We are recruiting for an important new role within the RFT team.

Parliamentarians for Agroecology and Nature Friendly Food and Farming (P4A) Programme Coordinator

Part-time (0.5 FTE, 7.5 hrs/day, 18.75 hrs/wk)
Two year fixed-term contract
UK-based, hybrid role (primarily remote, with some travel required)

Ideal start date: As soon as possible

Candidates must have the right to work in the UK. Proximity to London for regular meetings in Westminster and periodic in-person co-work days is strongly preferred. Additional mandatory travel includes twice yearly staff away days (usually in the South of England in spring and farther North in autumn) and P4A organised events. 

Please note we reserve the right to close applications before the advertised deadline if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage candidates to apply as early as possible.

About the Real Farming Trust

The Real Farming Trust (RFT) runs a number of programmes which bring people of all food and farming backgrounds and experiences together to build the case for agroecology. We are a small charity and value honesty, empathy, care and compassion in our interactions with each other in the organisation and with the partners we work with. 

About Parliamentarians for Agroecology and Nature-Friendly Food and Farming

Parliamentarians for Agroecology and Nature-Friendly Food and Farming (P4A) works to build understanding and support for agroecology in Parliament, connecting parliamentarians with the evidence, expertise and practical experience needed to advance a fairer, healthier, nature friendly food and farming system. P4A builds on the previously registered All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Agroecology for Sustainable Food and Farming, which in the 12 years of its existence saw agroecology emerge from the fringes of policy making to being recognised by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and being included in the 2020 Agriculture Act.

Advancing knowledge and understanding of agroecology remain vital in Westminster as the UK continues to develop its farming policy in a dramatically changing world. P4A  champions key areas where agroecology could bring about significant change. This includes farm practice as it affects climate change, biodiversity, and farm productivity, but also wider agri-food systems transformation towards conviviality, equity, ecological sustainability, resilience, and justice.  It is supported in this by a cross-party group of advisors drawn from both Houses, who provide visibility, guidance and political insight. Membership is reviewed annually, and a Parliamentary Lead provides a non-hierarchical point of contact. There is also a second tier of parliamentary supporters who endorse P4A’s aims without formal advisory responsibility. 

Started just over two years ago, P4A is working with the Agroecology Communications Network (ACN) to provide a regular Agroecology News Digest (AND) for parliamentarians.  AND is there to keep parliamentarians informed on a regular basis while parliament is in session on the latest reports, events and campaigns concerning  agroecology and nature friendly food and farming.

About the P4A Programme Coordinator Role

The P4A Programme Coordinator will play a central role in coordinating and delivering the P4A programme, helping to connect parliamentarians with the knowledge, experience and perspectives of the agroecology movement. The role will support stronger relationships with policymakers, increase understanding of agroecology and help ensure that P4A’s activities are well coordinated, communicated and connected to RFT’s wider work.

The role will help agroecology farming organisations, no matter how small, to access and have their voices heard by parliamentarians in a more strategic, collaborative and coordinated way. It will help P4A draw together relevant evidence, expertise and practical experience from across the movement, respond to requests for information and research, and create opportunities for parliamentarians to experience agroecology in practice, including through farm visits and other engagement outside Westminster. 

You will work closely with P4A’s Programme Lead, Ruth West, drawing on her parliamentary experience, relationships and knowledge, and with the Agroecology Communications Network (ACN) Coordinator and other RFT colleagues. You will be line managed by RFT’s Director of Programmes & Impact and will help ensure that P4A is well connected to the wider RFT team, its communications, programme learning and organisational systems.

You will be proactive and have considerable responsibility for coordinating day-to-day delivery, within an agreed programme of work. You will need to be comfortable bringing together different people and forms of expertise, keeping activity moving and ensuring that agreed actions are followed through.

