Food Hub Co-Manager

Overview

The New Entry Food Hub is a project of New Entry Sustainable Farming Project (New Entry) , a beginning farmer-training program. The Food Hub is an extension of our educational programming for new farmers and is a practical training platform and curricula to educate producers on all aspects of business development, food safety and commercial direct market and wholesale readiness. The Food Hub embodies a unique relationship between beginning farmer producers and consumers, which benefits consumers, small-scale limited-resource farmers, local communities and the environment.

What You'll Do

This is an on-site position based at New Entry’s Beverly, MA, Moraine Farm Office. This is also a two-year limited term position that is renewable based upon continued funding. 

The Food Hub provides market readiness training and technical assistance to new and beginning farmers who are the main suppliers of the Food Hub. The Food Hub distributes fresh, locally grown produce to over a dozen distribution points around the greater Boston area through a CSA program, a low-income food access program, a mobile market, value-added food production, and sales to schools and institutions.

The Food Hub Co-Manager will co-manage all activities associated with a multi-farmer Food Hub, including the below:

• Marketing and sales
• Managing distribution logistics
• Grants and financial management
• Serving as an extension of New Entry’s Farmer Training Program to lead the Food Hub in maintaining an excellent reputation for high quality, locally grown products, professional customer service, and consumer engagement in the local food system.

What We're Looking For

Basic Requirements:

• Sufficient work experience to demonstrate core skills and competencies; knowledge and skills as typically acquired through a Bachelor’s degree in related discipline and 3+ years of related experience OR Master’s degree and 1-2 years related experience
• Minimum of 2-3 years supervisory experience require
• Prior entrepreneurial experience in supervising/managing a produce operation, food hub, or agricultural business is essential.
• Demonstrated experience in working with people in an entrepreneurial business environment which includes a level of business development, strategic thinking, business and financial management, and understanding of community based food systems
• Significant grant writing, grant management, program delivery, and fundraising experience
• Teaching experience with adult learners and technical assistance provision desired
• Experience communicating expectations in a learning environment to help farmers achieve their goals
• Community organizing and cross-cultural experience helpful
• Prepared to build relationships with beginning, immigrant, and refugee farmer participants and volunteers of all abilities
• Experience in building relationships and educating consumers
• Excellent customer service skills
• Working knowledge of computer software (MS Office, especially Excel database and spreadsheets, social media, Salesforce CRM, website content development, graphic design/Canva)
• Highly organized and attention to detail
• Ability to meet strict deadlines and problem solve under pressure to deliver quality customer service
• Strong leadership and diplomacy skills
• Self-motivated and directed
• Works well within a rapidly-changing, high performance environment
• Effective communications, interpersonal skills, and strong writing ability
• Demonstrated ability to identify best practices and share between local and national projects
• Clean driving record and access to reliable private transportation necessary
• Flexible schedule needed, including evenings and weekends.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Local Food Marketplace
• Ability to perform varied and repetitive warehouse tasks including manual lifting of boxes between 25 – 50 pounds, in conditions that vary from hot and humid, to cold and wet, and up and down stairs or ladders
• Ability to drive and safely maneuver a 14’ or 16’ commercial box truck or refrigerated van in urban traffic and congested city streets (no special license required, but must pass a physical exam)
• Forklift training and experience   

Special Work Schedule Requirements:

Periods of intense warehouse activities are June through October where multiple days per week will require long hours, and completion of packing and loading of produce into boxes for on-time delivery to customers. Work happens in a warehouse with limited heating/cooling, so it can be extremely hot or extremely cold depending on the weather. If a delivery driver is absent, or staff/volunteers are absent, the Manager will be expected to complete packing duties and make on-time deliveries to customers.

Pay Range Minimum $52,600.00, Midpoint $65,750.00, Maximum $78,900.00 Salary is based on related experience, expertise, and internal equity; generally, new hires can expect pay between the minimum and midpoint of the range.