exington Community Farm Seeks a Farm Coordinator

Lexington Community Farm is seeking a Farm Coordinator. 

Farm Coordinator Description:

Lexington Community Farm is seeking an enthusiastic, self-driven Farm Coordinator to plan and manage its farm stand product procurement and sales, as well as the distribution of its 200-share market-style CSA. The Farm Coordinator will also be responsible for bookkeeping, payroll, and some administrative tasks for the organization. This role will act as the farm’s main channel for engagement with shareholders, members, and the general community when they enter the farm stand and will also be expected to coordinate local volunteers to help in the farm stand and fields. At all times, the Farm Coordinator should professionally represent the organization and be ready to communicate about the farm’s broader goals of sustainable land use, local and organic food, and food security.

Required Experience:

• Experience in managing the basics of a retail operation, including successfully setting targets, developing and implementing purchasing and sales plans, and creating and tracking budgets, preferably for an operation that sells local produce and products
• Demonstrated ability to identify, contract with, and manage professional relationships with farmers and other vendors
• Experience integrating a point-of-sales system (Shopkeep) with an organization’s accounting system (Quickbooks), and maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of expenses and revenue
• Experience integrating bookkeeping and administrative duties into a retail management position to ensure efficient and accurate recordkeeping

Farm Stand Duties:

• Develop a multi-year strategy to establish and grow the organization’s farm stand with the goals of bringing the community to the farm and generating funding that will support the organization’s broader mission
• Work with the LexFarm Board to establish a profit target, operating plan, and budget for the farm stand for the 2015 season
• Identify, contract with, and manage professional relationships with farmers and other vendors, and work with the LexFarm farm manager to plan for and integrate LexFarm produce into the farm stand
• Work with the LexFarm Communications Committee to market the farm stand.
• Recruit and manage staff for the CSA distribution and retail farm stand
• In partnership with the Farm Manager, plan for and implement the shareholder/ customer pick-your-own activities
• Coordinate and participate in training volunteers for the farm stand and fields and educate customers in the farm stand
• Periodic watering in the greenhouses to support the farm manager
• Additional ad hoc duties as required

Bookkeeping/ Administrative Duties

• Establish and maintain bookkeeping and administrative systems to support farm and farm stand operations, donations and fundraising events, and educational programming
• Answer and respond to (or direct to appropriate contact) farm and farm stand phone calls, emails, and mail
• Prepare bills, payroll, and monthly expense/revenue reports for the LexFarm Board treasurer
• Work with the farm manager to share some site management duties, e.g., arranging property access with utility and delivery companies

Salary and benefits are commensurate with experience. The Farm Coordinator is a three-quarters time position, with anticipated 40 hours per week during May-October and 20 hours per week during November-April. Given the non-traditional balance of working hours between the peak and off-peak harvest season, the search committee is open to considering alternative ideas for how to manage this position, e.g. job shares, taking certain time off to balance the heavy work of the harvest season, etc.

Please send along your cover letter and resume to employment@lexfarm.org.