Job Listings

Specialty Food Production Assistant

Mixed Up Nut Butter

• Posted April 11, 2021 at 12:30pm
• Deadline May 31st, 2021
• Location Colchester, VT
• Type Part Time

Availability: Up to two 10-hour shifts/month

Location: Hardwick, VT

Organization: Mixed Up Nut Butter, LLC (mixedupnutbutter.com)

Job Summary

We pride ourselves in our natural gourmet tree nut butters and are seeking someone experienced in food production (manufacturing, or foodservice) to assist with higher production volumes in a shared kitchen as we grow.

Don’t have experience, but are willing to learn? Are you interested in learning more about the specialty food industry? Join our team to learn about the production of a specialty food product from raw ingredients to a finished and retail ready product.  

Responsibilities

• Maintain proper hygiene and cleanliness on self and work area to avoid contamination of product and equipment during and after production
• Weigh, roast, and cool nuts using commercial ovens
• Calculate, weigh and grind ingredients into nut butters
• Identify points of production where quality can be compromised, and act accordingly
• Communicate with other team members to ensure efficient production
• Jar, lid, seal, and label nut butters using appropriate machinery provided

Qualifications and Skills

• Must live close to Hardwick, or be willing to commute
• High school diploma/GED required
• Knowledge of proper food handling procedures
• Food manufacturing/foodservice experience preferred, but not required
• ServSafe certification preferred, but not required

Compensation

Starts at $15/hr, depending on experience.

Schedule (days, hours, etc)

The production schedule will be dependent on which of our products are low in stock, or need to be produced, based on demand. We expect to have 1-2 production days per month, up to 10 hours/day. 

How to apply

Email resumes and cover letters to kent@mixedupnutbutter.com with the subject line “Production Assistant”

Farmland Conservation Analyst

Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB)

• Posted April 8, 2021 at 5:36pm
• Deadline April 27th, 2021
• Location Montpelier, VT
• Type Full Time

Director of Brand & Business Development

Operations Plus

• Posted April 8, 2021 at 9:55am
• Deadline Open until filled
• Location Burlington, Vermont
• Type Full Time

Director of Brand and Business Development

Vermont Way Foods

Applicants, please note the following:

Candidates need to live in a location conducive to building demand throughout the northeast, and attending monthly, in-person meetings in Brattleboro, Vermont.

Applications including cover letters and resumes will be considered on a rolling basis and should be sent to the attention of our search partner, Beth Gilpin Consulting, for consideration by the hiring team. We anticipate conducting interviews in April and May, and welcoming the director in early summer.

The compensation package includes a starting salary in the range of $80,000-100,000+, depending on qualifications, and benefits: paid time off (vacation, personal and sick time); employer paid health (100% for some options), dental, long-term disability, and life insurance; Employee Assistance Plan; and a 401(k) with an up to 3% employer match. We are willing to explore an alternate arrangement with candidates who don’t need benefits.

INTRODUCTION

Vermont is known for open, lush farmland and great food crafted from this land. Vermont’s fresh foods are award winning and sought out by food lovers and visitors to the Green Mountain State. To help ensure the success of hardworking farmers and talented makers of Vermont food well into the future, we need to build demand and connect consumers throughout the northeast to Vermont’s great foods. The Vermont Food Hub Collaborative, L3C,* is seeking a Director of Brand and Business Development to drive this demand creation through strategic leadership, sales savvy and marketing knowhow. If you have these talents, a passion for great food and for doing right by farmers and food makers, we’d love to hear from you.

*Member hubs include Food Connects, Intervale Center, Center for an Agricultural Economy, and Green Mountain Farm Direct

About The Vermont Food Hub Collaborative (“the Collaborative”)

The Collaborative’s (dba Vermont Way Foods™) mission is to bring more incredible food to consumers and help Vermont farm and food businesses thrive.

