Job Opportunities

The Texas Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Services is looking for Soil Conservationists in 27 cities across Texas.

Vacancy announcement NRCS-18-0570-DE-CF, Soil Conservationist, GS-0457-05/07/09, opened September 14, 2018.  The scheduled closing date of this announcement is September 21, 2018.  Full details of the positions can be found at:  https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/510944300.

Open Positions are available in the following Texas cities:

Director of Operations

Organization: F2M Texas

Posted by TFM Operations – Aug 09, 2018

Posted in Nonprofit Job

Address: PO BOX 14984, Austin, TX, 78761

Start Date: Sep 01, 2018

Application Due Date: Sep 01, 2018

Position Details:Position Title: Director of Operations

Classification: Full-time, salaried

Reports to: Executive Director

Position Summary:

The Director of Operations oversees and completes a wide variety of operational, administrative, and managerial functions for Texas Farmers’ Markets, conducting three markets in Austin, Texas. The Director of Operations refines systems to enhance the efficiency of the market, maintains vendor relations, performs administrative tasks, directly supervises the Operations Team, volunteers, and other contracted laborers, and implements Food Access programs. There may be need for hours beyond the regular workday, or outside the target scope of 40 hours per week.

Major Responsibilities:

Operations and Administration                                   

• Acts as point of contact for vendor, customer service, and all other immediate issues at each market. Maximizes procedures for set-up through break-down of market to ensure ease of operation. Creates a safe, clean, enjoyable market experience for all vendors and shoppers. Updates emergency call lists and safety precautions
• Conducts vendor relations. Creates market layouts (placement of vendors, events, etc.) to maximize market experience and vendor success. Communicates with and is accessible to vendors throughout the week, and sends recurrent correspondence to vendors with important notifications. Provides at market counseling on logistical and customer service issues. Responds to attendance/payment/general rule violations by vendors. Retrains and updates vendors at annual meetings. Assists vendors in health code permitting and compliance
• Develops and maintains an Operations budget. Improves spending by reviewing sourcing and tracking expenditures. Responsible for Operations purchasing and budget attribution. In charge of storage and completes regular inventory of all market supplies in trailers and offsite units. Monitors and repairs equipment including scheduled maintenance
• Reconciles financial records and deposits weekly revenue from markets. Generates and distributes vendor invoices, including annual membership fees, contracts and agreements. Promotes market merchandise sales
• Maintains Austin Public Health permitting for Sample the Market booth, including renewal annually
• Obtains accurate and current required certificates and licenses of vendors, e.g. organic certification, health permits, food handlers, liability insurance, etc.
• Supports the Director of Marketing and Agriculture by managing logistics for special events. Directs special events such as visiting nonprofits, chefs and community groups on the ground. Creates original educational curriculum for Market Sprouts programming
• Makes record of observations from markets. Improves systems that track metrics, provides data for evaluation and reports including customer and vendor satisfaction and crowd counts. Inputs data to support grant funding
• Attends and leads regular meetings. Contributes to weekly conference calls and annual board and planning meetings
• Provides Human Resources functions for the organization. Maintains awareness of applicable laws and revises and renews insurance policies on a yearly basis
• Collaborates with Director of Marketing and Agriculture on creating signage and attractions to draw shoppers (including content that warrants social media distribution)
• Aids in vendor recruitment and attends farm and ranch verification visits as needed
• Assists with and provides staffing for the Austin Fermentation Festival
• Perpetuates positive relationships with site partners and abides by city codes according to location
• Represents Texas Farmers’ Markets and delivers original presentations at conferences and other related functions
• Strives for growth through professional development and networking

Staffing and Management

• Directly supervises the Operations Team (day-of market contractors) and other contracted laborers. Oversees paid staff including Market Coordinators, Crew, and Information Booth Assistants (Sampler, Community Composter, and Food Access Associate). Develops and implements an effective staffing structure that contributes to employee satisfaction and retention. Employs staff for additional labor as needed
• Recruits and hires a diverse Operations Team. Conducts thorough interviews and checks references. Onboards new hires and collects appropriate tax information and paperwork. Orients new staff, arranges thorough training, and provides supplementary training materials where applicable. Creates a monthly schedule, accommodates time-off requests and responds to the ebb and flow of market staffing needs. Approves timesheets and distributes checks
• Manages the Operations and Marketing Assistant. Collaborates with Director of Marketing and Agriculture to designate their regular responsibilities and provide feedback. Identifies opportunities for Operations and Marketing Assistant to relieve other members of the TFM team of miscellaneous administrative duties. Helps pilot the new role, analyzes the position, and makes adjustments as needed
• Provides direct and immediate feedback to both vendors and staff. Thoughtfully approaches vendor and staffing related issues, tracks conversations to identify patterns and take further action when needed. Retrains, holds review sessions, and meetings as necessary to keep all individuals well informed and high performing
• Recruits and engages volunteers. Schedules, greets, and conducts onsite training. Supports participants and works towards long-term and repeat volunteers
• Tracks staff Food Handler’s certifications and prompts renewals when necessary. Secures Food Manager’s License for markets personally, and reregisters with city according to expiration dates

Food Access

• Responsible for implementation of the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Double Dollars, and FMNP (Famers’ Market Nutrition Program) at all markets with the assistance of the Sustainable Food Center. Directly supervises Food Access Associates, oversees the Food Access tent, collects and inputs data to support program funding, and streamlines corresponding processes
• Hires Food Access Associate for the market. Finds qualified candidates with support of the Sustainable Food Center and confirms prospective candidate’s proficiency in Spanish. Administers onsite training, delivers feedback, and creates schedules for the FAA. Updates FAA with changes to programs, tools to enhance the user experience and yield results towards program goals
• Acts as ambassador for Texas Farmers’ Market’s participation in Food Access programs when liaising with SFC on related matters. Documents and reports as requested by each sponsor or grant. Attends meetings at the Sustainable Food Center as required, and facilitates extracurricular projects such as annual surveying
• Monitors program equipment, including electronics and scrip (vouchers). Accountable for cellular and data plans associated with Food Access

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:  

• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal and communication skills
• Attentive to details and displays a strong aptitude for organization
• Strong customer service skills- displays enthusiastic, outgoing, and helpful behavior
• Team oriented as well as self-motivated
• Good analytical skills- able to creatively problem-solve
• Ability to initiate tasks and coordinate projects through completion with minimal management
• Aptitude for prioritizing tasks and showcasing flexibility in the event of a change
• Model ethical and professional integrity
• Comfortable working with numbers, bookkeeping and POS technologies
• Strong skills in MS Office and web-based applications
• Willingness to learn and expand job skills
• Flexible time schedule to accommodate variable hours and market activities a must
• Competency in Spanish desired but not mandatory

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher preferred
• 3+ years work experience in relevant work, preferably Farmers’ Markets or nonprofits
• Minimum five years experience in people management

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to work in field and at the markets that operate rain or shine
• Should be able to lift ~50 lbs. and stand, walk, or sit for prolonged periods of time

To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to manager@texasfarmersmarket.org with subject: Director of Operations Application- YOUR NAME

ATX Jerky is looking to fill positions at their Elgin store location and for working at farmers’ markets.  Detailed descriptions of both jobs are below.  Contact Greg at (512) 796-1210 for more information.

Market Workers:

Seeking Full or Part Time Farm Assistants; Individuals or couple, join our growing Certified Organic vegetable and herb farm, a data driven operation, experience preferred but not required, diverse duties; Planting, Harvesting, Sorting & Packing, Weed control, Irrigation,  open field and greenhouses maintenance, may require deliveries to San Antonio and Austin, Dorm available, reference required. Smoke and Drug free environment.

Contact Pedro Shambon Myfathersfarm@gmail.com or 830.822.0200.

As a FoodCorps service member, you can help kids learn what healthy food is, fall in love with it, and eat it every day.  FoodCorps recruits talented leaders for a year of full time paid public service building healthy school food environments in limited-resource communities.

Learn more at the Food Corps site.  Deadline to apply is March 15 at 4pm Central time.