Human Rights Analyst

The Milk with Dignity Standards Council is currently hiring for the position of Human Rights Analyst:

The Milk with Dignity Program, founded and created by farmworkers of Migrant Justice, brings together farmworkers, consumers, farmers and corporate buyers to secure dignified wages and humane labor and housing conditions in the dairy industry in the Northeastern United States. The Milk with Dignity Program’s principal goal is to foster a sustainable Northeast dairy industry that advances the human rights of farmworkers, the long-term interests of farmers, and the ethical supply chain concerns of retail food companies and consumers.

The Milk with Dignity Program is a Worker-driven Social Responsibility (WSR) initiative inspired by the groundbreaking work of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and adapted from the CIW’s highly acclaimed Fair Food Program. The WSR model rests on a strong commitment to empower workers, through labor rights education and access to a protected complaint mechanism, so that they may form the first line of defense against labor abuses. The model supplements these efforts with independent audits of working and housing conditions on participating farms.

The Milk with Dignity Standards Council (MDSC) is a unique organization emerging from Migrant Justice's successful Milk with Dignity campaign to secure the human rights of dairy workers and improve the conditions under which they labor. MDSC, based in Burlington, Vermont, was established to address the Program’s need for an entity with the requisite experience and capacity to monitor and enforce its standards under the farmworker-defined Code of Conduct, which represents Vermont dairy workers’ definition of the human right to work with dignity.

MDSC investigates complaints lodged through the Program’s worker support line and conducts audits of dairy farms participating in the Program to verify their compliance with the Code of Conduct. MDSC works closely with participating farms to help them reach compliance with the Code, including through the provision and coordination of technical assistance and training, upon request. When audits or complaint investigations result in findings of Code violations, MDSC works with participating farms to create Corrective Action Plans and Complaint Resolutions designed to address identified violations.

 

About the Position

MDSC is seeking to hire a Human Rights Analyst. The successful candidate will play a major role in fostering the growth of a new model of agricultural cooperation between dairy workers and farmers.

The Analyst will work with a small team of Investigators to:

●     Draft written audit reports that clearly explain MDSC’s findings about working and housing conditions;

●     Design Corrective Action Plans to help farms come into compliance with the MD Code of Conduct;

●     Research and analyze relevant laws and regulations;

●     Analyze farm payroll and personnel records;

●     Maintain timely communication with participating farms.

 

Depending on their interests and skills, the successful candidate may also have opportunities to participate in other aspects of MDSC’s work, including but not limited to:

●     Conduct audit interviews with farm management and farmworkers;

●     Coordinate farm visits;

●     Develop and revise tools for participating farms;

●     Investigate and resolve complaints.

 

MDSC is based in Burlington, Vermont. Flexible work-from-home arrangements may be available after an initial integration period, but the Analyst should plan to work from the office most of the time and participate in some farm visits. The position will involve some work-related travel throughout Vermont and northern New York, with the possibility of future expansion.

Starting compensation is $40,000 annually, and may vary based on experience. Benefits include employer-paid health insurance, generous paid vacation and sick leave policies, twelve paid holidays per year, auto insurance reimbursement, and overtime premium pay.

 

Qualifications and Skills

Required:

●     Fluency in spoken and written English;

●     Excellent professional writing and communication skills;

●     Ability to connect facts and discern patterns;

●     Ability to interact well with people of different nationalities, genders, and professional and educational backgrounds;

●     Ability to work well as part of a team as well as independently.

 

Strongly preferred:

●     Professional fluency in Spanish;

●     Strong interviewing and documentation skills;

●     Familiarity with Salesforce;

●     Comfort working in rural areas, including on farms and outdoors;

●     Willingness to work irregular hours on occasion;

●     Driver’s license and willingness to drive long distances in rural communities in all seasons;

●     Experience working with low-income and/or immigrant communities, working for human rights, and/or facilitating difficult conversations;

●     Knowledge of occupational safety and health concepts and/or familiarity with affordable housing development.

 

Applicants should send a cover letter and a resume or CV to info@milkwithdignity.org. The subject line of the email should read MDSC Analyst Position. Applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled.

MDSC is an equal opportunity employer committed to developing a workforce that reflects and can relate easily to the diverse populations involved in the Milk with Dignity Program.