The Collaborative Aims To:

1. Create new regional market opportunities for Vermont farmers and food makers in a way that is transparent and equitable;
2. Increase sales of locally grown products by developing an expanded distribution network and implementing a collective marketing strategy;
3. Represent all Vermont farms and value-added food producers, regardless of size.

Once achieved, these aims will increase efficiencies, create demand and market opportunities, and increase sales and financial success for food hubs, farms, and other food system businesses.

Our Measures of Success:

1. The Vermont Way Foods brand connects to target consumers throughout the market.
2. Members are able to access greatly expanded markets on behalf of their constituent farmers & value-added food makers, and both groups enjoy increased sales.
3. The operations and management of the Collaborative are well-planned; with clear expectations for members and contractors;
4. Risks are actively managed, and opportunities are prioritized;
5. A full dashboard of Key Performance Indicators aligned with the business plan, including both financial and market demand metrics, is maintained and effectively communicated to all stakeholders.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Director of Brand and Business Development will successfully introduce Vermont Way Foods to customers and consumers, developing a clear sales strategy to drive incremental market growth that supports the brand mission. Concurrently, consumer demand will be built by sharing the rich brand story of Vermont Way Foods. Strategic leadership will be needed to set a 3-year business plan and a vision for the marketing, sales and operation teams to match demand needs. Clear proactive communication and reporting to the Food Hubs will be essential as policy is shaped, budgeting needs anticipated, and market intelligence is shared back from the market to help farmers fine tune their offerings.

RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Brand and Marketing

1. Launch Vermont Way Foods brand in target markets in the northeast.
2. Mold and shape the power of the brand, bringing it to life by sharing it and the Collaborative’s values to connect with our target audience.
3. Plan and oversee all creative development, promotional activities and social marketing.
4. Lead a team, including contractors, to shape and execute a robust digital marketing campaign.
5. Maintain consistent voice, image, and brand through all marketing materials.
6. Continually refine, augment, and achieve brand stickiness.

B. Market and Business Development

1. In partnership with Collaborative members, establish goals and procedures for member participation in market penetration.
2. Maintain and evolve an innovative product portfolio management strategy.
3. Plan product positioning via market intelligence.
4. Develop and maintain higher-level, strategic, customer relationships.
5. Liaise with collaborative members to transition prospective key accounts from business development to order management.
6. Monitor market data, customer feedback, and observations on new products in the market and recommend ways to refine product offerings.

C. Operational and Financial

1. Develop and manage budget and multi-year financial forecasts.
2. Manage marketing metrics and sales goals.
3. Use data to identify key channels, competitive landscape, target markets and prospective key accounts.
4. In partnership with hub management, contribute to the direction of ongoing improvement of operational systems (order taking, sales, warehousing, etc.) that enable the efficient flow of products from farms to hubs to customers.
5. Prepare reports, and otherwise support members through communications by both informing and consulting with farmers, funders, and other stakeholders.

Qualifications

Please note: In addition to the qualifications outlined below, the hiring team will consider candidates with comparable knowledge and skills acquired through another combination of education and experience.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree or significant, relevant experience (especially in combination with applicable education and training).

Knowledge and Experience

• Ten or more years of marketing and/or sales experience with customers of all sizes, including five in management, preferably in outside sales and/or local food, beverage or other consumer products.
• Has led or participated in the roll out of a branded marketing consumer campaign for retail products.
• Experience thriving in a young, growing company (minimum of $3-5MM in sales) requiring effective cross-functional management within and between multiple stakeholders.
• Proven success securing and managing major accounts (institutional, chain and other multi-location customers, including third-party distributors), and understanding of day-to-day customer care and inside sales needs.
• Basic understanding of the food system, including producer seasonality and capacity.
• An understanding of socially responsible business practices.
• Existing relationships with relevant major accounts in the northeast preferred.
• An appreciation for a sense of place required. Vermont-specific experience or knowledge preferred.

