Organizational Background
SOLEfood is a non-profit, social enterprise that provides urban agriculture employment and training opportunities for Vancouver’s inner-city residents. Working alongside farmer/author Michael Ableman, (http://www.fieldsofplenty.com, http://www.foxglovefarmbc.ca) community residents are trained and employed to install and manage small production farms on leased urban lots. Produce grown from the farms is washed, cooled, and consolidated at a central location, then sold to restaurants, at farmers markets and distributed to community organizations. With few significant food production farms within the city, the project also provides modeling and education opportunities to a population that has little connection to the natural world or to their food sources. The farm provides employees with a place to learn new skills and an opportunity for self-growth. Starting in 2012 SOLEfood will be expanding to four new sites in the city of Vancouver, and 5 additional the year after. Our goal is to revitalize neighborhoods, provide meaningful employment to individuals with multiple challenges, supply fresh food to inner city residents, and present a successful self-supporting model of high quality innovative agriculture within the urban context.
Position Description
The Sales & Distribution Coordinator (SDC) oversees farmers’ markets, restaurant, on-site produce stand and wholesale sales to distributors and retail stores, and coordinates our CSA program. The SDC is responsible for the efficient marketing of produce while maintaining high standards. The SDC acts as produce “traffic director” ensuring that all products find the right home, is responsible for all post harvest handling of products, consolidation from the farms, and the processing, preparation, delivery and billing of all orders.
Specific Responsibilities
Farmers’ Markets/Produce Stand:
• Responsible for efficient and effective operation of all markets.
• Coordinate with Neighborhood Farm Managers and Director of Operations to determine produce to be sold at markets and pricing.
• Training and management of market staff.
• Establishing and maintaining quality standards
• Farmers market customer relations
• Maintenance of accurate product and sales records
• Maintenance of a clean and safe environment for customers and employees at markets, and adherence to the rules of market associations.
Wholesale:
• Maintain relationships with chefs and retail store buyers.
• Coordinate with Neighborhood Farm Managers and Director of Operations weekly availability list
• Update and distribute a weekly availability list by fax or e-mail.
• Coordinate packing and delivering of wholesale orders
• Generate invoicing and maintain accurate records for all wholesale activity.
• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program
• Prepare, update, and distribute promotional materials
• Fulfill annual membership goals
• Maintain all CSA accounting/weekly sheets
• Generate weekly member e mails
• Handle all member communications
• Generate monthly newsletter
Qualifications
Candidates must possess strong sales, organization, and project management skills; have excellent written and oral communication skills; enjoy working with people; be self-motivated, and have an interest in and a commitment to SOLEfood Farm’s mission. Candidates must be able to work independently as well as with a group, and possess creativity, flexibility and the ability to problem-solve and take initiative. A basic knowledge of sustainable agriculture and food issues is also important.
Salary/Benefits
Submission deadline: December 1st, 2011
Employment start date: March 1, 2012
Salary: $3,500/month
Apply to: seann@unitedwecan.ca