Company description

FEED Cooperative has been dedicated to supporting the local farm community in the North Bay region since the food hub's inception in 2011. We are the first fresh-produce multi-stakeholder cooperative in California, where both producers and employees are owners. Based in Petaluma, FEED distributes produce from local farms to markets, restaurants, and corporate kitchens throughout the Bay Area. We also collaborate with local food banks and school districts within our community. 

Job description

 

The Purchasing Manager is a full-time position overseeing the produce supply chain of all farms within the FEED Cooperative community as a mechanism for sales. This role will also work with farmers to plan for a multi-tiered sales strategy that supports FEED's long-term mission of a self-owned bio-regional food system 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Maintain all produce supply on FEED's web-based marketplace (full-day Tuesdays & Fridays)
• Orchestration of all harvest sessions (full-day Mondays & Thursdays, beginning at 4 am) including confirming all produce sold is harvested and aggregated on the appropriate day
• Coordinate the design of all FEED Bin builds with the sales team (this includes Wholesale and FEED Bin marketing team when applicable)
• Work directly with the warehouse management team to ensure that the aggregation of all produce on Mondays and Thursdays is achieved in an efficient manner
• Coordinate with the Sales Manager and FEED's General Manager the combined produce sales strategy for both wholesale sales channels and our internal FEED Bin program 
• Strategize with each producer/farm and our sales team a crop planning tool that weaves into a longer-term community-wide crop plan 
• Conduct site visits to each FEED producer/farm, averaging one site visit per week 
• Act as a liaison between the farmers and the warehouse team concerning food safety and FEED's organic produce handler certification 
• Work directly with FEED's marketing team as a means to promoting the beautiful produce coming out of the fields for our clients 
• Report directly to FEED's General Manager regarding any concerns or events in real-time that may affect existing protocols 
• FEED's supply-side goal: working closely with the sales team to sell 100 percent of saleable products from our farming community, and using this leverage to encourage the introduction of the next generation of farmers
• Evaluate new suppliers and maintain relationships with current producers
• Participate in FEED Cooperative events as necessary to strengthen connections within our local food community 

 

QUALIFICATIONS FOR THE JOB 

Education: 

A bachelor's degree is desired but not mandatory 

Experience: 

• Experience working in wholesale produce sales or distribution is a must 
• Evidence of establishing & maintaining highly communicative relationships with others is key 
• Fluency in Google suite products is paramount
• Applicants must be able to drive to farms and to FEED HQ on a regular weekly basis
• A working knowledge of Local Food Marketplace (our web-based supply and sales platform) is desired but not mandatory (training can be given)
• Organizational agility and leadership ability to shepherd projects through the organization and across the supply chain
• Proficiency in Spanish is preferred

 

KEY COMPETENCIES

• A desire to develop a complex working relationship with each farmer in the FEED community 
• A willingness to work with the FEED Cooperative community of members to enhance the farm-based culture of our food system 
• Must be a true self-starter that can work within a team environment, and can also eagerly take self-ownership of one's position
• Can provide a PowerPoint / Google Slides presentation to FEED's Board of Directors showing our progress and how your work is in harmony with the longer-term visioning of the cooperative itself
• Can read, write, and speak fluently in agricultural Spanish, or be willing to learn in an expeditious manner
• The ability to oversee product sampling and quality control with our warehouse and receiving teams
• Ability to take the initiative, stay organized, and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Familiarity with food and sustainability-related certifications and requirements 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• This position will require weekly inspection of produce for quality control, in coordination with the warehouse receiving team (Our main receiving days are Mondays and Thursdays). Thus, some heavy lifting up to 50 lbs may be required

 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• $65,000-$70,000 per year salary depending on experience. This is a non-exempt role.
• 2 weeks of paid vacation
• 5 PTO/sick days per year
• Health coverage
• One Ohana FEED Bin weekly
• Professional development opportunities
• Employee discount for FEED storefront items

We are an equal-opportunity employer dedicated to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We strive to create a workplace that values diversity and promotes inclusivity, where every employee feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute to our success

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $65,000.00 - $70,000.00

Application instructions

Deadline

May 13, 2024