Company description

Little Wild Things is a unique urban farm located in Washington, D.C. growing Certified Naturally Grown microgreens, shoots, and edible flowers for wholesale and retail distribution in DC, MD, and VA. We currently serve over 50 wholesale customers including the area’s premier restaurants, caterers, bars and hotels. We also distribute to several local and online grocers; operate a weekly online farm share; work with one local distributor, and sell direct to the public through our e-commerce platform and a farmers market. We currently have two growing locations: an outdoor farm where we grow our edible flowers, and an indoor vertical farm where we grow our microgreens and shoots. Both farms are located in Northeast, Washington, D.C., with significant expansion plans to potentially include additional locations.  All of our microgreens and flowers are grown in locally produced soil.

Our team is on a mission to prove that sustainable agriculture is commercially viable in urban landscapes, and that farming is the best job out there for smart, talented, hard-working, innovative thinkers. As a first generation, woman-owned farm, we aim to be pioneers in the next generation of American agriculture, which we believe will be characterized by more sustainable, regenerative practices, greater diversity, and more localized production. We are a small, fast-growing team and we put heart, soul, and grit into working on the farm every day.

Job description

We're seeking an enthusiastic, high-energy Operations Manager (OM) to help us realize our shared vision for Little Wild Things. This is a leadership role, responsible for managing production at both our indoor and outdoor farm locations. This position oversees team member management; training, and development; planning, scheduling, and organization of daily production and packing tasks; inventory management; quality control; food safety; certification processes; invoicing and purchasing; maximizes efficiency and scalability in production processes; and develops and maintains outstanding customer relationships.

The OM reports directly to the Founder/CEO, and is reported to by the production team, including several Farm Hands, a Market Manager, Flower Production Manager and Production Manager.  The OM leads the team to achieve shared goals, performance expectations, and clear codes of conduct. In this capacity, the OM serves as a coach who is developing her/his staff to work at their full potential as contributing members of the team. Working closely with the CEO, the OM leads the planning and testing of, and the training and executing of production processes and procedures that ensure maximum efficiency and a consistent, food-safe, environmentally sustainable product. The OM functions as the expert in and lead strategist for our production team. This individual’s chief role is to create a sustainable and scalable production operation to support the business’s fast growth.

The OM’s time will be spent 50% on hands-on production management (microgreens and edible flowers) and staff training and development, and 50% on planning and executing production operations. Specifically, 5% on organizing the production schedule, 10% on quality control and product traceability, 10% on inventory management, 10% on process and ag technology development and implementation, and 15% on order management and customer communication.

Responsibilities Include:

• Team Management and Training: Develop production staff into a cohesive, high-performing team that can scale as our operation grows. Develop and execute training procedures and conduct staff check-ins and performance reviews to ensure feedback and continued growth for team members; manage staff scheduling and daily tasking using task management software; serve as the first line of defense in troubleshooting production issues and resolve staff conflicts.
• Organize Production Schedule: Organize and distribute daily (and longer term) production and packing schedules to ensure all client orders are fulfilled, using task and order management software and e-commerce software as necessary.
• Utilize Quickbooks accounting software to create and send invoices. Process refunds and ensure total customer satisfaction.
• Oversee Quality Control & Product Traceability: Conduct in-process and final product quality tests to verify that SKUs are created to specification and record data for recordkeeping. Update formulas in traceability software and conduct runs to ensure product traceability for all SKUs.
• Manage Inventory: Manage and maintain produce and dry goods inventory using inventory management software.
• Develop, Improve and Implement Processes and Technologies: Evaluate and build processes (SOPs) and test new technologies for the production team that maximize efficiency, product quality, and simple/effective training. Verify that all procedures and policies are being complied with by team members.
• Represent the business in a professional manner, using outstanding written and oral communication skills for staff, client, and community interactions.  As second-in-command, act in a leadership capacity to run the entire farming operation when necessary.
• Ensure the environmental sustainability of farming practices (and striving to move beyond environmental sustainability to regenerative practices) and maintain certification records.
• Contribute to writing our weekly wholesale and monthly retail newsletters sharing stories and news from the farm.
• Other duties as assigned.

Desired qualifications:

• 2+ years of farming experience (sustainable/organic preferred; flower farming, Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and/or market gardening/microgreen farming preferred)
• 2+ years of management experience (in food, farming preferred), including in staff training, management and development
• Experience with Good Agricultural Practices and/or Food Safety and/or Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Demonstrated background in leadership and people development
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Comfortable leading a team, and leading in conflict resolution
• Strong computer skills including Microsoft Office, Google Docs, Quickbooks, and the ability and desire to learn to use new software and technologies
• Ability to stand for long periods and lift at least 50 lbs, sometimes working outside for long hours, potentially under adverse weather conditions. 

A personal vehicle is required for this position (mileage reimbursed at federal rates).  The position will be located in Northeast Washington, D.C.
 

The right candidate will demonstrate attention to detail, creativity, honesty, eagerness to learn and accept feedback, empathy towards co-workers, and will be enthusiastic about working in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment, consistently modeling a positive attitude as a leader in our culture at Little Wild Things. Likewise, they will not be deterred by the responsibility of completing routine and very physical tasks such as cleaning, planting, and harvesting.

Compensation this position is : salaried, varies DOE, $42,500.00 - $52,500.00 Application instructions DeadlineJuly 26, 2019