Company description

Welcome to the Pleasantville Farmers Market, the largest year-round weekly farmers market in Westchester. Voted Best of Westchester by readers of Westchester Magazine ten years in a row (2014–23), the Pleasantville Farmers Market is a perfect stop on your way to your destination or better yet, as a destination in itself. Located just off Bedford Road in the heart of a beautiful historic walking village, the Market boasts about 60 vendors, and hosts a diverse variety of fresh greens, meats, dairy items, root crops, apples, prepared foods, and more.

The Market is run by Foodchester, Inc., a volunteer-based not-for-profit organized by Pleasantville residents in 2012. Our continuing goals are to support regional agriculture, healthy eating, community togetherness, visitation to Pleasantville, and patronage of the neighboring shops, entertainment venues, and eateries that make the village a great destination.

The Pleasantville Farmers Market regularly inspects all vendor farms and kitchens, so shoppers can be confident in the integrity of their purchases from our carefully curated vendor mix. In addition to amazing food, the Market organizes weekly music, kids events, and a health & culinary series including chef demos, nutritionist visits, and our annual apple pie contest.

Job description

The Manager of Market Operations is one of two key leadership positions of Foodchester, Inc. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Manager of Market Operations is responsible for efficiently running the Pleasantville Farmers Market every week, ensuring that it is safe, welcoming, and vibrant.

 

What You’ll Do 

Market Operations: Plan for and oversee the delivery and execution of the weekly farmers market. This includes: 

• Planning: Ensure the market has the signage, tools, supplies and equipment to safely and effectively run the Market event every week. Collaborate with the Executive Director on the overall layout and placement of vendors, special event tents, equipment and supplies. Coordinate and develop collaborative relationships with DPW, Police and other village entities to ensure accurate set up (no parking regulation signage, barrels and cones) and ongoing safety.
   
• Set-up and Breakdown: Manage the efficient flow of vendor cars and trucks in and out of the marketplace and then into designated parking spots. Oversee placement of barrels, cones, signage, banners, flags, and equipment. Keep sheds organized and maintain and replace equipment, as needed.
   
• Programming: Support and coordinate special events with Board committees and Executive Director; ensure tent and equipment set-up as needed for manager tent, music, culinary, kids, community, health and sustainability, and sponsors. Periodically test audio equipment and identify replacement needs to the Executive Director. Make market-day announcements and introductions on PA system.

• Staffing: Recruit and schedule adult and student volunteers to cover market set-up and breakdown, manager tent and zero waste / recycling station. Develop solid relationships with school principals and parents. Track intern attendance and hours. Lead recruitment, training and recognition ceremonies for interns, including letters attesting to hours worked and letters of recommendations for camps, employers and colleges.

• Safety: Maintain updated emergency plans and necessary equipment, first aid station and accident report forms. Report accidents when needed. Be able to calmly and authoritatively enforce shopper and vendor rules, de-escalating conflicts and knowing when to call for assistance. Ensure employees or volunteers are wearing safety vests in vehicular areas. Train and supervise day manager(s) and team of lot attendants to ensure that the market’s sense of arrival is orderly, friendly and welcoming. 

• Hospitality: Curate a welcoming shopper experience by being a friendly, visible and outgoing presence in the market. Train interns and other volunteers in hospitality rules, and work with the Executive Director to ensure the market has signage and wayfinding to facilitate an easy and pleasant experience. Set up the manager tent and make signage and displays welcoming. Ensure logo merch, Market Bucks and SNAP coinage are pre-counted and ready for sale with all technology tested and charged. 

• Marketing: Collect feedback and images from vendors via email and capture shopper and market images for weekly newsletter. Assist in data collection such as 3x / year geosurveys and annual shopper surveys.
   
• Finance: Oversee cash and credit operations for sale of swag, bags, Market Bucks and SNAP coins. Collect coins at the end of each market, verify amounts and issue vendor receipts; transmit ACH deposit requirements to bookkeeper and sort coins to ready for sale next week.

Vendor Management and Inspections: Build effective, collaborative relationships with all vendors. Ensure products offered for sale are properly labeled and approved for sale. Know the NYS Sanitary Code for Markets and ensure foods are displayed and stored in accordance with code. Offer coaching and feedback when appropriate, in consultation with Vendor Committee. Build relationships with Board of Health inspectors and ensure all vendors comply with codes. Perform rigorous farm inspections of all vendors upon application and then at least once every 3 years, validating that sourcing and grown product is consistent with PFM records. Work with Executive Director on any code or rule violations or inter-vendor conflict. Enforce PFM’s “no set-up if unpaid balance” rule. 
 

Required Qualifications 

• Ability to work outdoors every Saturday in all weather conditions, year-round, starting very early: Hours (April - Nov): 4:30 am to 3:00 pm; (Dec - March): 5:30 am to 2:00 pm
• Able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds; walk and stand for several hours at a time
• Strong organizational, problem-solving and management skills; attention to detail; ability to multitask and own processes through to completion; reliable, punctual, mature, organized, cheerful
• Knowledge of, passion for, and / or experience in regional food systems, local farms, and / or farmers markets
• Access to reliable transportation
• Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree
• Retail or customer service experience

 

Desired Qualifications

• Facility with Google Apps (Drive, Docs, Sheets), Excel
• First aid and CPR training 
• Spanish language proficiency 

 

Compensation

This is an hourly position with a pay rate of about $30 per hour depending on experience, with an estimated 60-75 hours per month, including market day (Saturday), some preparation and planning time and about two vendor inspections per month.

 

 

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline