Company description

Dahlia Campus Farms & Gardens connects people with fresh, local food. Dahlia Campus features three farms including an aquaponics greenhouse, a 40,000 square foot market farm and Seeds of Power Unity Farm cultivated by Mo' Betta Green. These combined and accessible green spaces support community well-being.

Job description

STARTING SALARY: $24.04/hr ($50,000/year)

POSITION SUMMARY:

As part of the Dahlia Campus for Health and Wellbeing, the Food Access Coordinator is responsible for and oversees all aspects of food distribution for the Dahlia farm and greenhouse operations. The role helps develop contracts, agreements, and networks with external partners toward supporting the operations and providing greater access to fresh food within the community. The role supports the farm team’s efforts to expand the communal impact of WellPower’s Dahlia Campus for Health and Well-Being by providing the surrounding Northeast Park Hill neighborhood with a direct, year-round connection to affordable healthy food. Oversee all food distribution, coordination, and sales; log data to ensure adherence to food safety requirements and compliance to licenses; supporting operating conditions of the greenhouse, aquaponic system, composting, and farm operating processes following good agricultural practices and high food-safety standards.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Food Distribution (65%): manage and grow distribution in the community; develop new relationships to expand the customer base for Dahlia-grown produce by conducting targeted outreach to restaurants and other buyers, negotiate product offerings, pricing, and explore opportunities to market to prospective customers, manage communications with customers via phone, text, and email; handle customer accounts using online sales platforms (Local Food Marketplace and Square); handle SNAP and Double Up Food Bucks transactions and reporting requirements, support administration of grant and other funding opportunities, communicate product availability to buyers, coordinate and make local deliveries to restaurants, community members, and other customers, perform weekly product inventory; generate distribution reports maintain log of donation product weights and destinations; facilitate the annual plant sale; support team in ordering and receiving items purchased through local vendors for resale
  
• General Greenhouse Farm Support (25%): help ensure that all farm practices are conducted following GAP, HACCP, and food safety guidelines; test, record, and monitor key system parameters of water quality as needed; adjust parameters of environmental control system, as needed; assist with stocking and moving fish, as needed; monitor fish health and adhere to daily feed schedule collaboratively with the greenhouse team; identify and mitigate, as needed, any pest and disease issues with the support of the Lead Aquaponics Coordinator; assist with training and overseeing volunteers; contribute to biweekly meetings with greenhouse staff to ensure smooth communication; additional supportive tasks, as needed. Assist in running weekly Farm Stand (seasonal evening hours); assist in harvesting/packing greens, lettuces, and fish; perform and enforce proper cleaning/sanitizing tasks, record keeping, and best practices to meet food safety requirements for handling, storing, and transporting food; seed and transplant according to schedule developed collaboratively by greenhouse team, as needed.
  
• Farms and Gardens Partner Engagement (10%):support planning for and attend special Farm-related events at the Dahlia Campus for Health and Well-Being and occasionally off-site while maintaining flexibility and an emphasis on safety as it pertains to COVID-19; attend weekly meetings, virtually and in person, with Farms and Gardens partners and outreach team as appropriate depending upon agenda.
  
• Maintain a trauma informed environment of wellbeing.
  
• Other related duties as assigned.

EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in biology, chemistry, ecology, urban agriculture, horticulture, sociology, business communications, public health, or 5+ years equivalent experience in one or more of these areas.

EXPERIENCE:

• Minimum 2 years experience managerial, supervisor, or coordinator experience in a customer-service oriented field.
• 1 to 2 years experience in agriculture, horticulture, restaurant or food service industry preferred.
• Experience in farming or food production
• Previous controlled environment (greenhouse) agricultural production experience preferred, experience with Deep Water Culture (DWC) aquaponics a major plus.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• Knowledge or ability to learn and practice trauma informed principles and practices
• Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to communicate respectfully, orally and in writing, with diverse persons
• Willingness to learn about ecological systems and controlled indoor agriculture is a must
• Bilingual Spanish and/or ASL preferred
• Ability to be sensitive to community members and respond to community needs
• Familiarity with the restaurant industry and food safety best practices
• Enjoy working in a fast-paced environment
• Strong understanding of life sciences
• Extremely strong attention to detail and thorough follow-through
• Strong technological, observational, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to give, receive, and analyze information, formulate work plans
• Ability to think quickly and respond to situations under pressure
• Willingness to respond quickly to after-hours alarm calls, if needed
• Experience with Microsoft Office, and database management. Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Teams.
• Ability to perform basic arithmetic quickly
• Passion for urban agriculture and food systems, production, and justice
• Strong work ethic reflecting accountability, responsiveness, and commitment to MHCD’s mission.
• Must be able to communicate effectively within a diverse workplace environment and work effectively with people from all walks of life. Commitment to understanding and working toward equity, diversity, and inclusiveness, and having brave conversations toward these goals.
• Cash handling
• Valid Colorado driver’s license

Compensation

this position is: salaried, $50,000 - $75,000

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline