The Greensboro Farmers Curb Market is hiring! Join the oldest and largest all-local producer Farmers Market in NC! The market is a vibrant year-round beloved Greensboro cultural and shopping destination offering fresh produce, meats, eggs, dairy, honey, sauces, jams & jellies, fresh cut flowers & plants as well as artisan goods produced from a 100-mile region.  Under the current management, the market has enjoyed 25% increase in customer retention and doubled community programming. In 2018, the market will continue to undergo significant facility improvements, program and vendor expansions (over 115 small businesses currently sell at the market).  The Greensboro Farmers Market is managed by GFM, Inc. a non-profit 501c-3 contracted by the City of Greensboro to run the market.

If you are interested in being a pivotal part of a dynamic, hardworking team that loves to promote hard-working farmers, food artisans, and small business crafters as well as being a leading business support-activator for local entrepreneurs and coordinator of market culinary events, please apply.

Local Foods/Business Coordinator
Part-time, 28-35 hours per week

Overview

  • Position partially funded through USDA LFPP grant, responsible for facilitating market efforts to establish local foods as an important economic development niche for GSO and surrounding region.
  • Manages monthly market events, including catered fundraisers, craft festivals and plant sales, which serve up to 450 customers.
  • Develops and reinforces key marketing messages about fresh, local foods and inspires participants to adopt healthy eating habits.
  • Develops food entrepreneurs in launching and managing successful businesses in Kitchen Connects GSO incubator program by providing professional food industry technical assistance designed to help establish business operations, profit, economic scale and sustainability.
  • Oversees the operations of a demonstration kitchen at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, including operation and management and set up of all equipment, facility, utilities and general kitchen use.

 Training

  • Coordinates new vendor applications of USDA LFPP grant with Executive Director/partner groups.
  • Edits and coordinates business training curriculum and resource partnerships.
  • Facilitates training classes in business development (marketing, merchandising, bookkeeping) to business plans with East Market Street Corporation and local agencies.

 Manages Events:

  • Promotes the consumption of local foods through weekly tastings, events and education opportunities to feature local foods collaboration with chefs, restaurants, educators, etc.
  • Recruits, retains, and supervises volunteers.
  • Oversees event coordination and logistics of monthly promotional events.
  • Organizes and supervises up to four (4) annual specialty markets (arts, crafts & pottery shows and plant sale), coordinating and promoting more than 100 artisan vendors, food trucks, live music performances, raffles and coordination of volunteers.
  • Creates and coordinates culinary, fundraising, volunteer, cultural, live music and education events.
  • Coordinates and tracks donations of ingredients for the educational events.
  • Uses social media and press to promote events on a scheduled timeline.
  • Maintains budget and expense reporting for event expenses.

Manages Demonstration Kitchen:

  • Manages scheduling events for Cooks Corners Cafe and community rooms.
  • Manages weekly pre-scheduled local foods cooking demonstrations, tastings, and educational sessions.
  • Recruits chefs, community experts, and food enthusiasts for the above efforts.
  • Trains all users of the demonstration kitchen on operations, safety, and maintenance.
  • Enforces sanitary food handling methods and kitchen use policies and procedures.
  • Manages inventory of equipment, supplies and small wares and organizes cold and dry storage.
  • Ensures all users keep the kitchen clean and organized and all equipment is properly working and schedules equipment repair and maintenance.
  • Ensures that the technical assistance provided to food entrepreneurs responds to their needs, including food/recipe costing, learning to prep on a larger scale and sourcing local products.
  • Manages new equipment and supply acquisitions, including ordering, deliveries, stocking, assembly, inventory and expense reporting.

 Communications:

  • Creates written content for the website and social media; e.g RSS feeds, a monthly calendar of events, seasonal recipes, etc. to promote local foods consumption.
  • Manages communications interns.
  • Develops vendor profiles: writes articles, coordinates photography/video as needed.
  • Presents educational information, and articulates market mission/activities to news media or to groups as needed in market and community meetings.
  • Develops and maintains content for market events, changes information boards and facilitates distribution of printed marketing materials.

 Professional Qualifications and Personal Attributes:

  • Able to lift 35 pounds and stand for extended periods of time.
  • Must be available during market hours (Saturdays year-round/seasonally on Wednesdays) and some Sundays.
  • An energetic, self-directed team player who understands non-profit missions
  • Bachelor’s degree in relevant field required or significant relevant experience.
  • Highly organized with excellent time and space management skills are required.
  • Some professional kitchen experience and/or culinary training are preferred.
  • Experience with food-centric special events preferred.
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills, including presentation and public speaking skills.
  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities, work in a fast-paced environment and meet deadlines consistently.
  • Flexibility, creativity, and capacity to work both independently and collaboratively.
  • Excellent computer skills, including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, database management, social media, and electronic communication platforms are required.
  • Graphic design experience highly desirable.
  • Demonstrated love and appreciation for local foods/fresh foods and an understanding of seasonal foods-experience preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to be flexible, respectful and accommodate differences in a multicultural setting.
  • A passion for great food and a willingness to taste anything.
  • Compassionate and adaptable spirit to work with people of diverse socio-economic and ethnic backgrounds- required.
  • Capacity to be a “tough-minded optimist,” always acting to solve problems with energy and a positive attitude required.
  • Ability to speak passionately and articulately about the Market’s mission is required.

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply for priority consideration; resumes accepted through January 17th.

Resumes may be emailed to gsofarmersmarketjobs@gmail.com and please indicate the title of the job in your header and your name.

Or sent by mail to GFM, Inc. P.O. Box 2617, GSO, NC 27402
No phone calls, please.  This is a part-time position to be staffed immediately with the right applicant!