Agricultural Advisor Liaison (Fixed Term - to March 31, 2028)
The Agricultural Advisor Liaison is responsible for building the capacity of agricultural advisors to effectively support Ontario farmers participating in OSCIA programs, with primary responsibility for advisor engagement and training under the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) Activity 2 "Training of Professional Agrologists, Agronomists and Certified Crop Advisors" and the Farmland Health Check-Up (FHCU).
This role leads the development, coordination, delivery and continuous improvement of advisor-focused training, tools and resources for Certified Crop Advisors (CCAs), Professional Agrologists (P.Ags), and other qualified or emerging agricultural professionals. The incumbent ensures advisors have practical, current and consistent information to support producer decision-making and adoption of best management practices (BMPs).
Working closely with OSCIA program, technical, communications and evaluation staff, the Agricultural Advisor Liaison will coordinate advisor networks, gather field-level feedback, support province-wide FHCU delivery, and lead implementation activities for OFCAF Activity 2. The role will also track participation and learning outcomes, identify barriers and opportunities, and translate program requirements and technical information into practical guidance for advisors and producers.
The position serves as a key bridge between OSCIA and Ontario's agricultural advisory community, helping strengthen trusted relationships, improve program reach and consistency, and support measurable environmental and farm-management outcomes.
Key Responsibilities & Duties:
OFCAF Activity 2 - Advisor Training, Engagement & Program Delivery
- Lead advisor-focused engagement, training and knowledge-transfer activities for the On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) Activity 2 "Training of Professional Agrologists, Agronomists and Certified Crop Advisors".
- Develop and maintain a strong working understanding of OFCAF Activity 2 objectives, deliverables, partner commitments, timelines, advisor roles and related guidance.
- Translate OFCAF program requirements and technical information into clear, practical resources and learning materials that strengthen advisor knowledge and their ability to support producers.
- Develop and coordinate learning opportunities across OFCAF BMP categories - nitrogen management, cover cropping and rotational grazing systems - and connect advisors with appropriate technical expertise when required.
- Support agricultural advisors in understanding their role in OFCAF, including working with producers to assess current practices, clarify goals for proposed practices, develop recommendations and prepare required Letters of Support.
- Build and manage partnerships with professional and sector organizations to extend the reach, credibility and accessibility of advisor training, including opportunities for continuing education credits and other professional recognition.
- Gather feedback from advisors on OFCAF Activity 2 training needs, program delivery challenges, producer questions and emerging priorities, and use findings to inform continuous improvement.
- Plan, coordinate and evaluate virtual and in-person professional learning opportunities, including webinars, conference sessions, field-based events and other advisor-targeted training.
- Coordinate development and maintenance of advisor-focused resources for OSCIA knowledge platforms, print communications and partner channels.
- Support the development of rotational-grazing-focused learning pathways, courses, events and/or recognition or badging approaches in collaboration with technical and sector partners.
- Coordinate the OFCAF Activity 2 advisory group and other advisor engagement mechanisms to validate training priorities, identify gaps and strengthen program relevance.
- Monitor training effectiveness using appropriate pre/post-event, participation and feedback measures and use results to improve future offerings.
Farmland Health Check-Up Program Leadership
- Lead the advisor-facing implementation and province-wide expansion of the Farmland Health Check-Up (FHCU).
- Develop, update, deliver and promote FHCU training, guidance, tools and resource materials for advisors who deliver or support the Check-Up.
- Establish clear processes, expectations and support mechanisms for advisors participating in FHCU delivery.
- Conduct outreach, focus groups, consultations and other engagement activities to identify regional needs and inform effective FHCU expansion.
- Coordinate with OSCIA technical and program staff to ensure FHCU materials and delivery approaches remain practical, technically sound and aligned with program objectives.
- Identify implementation barriers, consistency issues and opportunities to improve advisor and producer experience, and recommend practical solutions.
- Support quality assurance and consistent delivery by communicating updates, clarifying expectations and facilitating access to technical support.
Training Development, Facilitation & Resource Development
- Design and deliver engaging training programs for CCAs, P.Ags and other agricultural professionals using adult-learning and knowledge-transfer principles.
- Develop high-quality training materials, facilitator resources, presentations, guidance documents, FAQs, case studies and other practical tools.
- Coordinate subject-matter experts and external speakers for advisor-targeted learning opportunities and events.
- Maintain and refresh training content as program requirements, technical guidance and sector needs evolve.
