Archived Page – Posting not Active – Farmers’ Market Manager, Full-Time
Sacramento, CA

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About the Role:

Do you have a passion for increasing food access, supporting local farms and small food businesses, and community development? Do you love farmers’ markets and dream of being the person who actually makes them happen? Do you thrive on planning events? Do you enjoy interacting with others and solving problems on the spot? Are you happy to work Sundays and the occasional Saturday? This may be the role for you! The Meadowview Farmers’ Market Manager will play an essential role in successfully operating the Meadowview Certified Farmers’ Market in its second season.

About Us:

Alchemist CDC is a mission-driven organization that connects Sacramento area communities to land, food, and opportunity – toward a vision in which all neighborhoods are vibrant, equitable, healthy, and diverse. We are best known for enhancing the quality of life in under-resourced communities by improving access to nutritious foods, implementing community-supported public green spaces, and fostering economic self-sufficiency through business entrepreneurship. Learn more about our organization and programs at: www.alchemistcdc.org

Summary:

The Meadowview Farmers’ Market Manager (MFMM) with Alchemist Community Development Corporation (Alchemist CDC), working under the direction of the Food Access Director, serves as the on-site manager for the Meadowview Certified Farmers’ Market. The role of the MFMM is to develop and maintain relationships with market vendors and stakeholders that participate in the Meadowview Certified Farmers’ Market, through thoughtful planning, execution of operational tactics, and outreach to the communities surrounding their markets.

Eventually, after the new Sunday market is well established (by Year 2 or 3), the Farmers’ Market Manager may shift to ~50% of their time managing the Sacramento market, ~25% managing the Rancho Cordova market, and ~25% of time managing a third market in Sacramento County (day and location TBD). The Market Manager will be consulted and included in such planning for Year 2 or 3 and beyond.

The Farmers’ Market Manager will have a part-time assistant at the Sunday market and during the week to share some responsibilities as assigned.

Essential Functions:

• Act as staff lead with primary responsibility to create and launch a new certified farmers’ market.
• Coordinate and supervise the operations of two to three farmers’ markets (only 2 markets in first year), acting as the on-site manager and doing necessary administrative, compliance and logistical planning work.
• Maintain working knowledge of current vendors, their operations, and their products.
• Complete office duties related to planning, record-keeping, and correspondence for the market.
• Ensure markets operate in compliance with state law, county permit requirements, health regulations, and association rules and regulations. This includes applying for and maintaining the markets’ status as Certified Farmers’ Markets.
• Secure market site, including all set-up and break-down, according to the permit map and standard market procedures. This includes the transportation (using your own vehicle), maintenance, and storage of market equipment and supplies, as well as sweeping and picking up trash on site.
• Ordering and keeping inventory of supplies
• Understand and enforce market rules and regulations, and inspect each vendor’s certificates, permits, and licenses necessary for compliance.
• Encourage compliance with market regulations by posting required signage, distributing necessary information for first-time market participants, reminding vendors of regulations as needed, and fielding questions. Visit your vendors’ booths often, check their signage and paperwork frequently, verifying product compliance and quality, as well as booth cleanliness.
• Ensure the farmers’ markets’ set-up, operation, and shut-down are completed to Alchemist CDC’s standards.
• Resolve vendor disputes when possible and/or refer problems to the Executive Director as necessary. Make a written note of any disputes or grievances that arise.
• Arrive at each market two hours prior to opening and stay until one hour after closing, or until all vendors are packed up and the site has been restored to prior working order.
• Ensure the market site is clean at the end of each market day in compliance with contractual agreement with the site landlord.
• Assign all stall spaces to vendors and supervise appropriate stall space use.
• Implement safety and emergency procedures when necessary, including calling law enforcement in the event of an emergency or hazardous person.
• Collect payment from farmers and other participating producers, complete logs and reports, and make bank deposits as needed.
• Provide customer service to consumers at the market by establishing and staffing a market information booth.
• Assist Executive Director in communicating with market sponsors/funders.
• Work with vendors to respond to questions and concerns.
• Assist in recruiting farmers and other vendors to participate in the market.
• Assist in hosting market special events as directed.
• Perform planning, record-keeping, correspondence, and other office activities to support the market and the organization.
• Coordinate and collaborate with Alchemist CDC CalFresh at Farmers’ Markets staff and volunteers.
• Distribute promotional materials to local merchants and associations.
• Assist Executive Director with solicitation of sponsorships and other donations on behalf of the market.
• Assist with market promotions, outreach, social media and other press coverage; including developing written, photo, video and audio content.
• Organize and attend community meetings for ongoing input regarding the farmers’ market
• Attend monthly Alchemist staff meetings.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.
• Plan, track and stay within project budgets.

