Job Description The Farmers’ Market manager is responsible for the daily operations of the market on Saturdays beginning in late April through the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Non-market time hours are also required for marketing and other administrative duties. Attendance at all market meetings is required. The market manager is the “go-to” person for vendors and customers during market hours and is the market representative on site. The job requires personal confidence and the ability to communicate with a variety of people. The market relies on the market manager to be its liaison with and between all parties served by the market, helping promote the market and keeping accurate weekly records of market activities (listed below). The manager understands both the vendors’ and the customers’ needs and implements strategies to meet those needs with the help of the market president and committee. The manager is required to be on-site at the market and be available to vendors and consumers for the duration of the vendors’ market day (6am-2pm) 

General Requirements: The market manager has a strong knowledge and understanding of local agriculture, food, community, and the marketing skills to promote the market. The manager is reliable, friendly, self- motivated and efficient. The manager is literate in social media tools such as email list servers and facebook. The manager must be available for phone and email contact with vendors throughout the duration of their employment. The manager must be able to work outdoors in all weather, and safely lift and carry 50 pounds. The position requires the ability to work independently as well as interdependently with vendors and other related connections.  

Responsibilities:

• P/R and Communications: promote market to public, press, and businesses.
  • Post and update signs & flyers in the immediate area
  • Issue ongoing press releases to secure free spots on radio, newspaper articles.
  • Organize, promote, and facilitate special market events that improve PR, and promote customer attendance and community support
  • Update Facebook/Twitter, website, and other social media       and send out a newsletter weekly during the market season
  • Create and implement measures to grow email contact list (e.g. promotions, etc.)
  • Conduct surveys and other assessments to ascertain the areas where the market is doing well or could improve
• Management
  • Locate, recruit, schedule and train market volunteers
  • Mediate vendor conflicts
  • Maintain communication with market committee about any issues that arise, and with all vendors about special events, guest vendors, events on the common, and other pertinent information
  • Coordinate market map designating location of all vendors for each market
• Administrative/Bookkeeping
  • Register all vendors, collect/track vendor payments, manage bank account
  • Pay bills
  • Maintain budget, update monthly
  • Maintain customer counts at the market
  • Work closely with the Town government (Health Department, Agricultural Commission, Select Board and other departments as needed) to make sure all requirements are being met
  • Work with market EBT/SNAP program (manager does not run this program, but should be able to answer questions for volunteers, customers, and vendors at market).
  • Prepare annual budget report for Annual meeting in February
  • Keep an up-to-date market vendor map and accurate records of the market. These records will be kept in a form that is easily accessible and transferable to subsequent managers and to members of the committee. These records include:
    • Financial records
    • Minutes of all meetings
    • Vendor attendance and sales estimates
    • Guest/part time vendor attendance and payment
    • Town events
    • Weather
    • SNAP/EBT totals
    • Music/Entertainment

• • Pick up mail regularly at P.O. Box 203 at the Amherst Post Office; maintain timely correspondence
  • Maintain timely email correspondence
• Committee Coordination
  • Organize Annual Meeting in February, and regular committee meetings during the season
  • Actively keep committee informed, work to solve bigger issues and further develop market guidelines and review new and guest vendors.
  • Facilitate voting on any issues that require committee approval
• Entertainment
  • Book a musician at every market
  • Organize regular special events at market
• Market days:

• • Arrive at the Spring Street lot at 6:00am to retrieve cones and market-related materials for set-up and stay until 2pm to put everything away.
  • Safely direct “loading in” and “loading out” operations,
  • Ensure safety and cleanliness of the site before, during and at the conclusion of each market, including making sure vehicles are chocked and tents are secured.
  • Establish a consistent space to set-up and operate the market manager’s tent. Operation of the market manager’s tent includes:
    • Displaying and distributing educational materials
    • Collecting consumer’s contact information
    • Displaying and selling any MARKET merchandise
  • Be prepared to contact all vendors via phone or internet in the event special circumstances arise, as well as the maintaining the ability to receive messages from vendors as to their attendance. It is the vendor’s responsibility to notify the market manager the night before if they will not be attending, and the manager’s responsibility to fill the spot with a guest/part time vendor from a list determined by the committee.
  • Mark out vendor spaces prior to each market (Friday night or Saturday morning).

Compensation this position is : hourly How to apply DeadlineJanuary 09, 2015