- Support delivery through a mix of in-person, virtual and self-directed learning formats where appropriate.
- Work with Communications and program staff to promote training opportunities and ensure advisor-facing information is clear, timely and consistent.
Advisor Network & Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain trusted working relationships with agricultural advisors, professional associations, commodity organizations, training partners, industry organizations, government contacts and other stakeholders involved in OFCAF Activity 2 and FHCU.
- Coordinate advisory and working groups of agricultural professionals, advisors and knowledge-mobilization specialists to guide training priorities, implementation and continuous improvement.
- Act as an internal resource on advisor engagement and advisor-led program delivery, strengthening communication between OSCIA and advisor networks.
- Assess advisor knowledge, motivations, barriers and opportunities related to OSCIA programs and sustainable BMP adoption.
- Represent OSCIA professionally at meetings, workshops, conferences, field events and other sector activities.
- Identify opportunities for partnerships, shared resources and coordinated learning activities that extend program reach and reduce duplication.
Knowledge Transfer, Events & Outreach
- Plan and coordinate workshops, webinars, seminars, field events and knowledge-sharing activities for agricultural advisors and producers.
- Facilitate practical exchange of knowledge among advisors, farmers, researchers, industry and program staff.
- Translate technical and program information into accessible, audience-appropriate communications and learning experiences.
- Support knowledge mobilization that encourages informed producer decision-making and adoption of sustainable agricultural practices.
- Identify and share emerging advisor and producer information needs with relevant OSCIA teams.
Program Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting
- Establish and maintain practical tracking mechanisms for advisor participation, training completion, engagement activities and program reach.
- Work with internal evaluation and program staff to identify meaningful measures of advisor influence, producer participation and BMP adoption.
- Collect, analyze and summarize quantitative and qualitative information on advisor engagement, program delivery and outcomes.
- Identify trends, gaps and improvement opportunities and provide evidence-based recommendations to strengthen future programming.
- Prepare clear internal and external reports, briefing materials and summaries for OSCIA leadership, funders and key stakeholders.
- Maintain organized, accurate and complete program documentation in accordance with organizational and funding requirements.
Program Coordination, Compliance & Continuous Improvement
- Develop and maintain workplans, schedules, deliverable trackers and other tools needed to manage advisor-related activities across OFCAF Activity 2 and FHCU.
- Coordinate with internal teams and external partners to ensure OFCAF Activity 2 and FHCU activities, deliverables, communications and reporting are completed on time and aligned with funding agreements and program requirements.
- Identify delivery risks, emerging issues and resource needs early and bring forward recommended actions to the Director.
- Support procurement, event logistics, contracts and budget tracking associated with advisor training and engagement activities, as assigned.
- Develop and improve standard processes, templates and guidance that strengthen consistency, efficiency and continuity in advisor programming.
- Contribute to funding proposals, program design and future advisor-focused initiatives by providing practical delivery insights and stakeholder intelligence.
Financial Management & Budget Monitoring
- Monitor OFCAF Activity 2 and Farmland Health Check-Up program budgets, expenditures, commitments, and forecasts in collaboration with the Director, Sr Manager and Finance team.
- Regularly review anticipated program activities and expenditures, identify potential budget variances or financial risks, and recommend adjustments to support effective use of program funds and achievement of program deliverables.
Qualifications & Skills:
Education:
Post secondary degree in agriculture, agronomy, soil science, environmental science, agricultural business, knowledge mobilization, communications or another relevant discipline. Equivalent combinations of education and significant relevant experience will also be considered.
A Certified Crop Advisor (CCA), Professional Agrologist (P.Ag) designation, or other relevant professional credential is considered an asset.
Years of Experience:
Candidates should bring at least three years of relevant experience in agricultural programming, advisor or producer engagement, training and facilitation, knowledge transfer, extension, program delivery or a related field. Experience working directly with Ontario agricultural advisors and producers is strongly preferred.
Specific Experience:
We are particularly interested in candidates who have demonstrated success in several of the following areas:
- Designing and delivering training, workshops or professional-development activities for agricultural or technical audiences.
- Developing practical technical resources, guidance materials, presentations, toolkits or other learning supports.
- Building relationships with agricultural advisors, farmers, professional associations, industry organizations and government partners.
- Supporting delivery of government-funded, cost-share, sustainability or agri-environmental programs, including advisor training and professional-development initiatives.
