Project Manager- Marketing and Product Aggregation

Position Opening

POSITION: Project Manager – Marketing and Product Aggregation

STATUS: Full-Time / Benefited / Hourly / Non-Exempt

COMPENSATION: $60,000 – $80,000 per year

DEPARTMENT: Center for Regenerative Agriculture & Resilient Systems LOCATION: Center for Regenerative Agriculture & Resilient Systems (CRARS); Hybrid

RECRUITMENT ID: 022

RESIDENCY: Candidate must be a California resident. Chico State Enterprises is not a sponsoring agency for staff and management positions (i.e. H-1B Visas).   ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: This Project Manager position will be responsible for the marketing and coordination of a grant-funded regional food hub. Following USDA, State or other guidelines and requirements of the funded program, the position will work with federal and state agencies, and conservation partners to provide farm-to-fork integration through marketing and sales support for climate-smart commodities.  The position will regularly communicate with the project team and other partners; provide administrative support; develop and conduct dissemination and outreach strategies with a focus to small and underserved producers; assist with and participate in project meetings, producer field days and other events as required; support project evaluation activities; and assist in the preparation and submission of project reports. May contribute to ongoing funding and development efforts for sustainability of the food hub (e.g., proposal development, leveraging and/or creating partnership and program opportunities). This position will focus on establishment of intermediated local food sales and provide marketing support to growers and buyers transacting “climate-smart” agricultural products. The food hub serves as a marketplace for climate-smart products, developing sales for producers through local intermediated market channels (e.g., sales to institutional and foodservice buyers). The food hub provides critical services to both growers and wholesale buyers including consolidating transaction costs, creating a one-stop shopping platform for buyers and an online marketplace for growers to post and promote their products. The food hub aims to serve as a centralized facilitator for creating and expanding the regional food market throughout California’s North State and the greater Central and Sacramento Valleys. Responsibilities include the following:

• Send out product availability lists. Receive and enter orders in a timely fashion. Respond to customer inquiries and needs.
• Manage and facilitate contacts with buyers and growers. Participate in building food hub sales.
• Stay informed about current and projected trends, availability, quality, new items, production practices, etc.
• Meet at least weekly (up to 40% effort) with current and prospective clients in the region. Includes farm visits to build relationships, help to tell their story, and find ways to best sell their products. Get hands-on with our farms’ product, sampling everything available.
• Facilitate/manage product distribution including sorting and loading product, picking up/delivering and ensuring proper storage, cool/cold-chain preservation.
• Administer all invoicing/billing processes for climate-smart commodity transactions.
• Assist with additional sales focused activities as needed.
• Supervising students/interns as needed.
• Assist in the preparation and submission of project reports.
• Support project evaluation activities.
• Must have excellent people skills, and work well as a member of a highly collaborative team.
• Other duties, as assigned.

EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS: 

• Passionate and knowledgeable about local and regenerative/climate-smart agriculture, food hubs, and fresh food distribution.
• This is a Customer Service business. The position needs a people person to effectively manage staff, work with clients, and build connections to farmers and local food system partners. This necessitates excellent verbal and written communication skills and an outgoing personality.
• The Project Manager needs to be entrepreneurial, anticipating challenges and opportunities, and solution-oriented in addressing those opportunities and challenges proactively.
• The position requires someone who is detail-oriented, good with logistics and scheduling, numbers-oriented, and capable of managing based on financial performance.
• While the job entails many administrative functions, this is not a desk job: the Project Manager needs to be hardworking and flexible with a variety of tasks including significant time visiting growers/buyers.
• Working familiarity with computers and software, including Office applications and cloud-based computing.
• Working knowledge of local agriculture and farming.
• Demonstrated sales experience, preferably two or more years.
• If working at home, must have reliable access to high-speed Internet and phone.
• Comfortable and proficient with computers. Access to a computer for home office use.
• Impeccable follow-through and attention to detail.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Must have the ability to take direction and dynamically adjust to feedback.
• Successful candidate will live in Chico, CA or within commuting distance, and be willing and comfortable traveling throughout the north state in a personal or delivery vehicle as needed.

DESIRABLE SKILLS:

• Grant writing and management experience.
• Current experience with spreadsheet and data analysis software (e.g., Excel, R).
• Current experience with GIS or other intensive mapping software.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to lift 50 pounds.
• Ability to drive for extended periods.
• Ability to work at a computer for extended periods (>20 hrs/wk)
• Ability to work outdoors in warm and cold weather.

COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS:

• Candidate must be in possession of valid driver’s license and automobile liability insurance. Participation in the DMV Employer Pull Notice Program (driving record) is required. The candidate will be required to update their insurance with Chico State Enterprises Human Resources when necessary.
• Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for Chico State Enterprises will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current Chico State Enterprises employee who was conditionally offered the position.

BENEFITS:

Benefits for employees working 30 hours or more per week include employer paid life insurance ($50,000) and long-term disability; options for health, dental, and vision insurance; FSA; 14 paid holidays including 1 personal holiday; vacation accrual (initially 10 days/year); sick leave (up to 12 days/year); employer contributions to your 403(b) retirement plan (up to 8%).  

HOW TO APPLY:

To be considered, submit the following documents by November 15th, 2023. Documents submitted after this date may not be considered.

• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• CSE Application
• Cover letter
• Name and contact information for two (2) references

BY DROP BOX: https://csuchico.app.box.com/f/14789a6347424c2683374853b7a67f92  

BY EMAIL: csejobs@csuchico.edu

  Paper applications will not be accepted; however, Chico State Enterprises is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is happy to provide reasonable accommodations to applicants at any step of the application process. If you need assistance in this regard, or are having technical difficulties, please contact the Human Resources office at 530-898-6811 or csejobs@csuchico.edu prior to 5:00 pm on the document deadline date. The employer is Chico State Enterprises, a non- profit corporation serving as an auxiliary organization of California State University, Chico. Employment is considered to be at- will.  

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

Chico State Enterprises is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against persons on the basis of race, religion, color ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, medical condition, National origin, sex, sexual orientation, covered veteran status, or any other protected status. It is the Enterprises’ policy to hire only United States citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States. All new employees must provide proof of identity and authorization to work.