Food Access Program Manager - Fresh Approach
Company: Fresh Approach
Position: Food Access Program Manager
Deadline to Apply: This position will remain open until we find the right candidate, so we will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis.
How to Apply: Please submit resume and cover letter to jobs@freshapproach.org
Locations: This position will require a mixture of in-office, on-site, and remote work that may fluctuate week to week based on programmatic need. Primary office location is Concord where the manager will be required to attend at least twice per week. Secondary office is East Palo Alto where the manager will be required to visit at least once per week during EPA farmers’ market season. In addition, program sites will be visited routinely and as needed.
Job Summary
Fresh Approach seeks a detail-oriented and organized individual with supervisory personnel management experience to plan, coordinate, and manage the organization’s farmers’ market and mobile farmers’ market programs throughout Santa Clara, Contra Costa, and San Mateo Counties. The Program Manager directly supervises 3-4 staff members (part and full-time)and a rotating cohort of 2-4 community ambassadors and/or interns (paid volunteers) and holds responsibility for implementing programs to complete grant and contract project deliverables and assisting in required reporting on project activities.
Current food access program locations:
❖ San Jose Mobile Farmers’ Market - Tuesdays Year Round (3 hour route)
❖ Antioch Mobile Farmers’ Market - Tuesdays Year Round (3 hour route)
❖ Richmond Mobile Farmers’ Market - Wednesdays Year Round (3 hour route)
❖ East Palo Alto Farmers’ Market - Wednesdays April - November
❖ Richmond Farmers’ Market - Fridays Year Round
We are seeking an individual who values diversity at all levels and is committed to fostering an environment in which community members and co-workers from a variety of backgrounds, cultures, and personal experiences are welcomed and can thrive.
About Fresh Approach
Fresh Approach’s mission is to create long-term change in local food systems by connecting California communities with healthy food from California farmers and expanding knowledge about food and nutrition. We do this through a variety of programs, including the Mobile Farmers’ Market, VeggieRx, Collective Roots Community Garden, and the East Palo Alto and Richmond Community Farmers’ Markets. We believe that everyone should have equal access to healthy foods and that the health of our communities and the livelihood of our local farmers should go hand-in-hand.
Responsibilities:
● Oversight of East Palo Alto and Richmond Farmers’ Markets and Two Mobile Farmers’ Markets
○ Supervisory responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the farmers' market and mobile farmers’ market program, ensuring vendors and staff adhere to market policies, maintaining a clean and safe environment, and addressing any operational issues
○ Oversee the distribution of CalFresh Market Match incentives at the designated market table, ensuring eligible customers receive matching funds for purchasing fresh produce, tracking program usage, and providing information on how to enroll and utilize benefits.
○ Though not primarily responsible for on-site program activities, the manager will be responsible for visiting markets routinely in support and extra coverage.
○ Maintain oversight of care and maintenance of two mobile farmers’ markets and their associated warehouse/storage/office locations (Concord, San Jose, East Palo Alto.)
● Administrative Oversight & Compliance: Manage the administrative tasks for multiple food access programs, including tracking incentive disbursement, reporting data, financial protocols for closing daily cash sales, overseeing weekly farm procurement, and ensuring overall compliance with program guidelines. Additionally, handle market permitting processes, ensuring all required licenses and permits are up to date and that the market complies with local, state, and federal regulations.
● Grant Management & Reporting: Administer food access grants by tracking deliverables, ensuring compliance with grant requirements, monitoring progress toward goals, and preparing reports for funders. Oversee data collection through customer surveys and vendor feedback to assess the impact of the market on food access and ensure timely submission of all required documentation.
● Manage Food Access Specialists, Volunteers, Community Ambassadors, & Interns.
○ Act as direct supervisor to food access program staff, providing feedback and resolving complex problems. The Program Manager will guide program staff in their scheduling and activities, and will be responsible for conducting annual performance reviews.
○ Facilitate team meetings.
○ Provide ongoing feedback and support to staff, volunteers, and interns, fostering a collaborative, growth-minded environment that values diversity of thought and experience.
○ Develop and contribute to inclusive, anti-racist, and supportive company culture.
○ Approve timesheets of direct reports.
○ Coordinate scheduling and relationship management with volunteers and interns to provide extra coverage to on-site program staff.
● Partnerships
○ Supportive Relationships with Diverse Farmers: Build and maintain strong, supportive relationships with small-scale, diverse farmers, particularly those from underrepresented communities, ensuring their inclusion in market opportunities and fostering an equitable, sustainable local food system.
○ The Program Manager will maintain a high level of integrity as a public representative of Fresh Approach. The Program Manager will hold important long-standing community relationships as well as cultivate and foster new partnerships. Cultivate and sustain relationships with diverse community partners, ensuring programs are inclusive, culturally relevant, and accessible to all populations, particularly those from marginalized or underserved communities.
● Perform other duties as assigned
○ The above list of requirements is not exhaustive. The nature of the Program Manager role is one that evolves. As a leadership position in the organization, the Program Manager will take proactive responsibility in multiple areas of the organization including fundraising, communications, external partnerships, and others.
Qualifications:
● Bilingual (English/Spanish) conversational fluency is required to better serve and communicate with diverse community members and farmers. We highly encourage applicants from multilingual backgrounds.
● Demonstrated experience managing staff in a supervisory role. Preference for two years management experience.
● Demonstrated commitment to and experience working with diverse and underrepresented populations, with a strong focus on equity, cultural competence, and inclusive community engagement
● Exceptional interpersonal, retail, and customer service skills
● Demonstrated commitment to and experience working in fields of community health, local food systems, and California agriculture
● Proficiency in Work-Related Software: Experience using a broad range of software tools, including but not limited to Microsoft Excel, Google Suite, and CRM platforms, with the ability to quickly learn and adapt to new systems and technologies as needed.
● Detail-oriented with the ability to complete tasks in a timely manner and to work independently
● Willingness to show initiative and creativity
Requirements:
● This position requires work in an office environment and outside in all weather conditions.
● This position requires the ability to lift equipment (up to 50lbs) in and out of a vehicle.
● Requires a California driver’s license with a safe driving record
● This position requires reliable transportation, due to the spread-out nature of program activities.
● This position may sometimes require weekend work and early morning or late evening work
Conditions of Employment:
● This is a full-time exempt position (40 hours per week), reporting to the Food Access Program Director
● This is a salaried position with a starting range of $71,760 - $77,500.
● Benefits for full-time positions include medical, dental, and vision coverage paid by the employer; vacation and sick time accruals; and a 403b retirement plan with employer match subject to vesting.
○ Vacation benefits include 16 paid holidays per year, as well as 10 additional paid vacation days accrued in the first year of employment. Progressive years of employment include additional accrued vacation days.
Fresh Approach is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive workplace. We welcome and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and protected veteran status. We believe that diverse perspectives and experiences strengthen our organization and our mission to serve our communities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination based on any characteristic protected by law.