Company description

The People’s Market is a community-centered food business working to create a more equitable and sustainable local food system. We purchase fresh produce and other foods from small and regional farmers and bring them directly to families and communities throughout the Washington metropolitan area and Baltimore.

Job description

Position Overview

• Location: The People’s Market warehouse, Hyattsville, Maryland
• Employment: Part-time W-2 position
• Hours: Approximately 20 hours per week
• Pay: $20 per hour
• Farm Pickups: Primarily Wednesdays and Thursdays
• Markets and Events: Primarily Thursdays through Saturdays
• Schedule: Varying daytime, evening, and weekend hours
• Vehicle: Company Sprinter van; no CDL required
• Travel: DMV-area farms and events, including trips up to 1.5 hours each way

Position Description

The People’s Market is seeking an outgoing, dependable, and retail-ready Mobile Market Operator to support our farm pickups and represent our organization at farmers markets, festivals, and community pop-up events.

This hands-on position combines driving, logistics, merchandising, produce handling, retail sales, and customer service. The Mobile Market Operator will report to our Hyattsville warehouse, operate a company Sprinter van, pick up products from local farms, maintain proper food temperatures, set up attractive market displays, serve customers, and return remaining inventory and equipment after each event.

The ideal candidate is a confident, safety-conscious driver who enjoys working with customers and supporting local agriculture. This is not a driving-only position. The employee must be prepared to lift products and equipment, work outdoors, set up and break down markets, learn about seasonal produce, and actively engage customers.

Primary Responsibilities

Driving and Farm Pickups

• Safely operate a company Sprinter van throughout the DMV region.
• Follow assigned routes, pickup schedules, event times, and parking instructions.
• Use GPS, communication, and route-planning applications.
• Complete basic pre-trip and post-trip vehicle inspections.
• Report vehicle damage, mechanical problems, warning lights, refrigeration issues, or safety concerns immediately.
• Review purchase orders and pickup instructions before arriving at partner farms.
• Confirm product names, varieties, quantities, packaging, farm sources, and condition.
• Count, weigh, inspect, and document products as required.
• Load products safely to prevent shifting, crushing, contamination, or damage.
• Maintain proper temperatures for refrigerated and temperature-sensitive products.
• Report shortages, substitutions, damage, delays, or order discrepancies.
• Return products to the warehouse and place them in the correct inventory or cold-storage areas.
• Submit purchase orders, invoices, receipts, temperature logs, and other required records.

Market Operations and Merchandising

• Load the van according to the market inventory list.
• Arrive early enough to complete setup before the market opens.
• Unload and arrange products, tables, tents, signs, displays, and equipment.
• Create a clean, organized, abundant, and visually appealing shopping area.
• Display accurate product names, prices, farm names, and required information.
• Highlight seasonal products, featured farms, culturally significant crops, and promotions.
• Restock and rotate products while maintaining proper temperature and quality.
• Protect products from heat, sunlight, rain, contamination, and damage.
• Remove items that do not meet quality standards.
• Break down the market, return unsold products to proper storage, and leave the event space clean.

Customer Service and Sales

• Welcome customers and create a positive, community-centered shopping experience.
• Explain produce varieties, prices, farm sources, growing practices, flavors, storage, and common uses.
• Learn weekly offerings and answer customer questions accurately.
• Process purchases using the designated point-of-sale system.
• Handle cash, cards, discounts, receipts, and weighted products correctly.
• Promote seasonal items and help customers explore unfamiliar produce.
• Address questions, complaints, and pricing concerns professionally.
• Represent The People’s Market and its farm partners with enthusiasm and respect.
• Protect confidential customer, farmer, sales, and operational information.

Inventory and Communication

• Complete inventory counts before and after markets.
• Track products loaded, sold, damaged, donated, returned, or discarded.
• Maintain accurate mileage, temperature, pickup, inventory, and sales records.
• Promptly report delays, weather changes, customer concerns, inventory issues, or vehicle problems.
• Share customer feedback, sales trends, and merchandising recommendations.
• Participate in required training and staff meetings.

Physical and Working Conditions

• Candidates must be able to drive for up to 1.5 hours at a time; repeatedly enter and exit the van; stand for extended periods; bend, reach, squat, push, and pull; and repeatedly lift and carry up to 50 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• The position requires working in heat, cold, rain, wind, refrigerated spaces, farms, warehouses, parking lots, and crowded public events.

Qualifications

• Valid driver’s license and safe driving record required to complete job duties
• Ability to operate a Sprinter van and complete required driving-record and background checks
• Reliable availability for approximately 20 hours weekly
• Retail, hospitality, food-service, sales, farmers market, or customer-service experience
• Strong communication, organization, punctuality, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to use GPS, smartphone applications, and point-of-sale systems
• Interest in local agriculture, food access, sustainable food systems, and supporting small farms
• Produce, merchandising, inventory, temperature-controlled transportation, or cargo-van experience preferred

Employees must report to work unimpaired and may not use or possess drugs or alcohol while working, operating a company vehicle, or representing The People’s Market.

Compensation

this position is: hourly, $20/hr +

Application instructions

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Deadline

no deadline