Job description

21 Acres is seeking a Driver/Distributer/Marketer for our food hub. We are looking for someone passionate and knowledgeable about local sustainable food systems and focused on building a local food economy through fostering farm-to-chef and farm-to-institution connections. We are seeking a highly organized, thoughtful, proactive person to aggregate and distribute product from local farms to buyers in the Puget Sound area. This is a seasonal, part-time position. Job descriptoin below. Applications currently being accepted; position will be filled as soon as the right candidate is found.

Job Description: 21 Acres Food Hub, Driver/Distributer/MarketerThe Food Hub Driver/ Distributer/Marketer is an employee of 21 Acres Center for Local Food and Sustainable Living. The position is currently budgeted to pay $14 an hour for up to 16 hours a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. An additional day of the week, Wednesdays will be added for twelve weeks from late June or early July, on. The hours may increase as needed. This is the most visible position in the 21 Acres Food Hub operations and the Driver/Distributor/ Marketer plays an important customer service role and serves as an organizational steward of 21 Acres. This position is seasonal: March 15 – December 30. The Driver/Distributor/Marketer works closely with the Marketing & Development Director for 21 Acres and with our project partner, Northwest Agriculture Business Center. The Marketing & Development Director is the direct supervisor for this position.

Responsibilities:
Operations and Logistics

• Be on site at 21 Acres and available during Food Hub operating days and hours (currently Tuesday and Thursdays, 7 am – 3 pm) to receive deliveries; be on site other times as necessary
• Travel to farms when required to pick up and/or drop off product and supplies
• Lift and move heavy boxes, up to 50 pounds
• Drive a Dodge Sprinter vehicle, handle vehicle issues that may arise, including roadside assistance (flat tires, etc.) and fuel vehicle with bio diesel
• Attend meetings as necessary
• Attend events as necessary
• Assist with establishing policies and procedures and operations protocols
• Assist other staff with marketing, promotions and logistics related to the food hub

Customer service

• Serve in a primary customer service role
• Proactively solve problems and identify opportunities for farms and buyers in a timely manner

Online Food Hub tool, Local Orbit

• Manage 21 Acres’ online Food Hub tool, Local Orbit
• Maintain a relationship with account manager at Local Orbit
• Assist farms with setting up and managing Local Orbit accounts
• Assist buyers with setting up and managing Local Orbit accounts
• Troubleshoot and solve problems, identify and convey opportunities related to Local Orbit
• Monitors online orders through Local Orbit, tracks product and ensures packing slips and labels are printed and properly displayed on order before delivery

Customer Service and Marketing

• Foster and facilitate conversation and relationships between farmers and buyers
• Provide education, product information and samples to buyers with the intent to generate sales
• Identify selling opportunities for farmers and convey those in an effective and timely manner
• Enroll new farmers in hub
• Enroll new buyers in hub
• Share/impart information from farmers to buyers and vice versa

21 Acres Farm

• Manage the Local Orbit account for the Farm at 21 Acres
• Coordinate with farm manager and retail market manager to keep farm account up to date
• Identify and take advantage of opportunities through the hub for the farm

Food Safety

• Understand and comply with Washington State Department of Agriculture and King County Health Department regulations
• Understand food safety protocols and maintain appropriate food safety standards
• Proactively address opportunities and challenges related to food safety issues
• Maintain appropriate handling requirements, including cold chain protocols for all food hub products

Relationships

• Maintain a collaborative and positive working relationship with Northwest Agriculture Business Center and any other partnership organizations

Miscellaneous

• Serve as an organizational steward of 21 Acres at all times
• Must comply with all organizational safety policy and procedures
• Maintain ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds and transport product with a hand cart and meet any other defined physical activities such as lifting, bending, carrying, pushing, pulling, etc.
• Must maintain a valid Washington State drivers license and meet Federal Department of Transportation driver eligibility and medical certification requirements.

Compensation

this position is:

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline