Company description

Food Works is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable food economy in Southern Illinois.

The Food Works Mobile Farmers Market is a farmer's market on wheels. The market vehicle is a 16 foot box truck on the axle of a Ford 350 that transports food. The purpose of the Mobile Market is twofold: To connect food insecure families and individuals in underserved areas within the southern 23 counties of Illinois with fresh food, and help local farms reach more customers in more locations across Southern Illinois. www.mobilefarmersmarket.us

Job description

The Farmers Market Assistant will help the Market Manager with the day-to-day operations. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in improving access to healthy, fresh foods in underserved communities and strengthening the local food and farming economy of Southern Illinois.

Operating the mobile market at designated locations throughout Southern Illinois, including set up, tear down, managing inventory, creating and stocking displays, and driving the vehicle to and from market locations.
Availability to occasionally assist with special events and other programming, such as food giveaways and school visits
Overseeing interns as part of mobile market daily operations
Ensure safe food storage, handling and quality control
Manage inventory and maintain accurate records
Maintain checklists and procedures for operation of the market
Track sales in all forms (cash, credit/debit, SNAP/LINK and Link Match), and distribute payments to farmers for goods sold
Keep up to date records on market sales, vendors, customer attendance, etc.
Communicate with customers in a friendly manner
Capture the activities of the market through photographs for use in marketing materials
Be an ambassador for Food Works and the Mobile Farmers Market, for the importance of access in the community to foods that are healthy, fresh, and locally sourced.
Must be able to lift 40lbs and able to repeat physical tasks including lifting items into the trucks and moving items from storage to the vehicles

Strong “people skills”, a passion for working in the community, and a commitment to improving access to healthy food in Southern Illinois.
Knowledge of farmers markets, food safety, and local food marketing.
Demonstrated interest in local food and farming systems (farmers markets, food businesses, farming, food access, volunteering, etc.).
Knowledge of types of farming practices (ie, Certified Organic, Certified Naturally Grown, sustainable, regenerative… ), as well as the strengths and challenges of sourcing from small scale farmers.
Strong communication skills and listening skills. Ability to work with diverse audiences with a friendly, welcoming and respectful attitude. Spanish language abilities are a plus.
Ability to use (or willingness to learn) the following platforms: Dropbox, Google Drive (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides), Canva, Mailchimp, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), POS system, and others as necessary.
Ability to drive a 16 foot box truck, or willingness to learn. A Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is not required to operate the vehicle. Food Works will provide driving education for all staff involved with the operation of the vehicle.
Reliable transportation to Food Works’s facilities in Carbondale, IL as we are located in an area with limited public transportation.
Demonstrated ability to think creatively and effectively problem-solve in a fast paced environment.
Strong organizational skills, and the ability to precisely track inventory, sales, and budgets.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $15-20/hr

Application instructions

Deadline

no deadline