Local Food Switchboard Operator & Convergence Event Coordinator

Local Food Switchboard Central Operator & Convergence Event Coordinator

Location:

US-ME-Portland

The Maine Food Convergence Project (MFCP) (mainefoodconvergence.org) works to build a coordinated, collaborative local food system that supports the well-being of people, communities, and the planet, with a focus on social and racial equity and environmental sustainability. Partnered with seven food system networks across Maine, we create spaces where people working on food, land, and climate issues can build relationships, explore collaborative solutions to complex challenges, and turn shared priorities into collective action.

We work to grow community and deepen relationships so that, together, we can create more meaningful and lasting change.

MFCP is a fiscally sponsored project of Third Sector New England, Inc. (tsne.org)

Local Food Switchboard Overview

Hosted by MFCP and funded collaboratively by Maine foundations and federal grants, the Local Food Switchboard serves as a central hub for coordinating logistics services within Maine's local food system. Specifically, it acts as a “virtual assistant” to the School Food Marketplace (SFM). The Switchboard streamlines local food procurement, connects various interest‑holders in Maine's food system, and increases local food sourcing in schools and beyond.

It provides detailed information on a) food products and businesses, b) processing, distribution and other supply web infrastructure, and c) food system resources such as financial and technical assistance.

Besides increasing nourishing local food in schools, a key goal of the Switchboard is to build stronger connections with food producers and harvesters who face systemic barriers to capital and market access due to racism, transphobia, ableism, classism, and immigration status. By fostering collaboration, we aim to support their infrastructure, equipment, market access, and resource needs, creating a more equitable and resilient food system.

Convergence Event Overview

Held every two years, the Maine Food Convergence Event is MFCP's signature statewide gathering, bringing together farmers, fishers, food producers, processors, distributors, school nutrition professionals, community organizations, funders, and policymakers from across Maine's food system. The Convergence Event creates space for cross-sector relationship‑building, shared learning, and collective problem‑solving around the challenges and opportunities facing local food systems in Maine.

Consistent with MFCP's broader commitment to social and racial equity, the Convergence is intentionally designed to center perspectives and experiences that are too often left out of statewide food system conversations. From program design through facilitation, the event aims to be accessible and welcoming to participants with a wide range of backgrounds, languages, and levels of familiarity with formal food systems spaces.

This role provides central coordination for MFCP's two flagship programs. MFCP's Switchboard is staffed by two Community Outreach Operators, who work directly in communities and along the supply chain, and two Central Operators, who steward the platform at a statewide level. This position is one of the two Central Operators, sharing and dividing central Switchboard duties with the other while supporting the Community Outreach Operators.

This role also carries leadership of Convergence Event coordination — leading planning and logistics for the statewide gathering from concept through execution. Both programs are high‑logistics, coordination‑intensive efforts, and this role brings a consistent central‑operations approach to each. Reports to the MFCP Coordinating Director; works closely with the…