Gathering Together Farm sells high-quality organic produce through direct retail to our customers, at 6 weekly farmers markets, a CSA program, and through wholesale channels to restaurants and specialty grocery stores in Eugene, Newport, Corvallis, and Portland.
Job Summary
Gathering Together Farm (GTF) in Philomath, Oregon is seeking a Portland Markets Lead for our:
●Flagship Saturday PSU Market in Downtown Portland, Year-round
●Sunday Hillsdale market, Year-round (April-Thanksgiving every Sunday, but intermittent in the Winter)
●Wednesday Shemanski Park market in Downtown Portland, Seasonal (June-Thanksgiving)
This person should reside in the Portland Metro area. Our strong preference is for one person to lead all three markets, but we are open to hiring multiple candidates for any combination of the markets. This position is responsible for coordinating all of the activities of these three market booths, managing and scheduling staff accordingly, while representing GTF in a positive, professional manner, and providing great customer service to retail customers and restaurant buyers at the market. Experience in fresh produce retail, food service, or farming is highly desired.
Overview of the Role
A typical Saturday market day starts around 5:30 am, finishing around 3:30 pm. Markets are a bustling, busy, but rewarding work environment. You will be working alongside and adding to a team of experienced coworkers who are passionate about good food, you will get to build great trading relationships with other vendors, receive paid breaks and lunch, and an abundance of organic produce for your household.
While your primary goal is to maximize sales at each market and we have a tried and tested style for doing so, we also value the opportunity for fresh display and marketing ideas from you - this is your opportunity to flex your creative muscles, building displays that overflow with abundance!
We strive to support all our Market Leads in connecting our customers with the farm, and to help all of our market staff become advocates for the nutritious, organic produce that we grow. Market staff (or marketeers, as we refer to each other) are the face of the farm; we work best with creative, organized people who are great communicators.
In collaboration with our Markets Coordinator, who is a manager working on the farm, the Market Lead will play a pivotal role in both the function and feel of GTF’s booths, as well as being responsible for communicating with farm management, hiring, supervising and training new marketeers, and the oversight of market equipment and logistics. The Market Lead will also strive to improve the customer’s and marketeer’s connection to the farm, by conveying knowledge of the farm’s crop production and sales strategies, and product information.
Essential Job Functions - Summary
●Drive Equipment Truck to the Market Locations - report any safety or mechanical issues; Refuel when needed. Alternatively, delegate to a trusted and trained marketeer
●Ensure that all marketeers are punched in and out of our digital timesheet app, Uattend
●Review inventory sheet, decide on booth layout, and delegate display and set-up tasks to marketeers
●Reconcile inventory in and out, alternatively delegate to a trusted and trained marketeer.
●Ensure displays are maintained to appropriate standards, ease of customer access, coordinate the restocking responsibilities
●Assess staffing needs throughout shift, send short shift or other marketeers home early as needed
●Monitoring ongoing sales and inventory levels, and adapting prices to maximize sales
●Full competency in handling cash and card transactions, rapid mental arithmetic, and using Square POS systems. Report market token counts.
●Scheduling for staff at all four Portland Area Markets, communicating staffing needs to Market Coordinator
Specific responsibilities - Detailed Breakdown
Communication
The FM Lead will be the primary connection between the farm management and the Portland Markets
●Represent the farm to retail customers, restaurant buyers, and market management.
- Inform marketeers of new and important items addressed in the market memo, review sales items, and educate both marketeers and customers on new items and no-trade items.
- Anticipate customer needs, answer questions in a friendly manner, provide accurate and timely checkout and keep the line moving, and address customer concerns and
complaints with tact and empathy.
●Promptly referring any problematic or unsafe situations with customers, other vendors, or members of the public to the specific Farmers Market’s Management. If necessary, reporting back to GTF’s Markets Coordinator.
●Communicate with the Markets Coordinator:
- Share ideas for market improvement and continually work with the farm to enhance the market experience and function.
- Share photos and videos of market displays on our social media feeds, on a schedule agreed with the Market Coordinator
- Staffing needs vary throughout the season; if there are any gaps in the schedule that you are unable to fill, communicate with the Market Coordinator to resolve.
- Communicate any ongoing or unresolved conflicts or employee behavior that is not able to be addressed at the market via email to: hr@gatheringtogetherfarm.com
Market Logistics & Function
The Markets Lead is responsible for market logistics and ensuring the market is functioning properly.
