on Chicago’s South Side. These farms are production-oriented but also offer opportunities for staff-led education, training, and leadership development. Our produce is available at farmers’ markets, in our Collective Supported Agriculture program, and at the Fresh Moves Mobile Market.
