MANAGER PERMACULTURE OPERATIONS

A few years ago, a few of us—ecology, economics, and business graduates—founded
a non-profit organization called Third Millennium Alliance (TMA). We raised some
money and bought a lot of land in a critically endangered rainforest and established
an ecological reserve in coastal Ecuador. There was a small patch of previously
degraded land right in the middle of the reserve where we have built an innovative
and comfortable research station out of bamboo by hand. Immediately surrounding
the Bamboo House we are designing/growing/building a living laboratory of
sustainable resource management (i.e. permaculture), which also serves as our field
headquarters for biological scientific research and forest monitoring. Our reserve, the
Jama-Coaque Reserve, is one of the last remnants of Pacific Equatorial Forest, and is
part of the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Biodiversity Hotspot, which is designated as
one of the most bio-diverse and endangered ecosystems on earth. Only 2% of native
forest remains in coastal Ecuador; we’re trying to preserve the last of it and begin the
task of restoring what has already been lost through a combination of reforestation,
agroforestry, and community participation.

Job Summary:
As Manager of Permaculture Operations, the chosen candidate will work closely with
individuals from diverse backgrounds to facilitate project-based internship
experiences for students and young professionals in the fields of sustainable
agriculture, agroforestry, and permaculture.  Projects are developed to achieve the
goals of the organization and serve as catalysts for interns as they navigate their
academic and professional careers.  The position is based out of the Bamboo House
in the Jama-Coaque Reserve, which is in the province of Manabi, Ecuador, between
the cities of Pedernales and Jama, and three kilometers from the community of
Camarones.

Summary of Responsibilities:
1.    Coordinate, lead, and facilitate tropical field internships in research,
conservation, and permaculture.
2.    Provide logistical and technical support to facilitate successful completion of
research, conservation, and permaculture-based field projects (including PDC
course).
3.    Develop overall educational quality of the internship program through field
activities, assignments, and required readings.
4.    Manage and oversee all activities that take place on the permaculture farm.
5.    Work closely with the Director of Agroforestry to ensure production goals are
being met and that the Operations Crew is directed towards these goals as well.
Please note: The field station and sites are living entities, constantly evolving into yet
more functional, comfortable, self-sufficient and sustainable systems. When you are
not otherwise occupied with field work and leadership duties (i.e. on-and-off
throughout weeks 4-8 of each session) much of your time and energy will be devoted
to brainstorming, prioritizing, designing/planning, and realizing additions and changes
to the existing infrastructure.

Detailed responsibilities for the Manager of Permaculture Operations include:
1.    Manage all Zone 1 operations, including the vegetable garden, the balcony and
herb gardens, and other annual crop production (20%)
•    Planting choices, planting schedules, harvest schedules, transplanting
•    Management of irrigation, pest control, weeding, mulching
•    Soil fertility management, including compost and humanure
•    Seed saving and storage
2.    Manage all Zones 2-4 Operations: includes the Production Zone, the managed
cacao and coffee plots, distant/semi-wild banana, citrus, cacao, and bamboo groves,
as well as the Timber Lot (25%)
•    Planting choices, planting schedules, harvest schedules, transplanting
•    Training interns how to manage orchard quadrants
•    Serve as resource for interns who have questions/ideas concerning management
of orchard quadrants
•    Manage all trees and ensure high survival rate
3.    Leadership/personnel management (15%)
•    Assist in coordination, arrival and reception of interns
•    Assist in facilitation of 2-3 day orientation program for each intern group
•    Orient, train, and manage permaculture interns
•    Provide PDC education to interns via lecture and field-based projects
•    Offer guidance and monitor progress and of permaculture intern projects
•    Coordinate with operations crew to complete Agroforestry Program Projects
4.    Assist with site logistics, maintenance, and development (25%)
•    Coordinate food/ supply runs from nearest town, which requires transport
logistics and petty cash accounting
•    Work with local employees on field projects and monthly hours/timesheets
•    Manage emergencies (medical or otherwise) should they arise
5.    Assist with administrative/office work (10%)
•    Assist Internship Coordinator with appropriate project placement of
permaculture interns
•    Communicate with Directors on weekly activities, progress, and project ideas
6.    Community Relations (5%)
•    Keep up good lines of communication and maintain a good cooperative
relationship with our neighbors in the community of Camarones
•    Be the representative of our organization in the community