●Assembling Market Layout
- Lead the market team in safely erecting stable and secure tent structures, and unload equipment from the truck.
- Determine and communicate a functional and aesthetic market layout including location of display racks, register, other fixtures and produce. Make sure displays are beautiful and abundant.
- Ensure prices are displayed in an easy-to-read manner, with additional signage to promote sale items and enhance customer education.
●Inventory
- Ensure pre and post market inventory is done accurately, ensuring that you have enough time and labor to do so.
- Record the time of any items that sell out, and any price changes or multiplier deals i.e. 2 bunches for $7
●Pricing
- Market pricing is dynamic. Ensure prices are up to date and accurate. This is based on the inventory guide price, communication with the farm, and a daily market walk to determine competition and average market prices.
- Utilize restaurant pricing from the availability list if we have an abundance of available produce only. Otherwise, use discretion on pricing and maintain as close to retail prices if we do not have plenty.
●Restaurant Sales
- Act as the main contact for chefs and other customers buying in bulk and/or picking up orders
- Maintain a relationship with chefs and other bulk customers and strive to increase sales of abundant and/or perishable produce left over at the end of market.
- Check invoices to orders, and ensure any add-ons are recorded.
- Ensure all payments for invoiced orders are recorded to include method of payment; cash, check or card.
- Work with chefs and restaurant buyers who want to purchase market produce that was not pre-ordered or invoiced, to determine and explain pricing.
●Monitor and Help Direct Market Sales
- Make sure displays remain full and abundant through the entirety of the market.
- Track product movement. Note what is selling well and what is not and take measures to improve sales of products that are not moving or products that are in abundance. Measures may include: sampling, consolidating and moving the displays, bagging a product for grab and go, matching prices with other vendors, or running a special price
●Break Down
- Make sure the booth is broken down quickly, carefully, and safely.
- Ensure the equipment truck is loaded in the correct sequence for a swift unload next market
- Repack unsold produce carefully. Unsold produce is often sorted and sent to other markets, or used for added value products.
- Donate slightly wilted greens and other unsellable perishables to gleaners if available.
- Organize the cash box, front and face and consolidate all cash, checks and WIC vouchers into one cash box at the market close.
- Ensure the cash box and point of sale transport totes are safely stored during the busy breakdown process.
●Daily Staff Leadership:
- Prior to building displays, discuss important information from Market Memo, the previous week’s successes and challenges, and inform staff of new or abundant produce & no trade items.
- Delegate tasks at each stage of the market- set up, open hours, and break down – to ensure the staff is working efficiently and that each task is done properly.
- Communicate with marketeers to keep the booth well organized, productive, busy throughout the day.
- Oversee breaks, lunches, trading and money handling.
- Send marketeers home if the market is slow. Communicate with staff so they understand and feel the decision is fair.
- Always continue to look for new ways to streamline and improve all tasks and encourage fellow marketeers to speak up and offer creative solutions to best display and sell produce
●Scheduling
- Maintain and update our online schedule using google sheets
- Send a group text to all scheduled marketeers, for each individual market, on the Thursday before a market weekend
- Communicate with the market coordinator on staffing numbers, and any need to hire new staff
- Assist in recruiting and training new staff.
- Help with HR concerns such as new hire paperwork and helping GTF market staff connect with the farm management if they have questions.
●Staff Training
- Continually help staff improve their market skills through on the job training.
- Give staff positive feedback and suggestions to improve.
- Participate in creating an annual market training event.
- If you see a training that needs to be done and need support accomplishing this ask the market coordinator or farm for assistance.
●Staff Performance Management
- Be a positive role model. Create a fun and energetic work environment. Acknowledge good performance often.
- Once the staff is trained and comfortable with their job, it’s the responsibility of the lead to ensure the staff is doing their job well. Communicate any performance concerns respectfully and as soon as is practical.
- If a situation expands beyond your comfort level, please contact the Markets Coordinator or our office manager for human relations assistance.
●Safety
- Maintain a safe work environment.
- Encourage people to team up on lifting heavy or awkward items.
- Ensure that only GTF staff are directly interacting with or using the trucks, lift gates, pallet jacks, and other market equipment
- Encourage staff to bring up safety concerns, and report to the Markets Coordinator and hr@gatheringtogetherfarm.com
Minimum Requirements
Valid Oregon Drivers License is required
Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. They may be subject to change at any time due to reasonable accommodation or other reasons. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