Skills, Abilities, and Interests

• Real Food enthusiasm, and an affection and appreciation for the important role of hard-working farmers and producers.
• Superior sales, negotiation, analytical and organizational skills.
• Able to analyze and translate market and customer info into business development opportunities.
• Skilled at proactive, respectful, clear, and accurate communications, both written and verbal, including communicating sales performance and business development information.
• Excellent relationship-building, collaboration, and customer service skills.
• Solid business acumen, including budgetary and strategic/business planning skills.
• Strong organizational skills and natural proclivity for keeping detailed and accurate records.
• Able to creatively adapt to changes in evolving businesses and jump in where needed to optimize operations.
• General technical skills with common workplace tools, such as: G-Suite, Excel, Slack, Asana, and customer relationship management software (CRM).

Attributes

• Optimistic, collaborative, friendly, and highly professional
• Entrepreneurial, and comfortable with ambiguity and autonomy
• Pragmatic and resilient
• Dedicated to transparent and equitable business practices
• Respectful and appreciative approach to working with people from a broad spectrum of backgrounds

Other Requirements

• Transportation: A reliable car & valid license are required in order to meet travel requirements.
• Location/Travel: Candidates need to live in a location conducive to building demand throughout the northeast. Travel will include attending monthly meetings in Brattleboro, Vermont, and visiting potential customers throughout the target geographic region, which may include southern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine; Massachusetts, Connecticut, Eastern NY and NYC.
• and attending monthly, in-person meetings in Brattleboro, Vermont.

The Vermont Food Hub Collaborative, L3C, (dba Vermont Way Foods™) is an equal opportunity employer that values diversity of experience and perspective to enrich our work. All qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, ancestry, place of birth, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, age, crime victim status, health coverage status, HIV status, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Applications including cover letters and resumes will be considered on a rolling basis and should be sent to the attention of our search partner, Beth Gilpin Consulting, for consideration by the hiring team. We anticipate conducting interviews in April and May, and welcoming the director in early summer.

The compensation package includes a starting salary in the range of $80,000-100,000+, depending on qualifications, and benefits: paid time off (vacation, personal and sick time); employer paid health (100% for some options), dental, long-term disability, and life insurance; Employee Assistance Plan; and a 401(k) with an up to 3% employer match. We are willing to explore an alternate arrangement with candidates who don’t need benefits.

To learn more and apply, visit our search consultant’s website at https://bethgilpin.com/current-openings/.

Attention Prospective Candidates: If you’d like to have a confidential exploratory conversation about this opportunity, please contact Beth at beth@bethgilpin.com.

Agriculture Development Specialist III – Emerging Issues Specialist

Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

• Posted April 7, 2021 at 7:44pm
• Deadline April 21st, 2021
• Location Montpelier, VT
• Type Full Time

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets seeks an Agriculture Development Specialist III who will be responsible for leading inter-agency collaboration to support emerging business and industry needs across Vermont's agricultural economy. This position will work closely with the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development to guide economic development initiatives, including dairy innovation, maple production growth and viability, support for value-added agricultural industries, and hemp industry outreach and education efforts.

The position will engage in policy, marketing, and promotion conversations around Vermont's agricultural commodities and workforce development opportunities necessary to expand markets for critical and emerging agricultural products and businesses. The position will be expected to develop new marketing programs, engage evolving consumer preferences in product development, understand applicable agricultural policies and regulations, and explore innovative economic development opportunities for Vermont.

We are looking for a candidate with experience in policy and marketing, with a program development and stakeholder engagement background, and interest in working collaboratively with a dynamic and diverse team. This position will be responsible for coordinating with partners to develop and implement specific economic development projects, engage in industry outreach and education efforts, analyze data to support local, domestic and international markets, and collaborate to overcome workforce development challenges in the agricultural economy.

