NOW HIRING
POSITION TITLE: Local Foods Coordinator
40 hrs/week, health care benefits and mileage reimbursements available
Salary based on experience
Local First Arizona is a statewide organization founded in 2003. We seek to
promote, support, and celebrate a sustainable Arizona economy by educating
citizens about local business ownership, social equity, cultural diversity,
environmental kinship and collaboration.
Our vision is to make Arizona a better place by supporting locally owned
businesses and building vibrant communities that residents are proud to call home.
Local First uses a strategy that combines a statewide membership with smart
branding and lots of events and digital tools to build healthy food networks and
awareness about healthy food access.
www.localfirstaz.com
www.localfirstazfoundation.org
www.goodfoodfinderaz.org
The ideal candidate for Local Foods Coordinator will:
Have an understanding of and experience with small and large agricultural
businesses, food producers, restaurants, and purveyors of Arizona.
Be familiar with the use of new and emerging digital marketing tools and strategies
including social media, blogging, WordPress, database management, and
newsletter creation
Have food-related contacts and connections (growers, ranchers, producers,
purveyors, restaurants, wineries, craft breweries, farmer’s markets, CSAs, etc)
Have the ability convene and motivate a variety of people
Have some event management experience, including coordinating volunteers and
vendors, as well as marketing and planning for successful food related events
Key skills for a successful Local Foods Coordinator include:
·
Self-starting
·
Solutions-oriented
·
Works independently
·
Project and event management
·
Understands Marketing
·
Good written and oral communication skills
·
Great interpersonal skills
·
Public speaking a plus
Comfortable with technology including basic database management and all
social media
·
Passion for building healthy communities where people are proud to live
Passion for building healthy food systems, understands big picture issues
related to food desserts, healthy food access, food distribution obstacles, and
farm-to-school challenges
FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Report directly to Local Foods Development Director
Daily Duties
Answers phones and emails related to LFA food businesses
and membership
Handles outreach to local food businesses to grow the membership base
Maintains accurate data
Manages and grows relationships with members of Local First with
exceptional customer service skills
Manages the membership application/qualification process, including
background research and vetting applying businesses
Maintains an above average understanding of food-related issues
Oversees 2 food department interns, including managing schedules,
assignments, and event execution.
Provides content and editing for bi-weekly food e-newsletter, “The
Locavore’
Monthly Duties
Provides and inputs regular data for website, Good Food Finder AZ
Attends a bi-monthly staff meeting
Participate in ‘all hands on deck’ team days that can range from office
cleaning to dinner parties
Coordinates and attends member mixers 6 times per year
o
Invites food businesses to attend
o
Coordinates set up and take down of event and welcomes all guests
Ongoing Duties
Membership
Replies to member inquiries and requests
Processes new memberships as needed
Develops and manages membership recruitment and retention efforts
including maintenance of standard letters and schedule for follow-up to
prospective members
Makes contact with new and renewing members, as well as members
whose memberships are expiring
Conducts outreach and site visits for our statewide farm members in order
to increase retention and Good Food Finder participation
Conducts 6 month check-in calls for members who are not participating in
any of our events
Community Partnerships
Attend agriculture/food events for networking/relationship building as
appropriate
Coordinate and oversee outreach events/tabling (attend in person or
coordinate volunteers) at Farmer’s Markets or other food related events
Maintain and grow local food volunteer pool
Cultivate relationships with businesses, nonprofits, community
stakeholders and other prospective partners to develop Good Food Finder’s
impact
Serves on statewide food committees in partnership with other
organizations, to represent Local First Arizona Foundation and report back on
new developments or opportunities to collaborate
Communications
Assists in content development for all marketing for food department
Develops and coordinates original content for blog: coordinating writers,
writing, interviews
Engages local media to grow public awareness of Good Food Finder, and
Local First, and increase value of membership
Uses all forms of social media including developing strategies for key
projects and regular communication that will grow participation
Work to establish Local First Arizona Foundation as an authority in the
local foods space in Arizona
Events and Marketing
Coordinates, with a team, Local First annual events such as Farmer and
Chef Connection, Food and Farm Finance Forum, and Devoured Culinary
Classic
Coordinates, with a team, planning and execution of all food related
events
Helps with sales, coordination, and database for food event sponsorships
For web:
The Local Foods Coordinator will support a variety of programs for the Local First
Arizona Foundation team, including award-winning events, statewide
communications about healthy food systems, our Good Food Finder AZ website,
and management of food related business memberships.
The coordinator will have a passion for healthy foods from the growers to the
restaurants, retailers, and schools, and will be interested in event management,
marketing, education, collaboration, and meaningful change.
The ideal candidate for Local Foods Coordinator will:
Have an understanding of and experience with small and large agricultural
businesses, food producers, restaurants, and purveyors of Arizona.
Be familiar with the use of emerging digital marketing tools and strategies
including social media, blogging, WordPress, database management, and
newsletter creation
Have food-related connections (growers, ranchers, producers, purveyors,
restaurants, wineries, craft breweries, farmer’s markets)
Have event management experience, including coordinating volunteers and
vendors, as well as marketing and planning for successful food related events
KEY SKILLS Self-starting; Solutions-oriented; Well-organized; Works independently; Project
and event management; Understands Marketing; Good written and oral communication skills;
Great interpersonal skills; Comfortable with technology including basic database management
and all social media as well as WordPress; Passion for building healthy communities