- Working with agricultural BMPs related to soil health, nitrogen management, cover cropping, rotational grazing, greenhouse gas mitigation and carbon sequestration.
- Coordinating multi-stakeholder working groups, advisory committees, events or engagement processes.
- Collecting and interpreting participation, survey, evaluation or outcome data and translating findings into recommendations.
- Managing multiple concurrent activities, deadlines, deliverables and stakeholder expectations.
- Working independently in a role that requires initiative, sound judgment and regular travel across Ontario.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities (KSAs):
Knowledge:
- Knowledge of Ontario agriculture, farm production systems and the roles of agricultural advisors in supporting producer decision-making.
- Knowledge of sustainable agriculture and agri-environmental BMPs, particularly nitrogen management, cover cropping, rotational grazing systems, soil health, greenhouse gas emission reduction and carbon sequestration.
- Knowledge of training, facilitation, adult-learning and knowledge-transfer principles for professional or technical audiences.
- General knowledge of government-funded agricultural program delivery, including program requirements, documentation, reporting and stakeholder communications.
- Understanding of the role of CCAs, P.Ags, agronomists and other agricultural advisors in supporting producer decision-making and implementation of OFCAF BMPs is considered an asset.
- General understanding of monitoring and evaluation approaches, including participation tracking, surveys, feedback collection and outcome measurement.
- Knowledge of professional agricultural networks, including Certified Crop Advisors, Professional Agrologists and related organizations, is considered an asset.
Skills:
- Strong facilitation, presentation and training-delivery skills, with the ability to engage both in-person and virtual audiences.
- Strong written communication and resource-development skills, including the ability to translate complex technical or program information into clear, practical guidance.
- Strong relationship-management and stakeholder-engagement skills, with the ability to build credibility and maintain productive partnerships.
- Strong project coordination, planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to interpret feedback and data, identify themes and recommend practical improvements.
- Strong meeting, workshop and event coordination skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and common collaboration, survey, webinar and data-visualization tools, with the ability to learn new systems as required.
- French-language proficiency is considered an asset.
Abilities:
- Ability to develop sufficient technical and program knowledge to serve as a credible resource for agricultural advisors while recognizing when specialized expertise is required.
- Ability to build trust with agricultural professionals and producers and to understand differing regional, sectoral and operational perspectives.
- Ability to translate funding requirements, technical guidance and organizational objectives into clear expectations and practical actions.
- Ability to work independently, take initiative and exercise sound judgment while collaborating effectively across teams.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, adapt to changing program requirements and maintain attention to detail in a deadline-driven environment.
- Ability to facilitate constructive discussion, gather candid feedback and navigate differing stakeholder perspectives.
- Ability to identify emerging risks or delivery issues and escalate them appropriately with recommended solutions.
- Ability to travel regularly within Ontario and represent OSCIA professionally with external stakeholders.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality, professionalism and sound judgment when handling program, stakeholder and organizational information.
Working Conditions / Physical Demands:
- Hybrid work model combining remote and minimum two days per week in-office work, with the position based in Guelph, ON and regular attendance at the Guelph office in accordance with OSCIA policy.
- Home office settings require a dependable, high-speed internet connection to support virtual meetings, training delivery and online collaboration.
- Regular travel throughout Ontario is required for meetings, workshops, field events, training and stakeholder engagement; occasional overnight travel may be required.
- May require occasional work outside of standard business hours, including early mornings, evenings or weekends, to support events and program activities.
- Must hold and maintain a valid driver's licence and have access to reliable transportation for work-related travel.
- Must maintain a high level of professionalism and confidentiality when handling stakeholder, program and organizational information.
OSCIA offers a competitive compensation package and is an equal opportunity employer.
We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those candidates under consideration will be contacted.
Thank you for your interest in this position!
ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT (AODA IN ONTARIO)
OSCIA is committed to providing a barrier-free work environment in concert with the provincial guidelines for accessibility (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and the Ontario Human Rights Code, Ontario Only). As such, OSCIA will make accommodations available to applicants with disabilities upon request during the recruitment process.
HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENT
OSCIA strives to ensure that its employment practices are free from direct and indirect discrimination and is committed to upholding the human rights of those participating in the hiring process. In pursuit of this commitment, OSCIA will not condone or tolerate any acts of discrimination or harassment under any of the grounds protected under human rights legislation. This commitment extends to the hiring process and throughout the course of employment.