Field Management Team:
As Manager of Permaculture Operations you will work closely with the other members
of the Field Management Team – Intern Coordinator and the Manager of Field
Operations. Although each member of this team has his or her own primary
responsibilities, there will inevitably be overlap and the need for a lot of teamwork and
collaboration.  As such, the three of you should always stagger your off time, to
ensure that at least one of you, although usually two of you, are on duty at any time.
Minimum Qualifications:
•    Bachelor’s degree in Sustainable Agriculture, Ecology, Biology, Environmental
Studies or related field
•    Permaculture Design Certified (PDC) or equivalent experience
•    Two years of experience working on sustainable agriculture/ permaculture farm
•    Strong leadership skills
•    Excellent communication and organization skills
•    Physical and mental strength to live in a remote, off-the-grid field station with 5-
8 interns full time
•    Dedicated to sharing your experiences and knowledge of sustainable agriculture
in educational settings
•    Passion to mentor, empower, and inspire the next generation of young
sustainable      farmers through field and hands-on learning experiences
•    Enthusiastic, self-starter, and capable of taking the initiative on new and exciting
projects
•    Creative thinking and ability to overcome obstacles
•    First Aid and CPR certified
•    Fluent in English and at least highly proficient in Spanish

Preferred Additional Qualifications:
•    Certified and experienced PDC instructor; ability to certify interns
•    Field-based and hands-on teaching experience
•    Tropical/Latin America sustainable farming experience/knowledge
•    Experience living in a developing country (preferably within Latin America)
•    Wilderness First Responder (WFR) or Wilderness First Aid certified

Compensation:
You will be paid a monthly stipend of $500, in addition to free room and board in the
Bamboo House Research Station. Work days are Monday-Friday. Your year-long visa
costs will also be covered. You will need to cover your own travel costs to/from
Ecuador, but once in Ecuador all work-related domestic travel will be covered by
TMA.
Although the monthly stipend may not seem much by U.S. or European standards,
this amount is more than sufficient for Ecuadorian standards, especially considering
that your room and board is covered. Before you begin work, you will undergo a two-
month training period with the current Manager of Permaculture Operations; the first
month will be un-paid (but includes all room and board), the second month will be
paid.
Start Date:
Ideally, the training session would begin with the fall internship session, which is
October 21, 2015. This would be optimal. However, if an especially strong candidate
is not able to arrive to Ecuador until mid-November, we will still consider him/her. The
latest starting training date is November 30, 2015, but candidates who can start by
October 21nd will be given priority.
There is a two week break from work between Dec. 18 – Jan. 3rd for the holidays.
The position is for a minimum 1 year contract. Longer contracts are encouraged for
individuals wanting to stay on with TMA for multiple years.
Amenities and Other Info:
Full room and board are offered in the “Bamboo House” Research Station, which,
despite being in the middle of the forest, is quite comfortable – beds with good
mattresses and mosquito netting; kitchen and shower and a bathroom with
spectacular views of the river valley; 10 hammocks strung along the balcony and the
living area, and waterfalls right in our backyard. You will have your own private
bedroom. We eat fresh and local, healthily and abundantly, with little-to-no meat.
Everyone shares cooking and house maintenance responsibilities. Electricity is only
available for recharging batteries when our solar panel is working. Otherwise charging
capabilities are available in the neighboring town of Camarones. At night we use
candles, flashlights, or headlamps. The beach town of Pedernales is 25 km away, and
has internet access, ATMs and banks, a hospital, hotels, eateries, pharmacies and
hardware stores, etc.

How to Apply:
Before applying, thoroughly review the Third Millennium Alliance website
(www.tmalliance.org), especially the FAQ, Program Description, and Disclaimer
documents found on the internship page. Then, if interested in applying for this
position, please send resume, cover letter, and two references to Nick@tmalliance.org
and Ryan@tmalliance.org with the subject heading: MANAGER OF PERMACULTURE
– YOUR NAME. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early application is
highly recommended. Closing date: September 30, 2015.