Employer: Farmshare Austin

Position: Food Access Procurement and Logistics Manager

Reports To: Food Access Director

Direct Reports: None

Location: Primarily at onsite at Farmshare with occasional remote work

Schedule: Full time

Salary: $50,000-$60,000/year, PTO, paid holidays, and healthcare reimbursement stipend

 

Farmshare Austin’s mission is to grow a healthy, just and equitable local food system by increasing community food access and cultivating new farmers.

 

About Farmshare

Located on a 13-acre certified organic farm in Southeastern Travis County, approximately 10 miles east of Austin Bergstrom International Airport off Highway 71. Farmshare Austin cultivates the next generation of farmers and increases community food access. We offer opportunities in a learning community for adults who are interested in launching careers in organic and sustainable farming. Over 75 percent of the produce grown on the farm goes directly to our Fresh for Less Mobile Markets and Home Delivery, a weekly, reliable food access program serving 22 zip codes in the Eastern Crescent of Austin and Travis County.  

 

Since 2014, we have graduated over 100 adults from our 20-week Farmer Starter beginning farmer training, of whom nearly 80% are working in agriculture or an agriculture-related field. 

 

Since fall 2016, Farmshare’s food access work has focused on Fresh for Less Mobile Markets and Home Delivery, a partnership with local government that provides a weekly, reliable source of reduced price, farmers’ market quality fresh produce and nutrient-dense grocery items to low-income customers in the Eastern Crescent of Austin and Travis County. 

 

Job Summary:

The Procurement and Logistics Manager is responsible for managing program logistics for Farmshare Austin’s Fresh for Less Food Access Programs including Mobile Markets and Home Delivery. The goal of these programs is to provide fresh, seasonal produce and grocery items at accessible prices in identified communities that have been selected due to socioeconomic and/or geographic barriers to accessing fresh food.

 

The Procurement and Logistics Manager is primarily responsible for all program ordering (honey, eggs, grocery items and produce from multiple farms/businesses),inventory management, including receiving, product flow and storage in on-farm coolers, and keeping detailed records of all procurement activities. The Procurement and Logistics Manager is the primary individual responsible for updating and operating the Fresh for Less webstore, which is hosted on Local Food Marketplace software. The Procurement and Logistics Manager keeps the webstore consistently updated with an excellent selection of available produce and grocery items, and be able to run, manage and analyze data reports (sales, items sold, etc.), as requested by the Food Access Director or Executive Director. The Procurement and Logistics Manager is expected to assist with refunding customers and lead order packing. The Procurement and Logistics Manager is expected to build and maintain strong working relationships with Farmshare Austin’s farmers and farmer Cultivators, as well as other vendors from whom they are sourcing products. The Procurement and Logistics Manager evaluates current systems and creates new systems as needed to improve overall efficiency. This position also works very closely with Farmshare Austin’s Operations Manager to ensure smooth day to day programmatic operation and clear communication about weekly produce availability for the Markets and Home Delivery.

 

All Farmshare Austin employees may be expected to help on the farm occasionally. This may include harvesting, weeding and packing produce or other manual tasks. Employees may also be expected to attend and/or assist with Farmshare community events and fundraisers and other duties as assigned.

 

Essential Job Duties:

• Ordering and receiving produce and other goods

• Managing cooler and shelf stable goods

• Maintaining accurate inventories

• Communicating availability and issues with Operations Manager

• Updating and managing webstore

• Building relationships within procurement networks

• Programmatic Improvements and Data Collection:

  • Creating and implementing efficient systems

  • Aggregating Home Delivery Program sales data for Food Access Director

  • Data input and analysis

  • Leading packing shifts​

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Other duties assigned, such as: 

• Assisting with events

• Supporting farm activities

• Coordinating volunteers

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Requirements: Education, Experience and Skills:

• Highly organized and an excellent communicator 

• Familiarity with Microsoft Excel/Google Sheets and ability to efficiently organize large amounts of data in spreadsheets.

• Experience with agricultural supply chain, product procurement, grocery and/or retail or other related field

• Able to spend at least 50% or more of work time at Farmshare Austin’s organic farm and office in Cedar Creek, Texas

• Passion for food access and commitment to building an equitable food system

• An understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities, or a commitment to learning

• Ability to move equipment weighing up to 50 lbs and occasionally work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions

• Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision

• Ability to help develop and communicate new systems, identify opportunities for improvement and take initiative

• Flexible and solutions-oriented approach to challenges

 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Intermediate Spanish language speaking proficiency (or higher)

• Experience with Local Food Marketplace webstore software and/or other web-based POS or store platforms, such as Wix or Square

• Experience with ethnically, culturally and socio-economically diverse groups 

• Ability to communicate cordially, professionally and effectively with the public

 

Benefits:

• Employer contribution to an individual Healthcare Reimbursement Arrangement for each employee.

• Paid time off (PTO) of 160 hours per fiscal year, prorated according to start date and full or part-time position.

• Five additional paid holidays.

• Paid time off between Christmas Eve and New Years Day when offices are closed.

• Plenty of farm produce to take home and a terrific, supportive team.

 

Application Process:

• This position starts in June 2024

• Candidates should email their applications to Farmshare’s Food Access Director Alicia Fischweicher at alicia@farmshareaustin.org

• Use the email subject line “Procurement and Logistics Manager Application”

• Applications must include:

  • Resume

  • Cover letter describing your connection to Farmshare’s mission and how your experience prepares you for the responsibilities included in the job description

 

We will review applications on a rolling basis. This application will remain open until filled. We will not accept phone inquiries about this position.