Job description

Grow Eastern Market aims to increase access to local produce by brokering relationships with distributors and institutional buyers to create and expand new market channels for Michigan’s small and emerging growers.

Summary:  
The General Manager is responsible for increasing the number of growers into the organization, securing new markets for GEM products, establishing operation procedures, managing logistics, and day to day operations of GEM.  This position requires an individual who is self-motivated, entrepreneurial, detail-oriented, and has the confidence and experience to be an active decision-maker in a fast-paced, multiple-project environment. S/He should be an effective communicator who is adept at persuasive argument. S/He should have strong people skills and be effective at delegating and negotiating and being a team player. Experience in business management, sales and marketing, personnel management, accounting, cooperative management, food distribution, agriculture, food safety systems, fresh produce management or procurement, and/or regional food marketing is desirable. Strong computer skills are essential. 

Primary Objectives: 

• Oversee the operations of the organization and recommend changes and additions to the board when necessary.
• With support of our back-office services provider, develop annual financial budget; prepare financial reports regularly; present to the organization membership at the regular annual meeting, a report of the organization’s operational highlights. Manage finances so the organization is fiscally stable and sustainable, and financial obligations to growers, employees, customers, lenders, investors and community are met.
• Create grower/producer partnerships and supply contracts.
• Insure that sales and marketing efforts deliver maximum value to growers and customers while maintaining or improving cost efficiencies.
• Periodically communicate GEM developments to  growers/producers.
• Oversee operational and logistical systems which insure quality and packing standards are met; health and safety of employees, growers and customers is preserved; orders are filled accurately; and deliveries are made in a timely manner; while maintaining or improving cost efficiencies of these systems.
• Represent GEM at relevant meetings including those at which pending or proposed local, state, and federal regulations affecting the organization is being determined.
• Periodically evaluate the organization’s performance through KPIs determined by the board of directors; follow up on results as needed.
• Develop the business, seeking out new customers, markets, growers/suppliers, products to offer, and packs, grades or standards for existing products. Explore new systems for sales, marketing, quality control, order fulfillment, delivery and bookkeeping, especially systems that improve performance, accuracy and/or efficiency.

  Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• Supervises and coordinates business activities by managing the people, capital, and physical resources.
• Conduct customer outreach in an effort to create yearly market projections.
• Work with growers to create a detailed production plan each winter for the coming season.
• Conduct outreach to potential growers to build supply capacity that will ensure GEM's long-term stability.
• Develop product specifications in cooperation with farmers, distributors and buyers.
• Develop relationships and partnerships with processors.
• Evaluate logistics to improve distribution efficiencies and allow for continued market penetration.
• Develop brand and marketing collateral to promote farmers and provide materials to buyers.
• Meet regularly with Bookkeeper to insure records are being kept accurately.
• Attend monthly Board Meetings to provide financial statements, share progress, discuss challenges, and celebrate achievements.
• Conduct performance reviews with employees at least annually, and not more often than every six months.
• Furnishes information needed for long-range planning. This will bring matters, such as fixed asset additions or revisions, to the board’s attention for review. He/she should make recommendations that will assist in reviewing the organization’s objectives and goals in establishing policies, financial activities, regulations, and making related plans. Based on those objectives, the manager with the Board sets goals and makes short-range plans involving the daily business of the organization. He/she needs to 1) encourage active patronage of various types of farmers; 2) communicate developments of the organization farmers and buyers; 3) educate the general public about the organization and its activities; and 4) keep current on issues, local, State, and Federal regulations, and pending legislation affecting organizations.
• Provide an annual report at the Annual Meeting to each grower-member detailing the organization’s performance.

 Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business, food science, agriculture, or related field
• Experience working with one or more of the following businesses: cooperative, food hub, grocery/retail, distribution/warehousing/transportation
• Detailed knowledge regarding handling, storage, display, distribution and sale of fresh produce.
• Five years experience in a retail or wholesale food business, food processing, agriculture, or produce terminal operations 
• Strong written and verbal communications skills including proficiency with appropriate computer programs
• Ability to work as a team leader and as a team member to accomplish many tasks simultaneously 
• Proficiency in accounting and logistic software systems.
• Ability to carry forward the details of operating the business; 
• Willingness to make mistakes and ability to learn from them
• Ability to recognize differences in people and be flexible in dealing with them; and 
• Good oral and written communication skills.

Salary and Benefits 

Salary
$60,000 base salary plus sales commission.
 
Vacation
Three weeks of paid vacation per year will be granted after 90 days during the first year of employment. 

Health Insurance
Health insurance stipend offered.
 
Retirement
A 401K retirement plan is available to all employees after one year of service.

Compensation

this position is:

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline