Farmers Market & Basic Needs Manager - African Community Housing & Development (ACHD)

Description:

• Location

  SeaTac, Washington

• Department

  Food Access

• Employment Type

  Full-Time

• Minimum Experience

  Mid-level

• Compensation

  55,000-60,000

About the Organization:

African Community Housing & Development (ACHD) is a community-founded organization led by visionary Black women. ACHD works towards an informed African Diaspora immigrant and refugee community that is engaged in the holistic development of families, communities, and environment. ACHD focuses on equitable and culturally-relevant health, legal, and educational services; housing stability and economic development; and land-use, real estate, and property development.

ACHD understands the historical values and importance of organizing, strengthening, and honoring collective wisdom. ACHD collaborates with many organizations working on similar goals throughout South King County, including community-based organizations, small business owners, parent groups, and coalitions. 

Program Information:

ACHD opened the Delridge Farmers Market in June 2021 as a community-conceived solution to historic food access issues in the Delridge/White Center neighborhood of Seattle (a USDA-designated “food desert”/food apartheid zone). The market seeks to provide affordable, healthy, culturally-relevant food to the African Diaspora immigrant and refugee community of Delridge, and in the process support the growth of food-based small businesses owned by immigrants, refugees, and people of color. 

We know that healthy food access is key to positive health outcomes. ACHD utilizes multiple streams of funding to ensure that all food-insecure families have access to abundant healthy food - we provide free bags of fresh produce; utilize public programs like SNAP/EBT/P-EBT, SNAP Market Match, and Fresh Bucks; and provide vouchers to all children who attend the market to spend on healthy food. In addition, the market serves as a community gathering space during which ACHD staff are able to connect community members to resources, including vaccine clinics, insurance enrollment, enrollment in SNAP/EBT, and mobile health clinics. 

Position Duties:

Delridge Farmers Market

• Recruit farmers market vendors and maintain vendor schedule, ensuring diverse array of food items for sale at each market date
• Participate in regional meetings of farmers market managers, food systems coalitions, etc
• Coordinate and execute twice-per-month farmers markets in Delridge, Seattle from May to October (dates subject to change)
• Liaise with Hope Academy staff to ensure market site remains safe and clean
• Ensure market remains compliant with all Public Health, Fire Department, and City of Seattle codes and requirements
• Manage all administration, distribution, and billing for food access programs (SNAP/EBT, WIC/Senior FMNP, SNAP Market Match, Fresh Bucks)
• Maintain market equipment inventory and order replacements/repairs as needed
• Coordinate with Director of Finance & Operations to ensure prompt and accurate reimbursement of all vendors
• Track sales and attendance data
• Recruit non-food vendors to provide social services for market customers (mobile health clinics, informational booths, etc)
• Coordinate with ACHD Case Managers to ensure social services access at all markets
• Recruit and manage market volunteers
• Coordinate produce delivery and distribution via the market’s free produce bag program

Food & Basic Needs Access

• Coordinate with Food Access Manager and Food Access Director to ensure efficient distribution of all leftover product purchased from farmers market vendors
• Design, implement, and maintain a Community Resource Pantry in ACHD’s SeaTac office (fresh & shelf-stable food, hygiene products, diapers/baby formula, etc)
• Develop and maintain warm relationships with local food banks and basic needs resource centers
• Serve as organizational expert on food access resources for program participants and community members
• Manage other food access programs as funding becomes available

Supervisory Responsibilities:  

This position does not have any supervisory responsibilities. 

Note: ACHD emphasizes a highly collaborative approach that is rooted in equity and co-learning. Supervisors are to lead with equity and humbleness, recognizing that each staff member brings a highly valuable and essential background and perspective. Accordingly, supervisors are also accountable to staff members, working to ensure they (supervisors) are meeting the needs of staff and providing a healthy and safe environment where feedback and learning is two-way. In other words, supervisors should work to build a positive environment where staff and supervisors learn together, and mistakes are considered a healthy part of personal and professional growth.

African Community Housing and Development does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

• Experience managing events or markets, or front-of-house restaurant experience
• Excellent customer service skills
• Experience with the African Diaspora immigrant and refugee community
• Experience or education in food systems, agriculture, and/or event planning
• Experience managing programs and budgets
• Fluency in English required; additional fluency in a language other than English preferred
• Background check and proof of COVID vaccination will be required

​View full job description and apply here.