Requirements:

• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills, including effective communication skills.
• Experience with Certified Farmers’ Markets or California agriculture (preferred).
• If no experience directly with Certified Farmers’ Markets, candidate must have prior experience in customer service, community engagement and/or event planning/coordination.
• Ability to complete tasks on time.
• Ability to work cooperatively with people from diverse backgrounds, including the ability to be kind, courteous and direct to all people regardless of age, race, nationality, ethnic background, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, disability, economic or housing status.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-energy environment.
• Must be willing to work weekends, early mornings, and occasional holidays. This role will work 8-hour days on Saturdays and Sundays, beginning at 6:00 AM on Saturday and 7:30 AM on Sundays. You must be willing and able to be punctual and reliable despite very early start times for setting up the markets.
• Enjoys working outdoors.
• Must have reliable transportation and the ability to transport supplies as needed. Public transportation may be an option some of the time, as long as early punctuality on market days can be maintained.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as part of a team
• Ability to adapt to change.
• Ability to take charge and make decisions if problems arise.
• Experience coordinating logistics and schedules for multiple sites and/or staff
• Experience training staff or volunteers
• Commitment to professionalism in representing Alchemist CDC in the broader community
• An authentic desire to serve customers and vendors alike
• Must be detail oriented with a high level of accuracy
• Must be flexible in your work schedule and able to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines. Time management skills are essential.
• Must be outgoing, level-headed and patient, demonstrating “grace under pressure”
• Basic competency with email, basic math, electronic file organization, and computer skills, including spreadsheets, word processing, Google Drive/Dropbox, and database programs. Ability to manage the market using a dedicated market management software system.
• Must be fluent in spoken and written English.
• Bi-lingual a plus (especially Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Hmong, or Cantonese)
• Familiarity with local community, its geography, demographics and community resources.
  

Physical Demands:

• This position requires the employee to work outside in all weather conditions and requires work in an office environment.
• On market days, this position requires a high level of light physical activity, as it is essential to routinely make the rounds to take customer counts, observe vendors for compliance, identify potential safety issues, etc.
• This position must regularly lift and/or move 25 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move 45+ pounds with assistance or with the aid of equipment.

To Apply:

• Fill out the application form and upload resume and cover letter at the bottom of this page.
• **Alchemist CDC has a COVID-19 vaccine mandate policy in place. The selected applicant will be required to show proof of full vaccination (first course + 1 booster) – (or valid verifiable exemption) before their employment begins.  Additionally, work at some work sites may require staff and volunteers to occasionally wear a mask.
• Alchemist CDC is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion among its workforce and is an equal opportunity employer:
• Qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, reproductive choices, national origin, disability, age, and/or status as a protected veteran. Alchemist CDC anonymizes all resumes and Application form responses before making the first level decisions of which applicants to invite to interview, in order to mitigate any implicit/subconscious bias. Alchemist CDC provides reasonable accommodation to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. Please notify us if you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process.
• **You will be required to complete a criminal background check after a conditional job offer is made. Alchemist CDC will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if Alchemist CDC is concerned about conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act webpage.