This position will have ongoing engagement with agriculture and food-based businesses, industry stakeholders, nonprofit and public sector partners, policy makers, and consumers. As a member of the Agriculture Development Division, this position should enjoy team collaboration, diverse work assignments, and being a part of a dynamic group of committed public servants. The position will also be engaged with in multi-agency, multi-disciplinary teams working to grow Vermont's economy.

Draft Animal Faculty & Manager

Sterling College

• Posted March 30, 2021 at 7:57pm
• Deadline April 19th, 2021
• Location Craftsbury Common, Vermont
• Type Full Time

Sterling College seeks a candidate with experience and expertise in draft animal power to fill a full-time hybrid position with half-time faculty responsibilities and half-time management responsibilities.

As a half-time faculty, this position is responsible for delivering course content central to the College’s Draft Animal Power Systems (DAPS) minor and general student interest. These content areas include basic and advanced driving, animal and equipment care, and specific work applications including tillage, cultivation, haying, logging, etc. Additional instructional opportunities will occur within the work-learning course series: Practical Applications and Working Skills (PAWS). The Draft Animal Faculty and Manager would attend the weekly meeting of the Faculty Council, and the regular meetings of the farm operational team.

In addition to instructional responsibilities, the Draft Animal Faculty and Manager coordinates with the Livestock Manager and Garden Manager to determine how our draft animals can best meet the needs of the farm, ensuring the daily care, routine exercise, and utilization of the draft animals in farm operations in a way that supports student learning, associated faculty needs, and the overall production goals of the farm. While this position oversees the care and maintenance of the draft animals, these animals are used by other community members who have demonstrated appropriate levels of competence. As such, a cooperative management style is necessary to be successful in this role.  

To see the full job description please visit Sterling College’s employment webpage.

Pollinator Network Coordinator

NOFA/Mass

• Posted March 29, 2021 at 5:28pm
• Deadline April 12th, 2021
• Location Barre, Massachusetts
• Type Part Time

• Create/maintain and curate communication forums (listserv’s, Facebook groups, etc) for advocates, collaborating non-profits and local initiatives 
• Establish a social media presence for the Network (help it grow)   
• Write/send pertinent network announcements  
• Field questions and direct inquiries to subject matter experts, as needed 
• Co-facilitate the Community Pesticides Reduction (CPR) network with Community Action Works (CAW) 
• Curate online educational resources - maintain a website for the Network, specifically for residents, towns, institutions, and activists. Subjects including: 
• Creating native pollinator habitat, native plant lists 
• Understanding native pollination systems 
• Materials for local policy (resolutions, ordinances) 
• List of regional nurseries and growers selling native, non-treated plants 
• Demonstration campaigns “in a box” to show people what we’re trying to do

Farm Stand Manager

Sweetland Farm

• Posted March 29, 2021 at 3:00pm
• Deadline April 30th, 2021
• Location Norwich, Vermont
• Type Full Time

Sweetland Farm in Norwich, VT seeks a highly motivated and entrepreneurial individual to take over management and operation of our beautiful walk-in farm stand and online store. If you have a passion for local food, an eye for attractive retail displays, great communication skills with many farmers, producers & customers, and an interest in helping to improve upon a successful farm enterprise, this is the job for you! The ideal candidate will have strong logistical skills and be excited to connect local farm goods to the local community.

About Our Farm Stand and Online Store

In 2020 we opened the doors to our beautiful new farm stand as a way to offer a-la-carte farm goods to supplement our vegetable CSA. The Sweetland Farm Stand is a self-service store, open daily 7am-8pm. We sell carefully selected food items from 40+ local farmers and producers. In addition to walk-in sales, we offer a weekly online pre-order option (“Sweetland Staples”) that enables us to reduce waste, order exact quantities, and distribute orders through a contactless curbside pickup model. Our focus is on responsible, local production, and single-source items of top quality.

We seek a full-time, year-round manager to take on overall managerial responsibility for both the physical and online Farm Stand enterprise. The successful candidate will be entrepreneurial, self-motivated, creative, organized, and have a strong enthusiasm for local food. Strong computer and communication skills required.