Tasks and responsibilities will include:

For parliamentarians:

• Build on the existing network of parliamentarians who have shown an interest in agroecology, maintaining relationships and identifying opportunities for further engagement across political parties.
• Help the Programme Lead with the commissioning and production of parliamentary briefings for MPs and peers, to include parliamentary questions and other actions that they could take. 
• Support the Programme Lead in maintaining key parliamentary relationships and following up meetings and opportunities for engagement.
• Monitor relevant parliamentary activity and identify opportunities for P4A engagement, working with the Programme Lead and wider team as appropriate.
• Liaise with other parliamentary groups and committees as relevant, such as the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and the Environmental Audit Committee, Peers for the Planet and the APPG on Farming.
• Coordinate opportunities for parliamentarians to engage directly with farmers, growers and others working in agroecology, including farm visits, events and meetings.

Agroecology News Digest and communications:

• Support the Programme Lead with the production and publication of the Agroecology News Digest in MailChimp, working closely with the ACN Coordinator and RFT communications team where necessary.
• Liaise with ACN member organisations and others across the movement to gather relevant publications, evidence, events and perspectives for the Digest and other P4A communications.
• Obtain feedback from parliamentarians on the content and frequency of the Digest and use this to support its continued development.
• Work with RFT’s communications team to ensure P4A communications are timely, accessible, accurate and consistent with RFT’s wider communications.
• Support communications around P4A events, briefings, farm visits and other programme activity.

Events and parliamentary activity:

• Coordinate the delivery of P4A meetings and events, including planning, logistics, invitations, speakers, communications and follow-up, with input from the Programme Lead, RFT colleagues and the Parliamentary Advisory Committee as appropriate.
• Support the Programme Lead with the organisation and follow-up of parliamentary and ministerial meetings, including the annual ministerial working lunch at the Oxford Real Farming Conference.
• Develop and coordinate farm visits and other opportunities to connect parliamentarians directly with agroecological farmers, growers, businesses and communities.
• Identify opportunities to collaborate with other organisations on parliamentary events and activity where this supports the agreed P4A programme.

For agroecology farming organisations, in particular members of the ACN:

• Provide regular notice of relevant parliamentary activity to ACN members, for example Westminster Hall and other debates, Defra Question Times, answers from Ministers to relevant Parliamentary Questions and consultations.
• Work closely with the ACN Coordinator to maintain an effective two-way flow of information between parliamentarians and the wider agroecology movement.
• Support the development and delivery of advocacy and parliamentary engagement training and events for ACN members, drawing on appropriate external expertise where needed.
• Where appropriate build relationships with organisations and practitioners beyond the ACN where their expertise or experience can contribute to P4A’s work.
• Help identify evidence, practical experience and emerging issues that could usefully be brought to the attention of parliamentarians.

Programme coordination and learning

• Coordinate the P4A workplan, keeping track of activities, responsibilities, deadlines and follow-up actions.
• Act as a key link between the Programme Lead, Director of Programmes & Impact, Executive Director, ACN Coordinator, RFT communications team and others contributing to P4A.
• Support regular programme meetings and ensure actions and decisions are recorded and followed through.
• Work with the Director of Programmes & Impact to support monitoring, evaluation and learning for P4A, including gathering feedback and evidence of the programme’s reach, relationships and influence.
• Capture and share learning from parliamentary engagement, events, communications and collaborations so that it can inform the development of P4A and RFT’s wider work.
• Support reporting to funders and RFT’s internal planning and reporting processes as required.

For the RFT:

• Contribute to relevant RFT policy and programme activity where this forms part of the agreed P4A workplan.
• Advise the ORFC team on policy-oriented sessions where relevant.
• Contribute to the wider RFT team, including team meetings, organisational learning and relevant cross-programme activity.

You will also undertake any other responsibilities in connection with the work of the P4A which may arise from time to time and as agreed with RFT.

