Associate Director of Community Food Retail (51301)

RISEBORO COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP•New York, NY

18d•$82,000 - $92,000

About The Position

RiseBoro’s mission is to unleash the potential of communities to thrive, no matter the odds. Through our unique model of holistic community revitalization, we work to eradicate the conditions that foster generational poverty within historically marginalized communities by offering services designed to connect, uplift, and support. While a history of redlining, followed by rapid gentrification has contributed to unhealthy, poor, ghettoized neighborhoods, we believe that by bringing a food and economic justice lens to our work, we can contribute to greater health, wealth, and empowerment in historically marginalized and oppressed communities. The Our Food team at RiseBoro invites our communities to build a vibrant, robust food system with and for all of us. Food is central to how we live our lives – our work, our health, and our neighborhoods. The majority of workers in this country are food workers – mostly Black and brown and underpaid. A handful of corporations make massive profits - collapsing the environment in the process – and wealthy communities thrive, while working class communities and communities of color have little access to healthy and affordable options. Our food should be the opposite. Our food should keep our communities healthy, should give our people dignified work, drive a just transition through the climate crisis, and bring our neighborhoods to life. Our food should be a source of joy, connections, health, and solidarity. Our food should build community, knowledge, power, and self-determination. Our food should be ours. From building farmers markets and urban farms to training and supporting cooperative businesses, we invite community members to take control of our food – to create a food system that is just and equitable, that allows the people and places we care about to thrive, that works for all of us . ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES The Associate Director of Community Food Retail (Associate Director) will maintain and grow market opportunities for local farmers/producers through direct-to-consumer sales while enhancing equitable access to local foods in the Bushwick community. To date, the specific program that falls under the Associate Director’s purview is the RiseBoro Farmers Markets. RiseBoro currently operates all three markets in the Bushwick area, providing community residents with access to affordable produce directly from local farmers and producers. Additionally, the Associate Director will supervise up to two full-time Community Food Retail Supervisors, and one part-time, seasonal, Farmers Market Associate. The Associate Director will oversee all strategy, outreach, administration, partnership development, and operations of the Community Food Retail program. The Associate Director will build out a new market sponsorship program, lead on writing grant applications and reports, and support the Associate Director of Our Food and RB’s Development team in other fundraising efforts.

Requirements

Highly organized and detail oriented
Ability to see the big picture and to look ahead in order to keep the programming on a sustainable annual timeline, maintain and increase efficacy, and scale
Bilingual English/Spanish preferred; at least conversational Spanish is required.
Driver’s license is required.
Ability to drive box truck a plus
Strong customer service skills
Ability to stand for hours and work in all weather conditions
Ability to work on weekends and early mornings
Familiarity with cash, EBT/SNAP and credit card transactions strongly preferred
Experience with record keeping
Experience using Microsoft Office, especially Word, Outlook, and Excel and/or Google equivalents
Positive attitude, entrepreneurial spirit and superior customer service (for market customers and vendors)
NYC Food Protection Certificate or ability to secure it within 90 days of employment
Experience with community outreach, organizing, and facilitating educational workshops
Knowledge of the community & economic development approaches
Understanding of food systems and a commitment to principles of Food Justice
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university required
Experience with implementing new projects, programs or products with multiple stakeholders and timelines
At least 2 years’ experience in food retail, community food retail, or other related work
At least 2 year of managerial experience, including directly supervising staff

Responsibilities

File for annual permits to operate the farmers markets and ensure all operations comply with city and state laws
Ensure markets are equipped with all needed supplies and equipment and ensure transportation is secured and managed
Oversee Farmer/ Producer recruitment and work with the Community Food Retail Supervisor that is focused on Vendor management to ensure that all vendors are receiving timely communication
Coordinate vendor placement at markets, support vendors to grow their businesses and comply with all laws governing their sales, etc.
Supervise all Community Food Retail staff
Manage relationships with program partners
Work with RiseBoro staff to promote the Community Food Retail programs internally and to their clients
Work closely with all of RiseBoro’s partner nonprofits organizations, and public agencies/businesses
Oversee all finances for the Community Food Retail work - ensure timely cash deposits, all sales tracking, EBT Tracking and Farmer invoice processing, and petty cash card management.
In coordination with the Bushwick Grows Community Farm Team, develop curriculum and implement annual 6-week Summer Youth Employment Program; teaching Food Systems knowledge and offering hands-on experience in community-based food work.
Regularly and actively participate in relevant community meetings related to food and economic justice work and attend conferences and workshops on farmers markets operations.
Oversee all marketing for the Community Food Retail programming by supporting the Community Food Retail Supervisor that is focused on social media, newsletters, online resources, door knocking, events, flyers and meetings
Participate in monthly Our Food staff meetings
In coordination with Our Food Associate Director, Support with all Community Food Retail Contracts
Oversee purchases of market retail produce, materials, and other supplies
Collaborate with NYCDOHMH’s Stellar Markets Program to deliver cooking demonstrations at our markets.
If funding allows, hire and supervise and Community Culinary Educator to offer additional cooking demonstrations at sites and times not serviced by the Stellar Markets Program
Create staffing schedules that cover all needed market operations while ensuring schedules meet staff capacity
Work closely with Community Food Retail team to execute farmers markets: Work at least one market day shift, load and transport market inventory, set-up and breakdown tents/tables, merchandise local goods, and support vendors; Manage sales, record keeping, and distribution of sales, tent rentals, and EBT tokens & Health Bucks
Collaborate with the Associate Director of Our Food and the development department to write, submit, and manage grant proposals
Provide supportive content for proposals, budgets and reports
Develop program budgets and manage spending on grants
Build out a new market corporate/local business sponsorship program and work with the development department on strategies to secure individual donations
Plan outreach, engagement, and leadership development strategies in accordance with grant goals and deliverables