Farmers Market Manager

Farmers Market Manager

Location: Chelsea, MA,  United States

Job Description:

Employment Type:

Part time

Shift:

Description:

Farmers Market Manager

Department: Farmers Market Operations

Location: Trinity Health Chelsea

Minimum rate of pay: $22.86

Total Rewards and Benefits:

• Competitive compensation, DAILYPAY

• Benefits effective Day One! No waiting periods.

• Full benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, PTO, Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term Disability

• Retirement savings plan with employer match and contributions

• Opportunity for growth and advancement throughout Trinity Health

• Tuition Reimbursement

Position Purpose:

Farmers Market Manager effectively balances interpersonal and organizational skills with interest and understanding of local agricultural systems.  The manager utilizes good communication and conflict management skills, preferably with commitment and connection to the larger Chelsea community.  The manager should be a highly organized record keeper, who can creatively engage customers through marketing and has a knowledge base about policies and practices relevant to farmers markets and growers. 

The part-time position at Chelsea Hospital oversees the Wednesday and Saturday Chelsea Farmers Market, which runs weekly, May through October. Responsibilities include vendor recruitment, placement and communication, collection of vendor fees and managing deposits, set up and tear down at the market each week, social media posts/email newsletters, record keeping, customer relations and engagement, and other duties as assigned.

Shift Available: Wednesday, 8:00am - 5:00 pm / Saturday, 6:00am - 3:00pm

Status Available: Part-Time, 20 hours

Required Qualifications:

Education/Experience/Certification

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree, with concentration in public health, social work, education, nutrition or community planning and organization/food systems, or three years of relevant work experience. 

• Training and experience in agriculture or interest/volunteering in local agriculture/farmers markets is a plus. 

• Grant writing experience is important for a successful market manager, and there may be opportunities to expand the position with future grants and coordination with other local farmers markets. 

Physical and Mental Requirements and Working Conditions:

• Familiarity with Microsoft Office products including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint required.  Experience working with WordPress and Mailchimp a plus.

• Grant writing skills a must.

• Management experience a plus.

• Must be physically fit for market set up and tear down requirements.

What you will do:

Marketing Operations

• Recruit new vendors that meet the needs of the marketspace and adhere to the rules and regulations around product balance and saturation, growing policies and maker rules. 

• Monitor compliance with relevant regulations and codes (MDARD guidelines) and market regulations. 

• Secure necessary permits and licenses for operating market in city owned location and hosting cooking demonstrations. 

• Make stall assignments and create market map for optimal vendor/customer flow. 

• Make sure all vendor forms are completed properly and retained. 

• Coordinate opening and closing of market (set up/ tear down tents, tables, signs).

• Handle emergencies and complaints, conflict management. 

• Collect coins from vendors using an established food assistance system, manage and maintain SNAP machine and record transactions at market.  

• Maintain the records and complete monthly reporting for all food assistance programs. 

• Maintain an information booth, newsletter sign-up sheet, market customer count and customer survey distributions. 

• Collect daily and seasonal vendor fees, manage deposits, and track attendance. 

• Hold a vendor meeting to train and orient vendors to market policies and practices once a year. 

• Be in attendance weekly at Saturday market, with availability to work occasional Wednesday market May through October.  

• Manage annual budget. 

Marketing, Networking, Evaluation and Grant Writing 

• Represent the market in meetings with the Chelsea Wellness Coalition, and report annually on progress in customer attendance, vendor earnings, survey responses and food assistance programs. 

• Maintain a weekly newsletter for both markets, maintain such content on the website, and Facebook pages. 

• Maintain communication and reporting to market partners who support food assistance program coordination, 5 Healthy Towns Foundation, County Health Department for Prescription for Health program, SNAP, DUFB, SMB. 

• Coordinate market music line up and payment of musicians. 

• Coordinate with community partners for continued support. 

• Write yearly grant applications to support current market funding, apply for additional funding (ex USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program) to expand/enhance markets. 

• Coordinate/attend Market Advisory Committee meetings to obtain guidance on directions of market, funding, and market operations. 

• Coordinate fund raising efforts, as needed. These include farm-to-table dinners and sponsorship opportunities. 

• Update all listing sites: MIFMA, Taste the Local Difference, Ann Arbor Observer, Chelsea Mich, Chelsea Update, with market dates.  Send out press releases to relevant local papers at the beginning of the season. 

• Recruit volunteers to assist with market operations and other functions. 

Our Commitment

Rooted in our Mission and Core Values, we honor the dignity of every person and recognize the unique perspectives, experiences, and talents each colleague brings. By finding common ground and embracing our differences, we grow stronger together and deliver more compassionate, person-centered care. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law.