You will thrive in this role if:

• You are passionate about the agroecological food and farming movement.
• You have excellent organisational and time management skills.
• You have excellent written and spoken communication skills.
• You are an excellent coordinator, able to bring together people, information and activity and ensure that things happen.
• You can prioritise tasks to meet deadlines while working to a high standard.
• You are able to interact confidently with a broad range of people, including parliamentarians, farmers, growers, civil society organisations and colleagues, in a professional and effective manner.
• You are happy remote working and enjoy working with a small team.
• You are proactive, self-motivated and resourceful, demonstrating the ability to take initiative within an agreed programme of work and solve problems without needing constant direction.
• You are comfortable working collaboratively where different people bring different expertise and responsibilities.
• You are a strong writer and can turn complex information into clear, accessible communications for different audiences.
• You are comfortable using digital communications and project management tools. (Proficiency in Mailchimp and WordPress is desirable.)
• You are interested in learning and impact and can help capture what is working, what is changing and what the programme can learn.
• You can work flexible hours to accommodate travel to and delivery of occasional in-person events. 

A typical week will involve a mix of online meetings, emails, writing, programme coordination, communications, parliamentary monitoring, relationship management and event planning. 

What else you need to know:

• We do not have an office. We all work remotely from home and meet twice a year in-person for a few days each time
• You will need to provide your own laptop and phone
• We all work flexibly, but you will be expected to do the majority of your work weekdays between 8am and 6pm
• This role is a two-year fixed-term contract with the opportunity to extend subject to funding

The benefits you will receive:

• Annual salary: £30,890 (pro rata at 0.5 FTE equates to £15,445)
• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (33 days total, pro rata), plus an additional 3 days gifted between Christmas and New Years each year
• Annual training and well-being allowance of £350 for all staff who have successfully completed their probationary period
• Equipment subsidy (up to £550) and zero interest loans available to support the purchase of laptop and key office equipment, upon successful completion of probationary period.

• Flexible working to suit your other commitments during the week
• Employer-matched pension of 4%

How to apply:

APPLY HERE

Please upload your CV and a covering letter (no more than 1 page) detailing why you think you are suitable for the role and why you would like to join our team via this form by 12pm GMT (midday) on Thursday, 26th November 2026. 

To minimise unconscious bias, the hiring panel will conduct an anonymised review. Please carefully follow the instructions to remove your name and email from your CV and cover letter, and submit your full name and email in the form only.

If you have questions about the role, please contact Brittany Oakes, RFT Operations Manager, on brittany.oakes@realfarming.org. 

Please note that to upload materials, you will need to be logged into a Google account. If you do not wish to create a personal Google account, or if you have any trouble uploading your materials, please send them directly to Brittany on brittany.oakes@realfarming.org. Please indicate in your email that you are sending the materials because you do not wish to create a Google account.

What will happen after you have sent in your application

• We will let all applicants know if they have been shortlisted for an interview by the end of Thursday, 3rd December 2026. 
• Interviews will take place online via Zoom on Tuesday, 8th and Thursday 10th December 2026. If these dates or timings are difficult for you, please tell us in the application form.
• We will let you know in advance who will be on the interview panel and their role within the RFT.

Equity and Anti-Oppression
We are committed to becoming a more inclusive workplace with a diverse staff body. We believe this is essential to our effectiveness as an organisation and our ability to fulfil our mission of “good food for everyone, forever”. We need to address both inequity and oppression within our work if we are to meet our aim. There will be tensions that this work creates and difficult questions that we need to address both internally and externally.

We know that people with certain backgrounds and characteristics are underrepresented in our team and in the alternative food and farming movement, and we want to address this. We are committed to working proactively to dismantle these systems of oppression and ensure equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their background.

We have started to do this work internally, but we know there is much more to do. Every member of RFT staff is involved and part of this work.

Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form
The Real Farming Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity in line with the Equality Act 2010, providing an inclusive and co-operative environment in which all individuals feel respected. Filling in this equality and diversity monitoring form is voluntary. The information you provide will be kept confidential and will only be used for monitoring purposes. Please don’t enter any information that would identify you. This form is kept separately from your application and will not be seen by interviewers.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we usually receive, we regret that we are unable to offer feedback to individual applicants.

Thank you for your interest in the Real Farming Trust.

A note on AI
We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will be unlikely to be progressed to an interview.

Please note that due to the volume of applications we receive, regretfully we are unable to offer feedback to individual applicants.