Packaged Food Coordinator

Inn at Shelburne Farms

• Posted March 24, 2021 at 3:22pm
• Deadline Open until filled
• Location Shelburne, VT
• Type Full Time

Job Overview

Shelburne Farms is seeking a dedicated Packaged Food Coordinator to join the Farm’s food and guest service team. This position plays a key role in the curbside farm products sales operation and interfacing between the Inn Kitchen and Farm Store.    

This position may be covered by a combination of full time or part time employees. Full time, year-round positions at Shelburne Farms qualify for a number of benefits, including excellent health insurance, paid vacation, and 401k.

Organization Overview

Shelburne Farms is an education nonprofit on a mission to inspire and cultivate a sustainable future. We offer transformative learning experiences to help educators and students create a better world. Located on the traditional homelands of the Winooskik, currently the contested land of the Missisquoi Nation along Lake Champlain in Vermont, our home campus is a 1,400-acre working farm and National Historic Landmark.

Commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion   

We believe a sustainable and peaceful future will be grounded in respect and appreciation for the interconnections between natural ecosystems and the human communities in all of their diversity and cultural richness. The Farm is strongly committed to demonstrating this belief in its governance, management and programs. Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion is an ongoing area for capacity building, learning and practice across the whole organization.

Diversity is a core value at Shelburne Farms. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment for all program participants, guests, and staff. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions.

Local Food System Work

In our food systems work at Shelburne Farms, we believe that soil, plant, animal, environmental and human health are interconnected and that agriculture is the base of a healthy culture and civilization. Our goal is to be a diversified, organic farm that supports a healthy local food system and creates an inspiring learning environment. We are dedicated to growing and serving wholesome food, and purchasing from producers we know and trust. Our customers enjoy delicious meals that feature fresh, seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, as well as cheese, pasture raised meat and other products from the Farm and from our region’s farming community.

To Apply

Candidates from underrepresented backgrounds are encouraged to apply. You may submit a cover letter and resume in strict confidence jobs@shelburnefarms.org or Shelburne Farms, 1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne, VT 05482 

Applications will be reviewed as received until the position is filled. 

Packaged food Coordinator Job Description 

Position:Packaged Food Coordinator and Seasonal Mail Order Assistant 

Supervisor:Executive Chef 

Pay Classification:Hourly

Schedule:Full or Part Time

Position Objective:  

This position supports a healthy local food system and advances the Farm’s mission by providing essential  packaging, logistical and inventory management support to the Packaged Food, Farm Store, and Mail Order teams. 

Key Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Portioning, packaging, weighing, labelling, and logging all food produced by the inn kitchen
• Keeping the recipe pricing log current
• Maintaining an accurate inventory of food stored at the inn, maintenance and updating of packaging and shipping logs 
• Entering and updating of packaged food items and other Farm products into Farm Store Square point of sales and inventory system
• Staying current and aware of the inventory status of the Farm Store, and making regular deliveries as determined by the Packaged Food Team  
• Supporting the mail order sales and customer service team between November and December
• Making twice-daily deliveries from the Shelburne Farms kitchen to our Welcome Center Farm Store.

This position provides daily communications between the teams at the Farm Store and the Inn Kitchen, and assists in the consolidation and merchandising of products at the Farm Store.  This position is also responsible for the daily opening and sanitizing of the inn kitchen and offices as well as inventorying and ordering of packing supplies.

Qualifications and Requirements

• Commitment to the Farm’s mission, core values, and JEDI goals
• Strong computer skills and facility with Google Suite in a team setting
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Experience with point of sales systems
• Able to work independently and detail oriented
• Valid driver’s license
• Scheduling flexibility is a plus

Physical Factors.

• This position involves loading and unloading of items into and out of vehicles and carrying items up and down stairs.  Need to be able to drive a delivery vehicle and lift 40 lbs.