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BC Eco Seed Co-op in Vancouver, BC is seeking an Operations Manager!
The BC Eco Seed Co-op is a small-scale operation with ambitions to grow and supply more BC gardeners and farmers with high-quality BC-grown seed – and we have a new job position open!
ABOUT BC Eco Seed Co-op
Seed processing and packing operation only
We are a producers’ co-operative growing and providing 100% BC-grown vegetable, herb, flower, and grain seed that is ecologically grown and certified organic, open-pollinated, regionally selected, and GE-free. All our seeds are grown by our members on farms across the province.
Our mission is to increase the quantity and improve the quality of ecological and organic seed grown in BC. From packets to bulk quantities, the co-op has seeds for all growers. We operate out of the Lower Mainland from an Organic Farm.
Why does this matter? Local, organic/ecological seeds are good for the planet, the local economy, and regional food diversity and security. Organic seed offers broad public benefit, including minimizing environmental impacts, supporting the success of the organic food industry, and bolstering regional food diversity and security (State of Organic Seed, 2016. Organic Seed Alliance.)
We actively strive to educate and demonstrate that seed sovereignty is an essential part of sustainable bioregional and global food systems. We see a co-operative as a powerful model to work together as farmers to:
- Pool resources and infrastructure for cleaning and marketing seed
- Support on-going educational opportunities to better produce seed in the quantities farmers need, and to a level of quality that they can trust
- Promote our members encouraging the cross pollination of ideas, support and collaboration as well as creating networking opportunities for regional seed producers.
DESIRED QUALITIES & JOB TASKS
The BC Eco Seed Co-op is looking for a great person to join our team and take the lead on managing the Co-op with a focus on growing the business over the next several years.
The Co-op has seen steady growth since its inception in 2014, but we have not been able to reach our target growth goals and are looking for an operations manager to help take our seed sales to the next level. Increased sales help support our farmer members and get more BC-grown seed out to farmers and gardeners across BC and across the country!
The BCESC Operations Manager, with support from staff, the board of directors, and members, oversees all aspects of the Co-op. This is a position which requires a diverse skill set ranging from financial management, marketing, seed quality assurance, spreadsheet management, and member engagement.
This position varies in hours throughout the year and may complement other work you are doing.
Work activities include (broadly):
- Staff oversight and support
- Organizational oversight
- Ensuring efficient and accurate shipping of orders
- Technology, IT, and records management
- Financial management and fundraising
- Board liaison and engagement
- Member liaison and engagement
- Marketing and outreach
- Quality assurance
Work Activities, Detailed:
- Staff Oversight and Support
- Work with staff to ensure proper operations
- Liaise with third-party contractors and other coordinators and working groups as needed
- Manage payroll and run payroll biweekly
- Manage staff hours and shifts
- Manage hiring when needed
Organizational Oversight
- Work with board to assure AGM happens
- Make sure AGM info goes to all members
- Gathering all organic certificates from members
- Working with Glorious Organics on renewal application for organic certification and ensuring all systems are in place and followed
Ensuring Efficient and Accurate Shipping of Orders
- Work with staff to ship orders when needed
- Track orders and shipping as needed
- Oversight and review of shipping to ensure accuracy and efficiency
Technology, IT, and Records Management
- General management of website (payment, hosting, domain renewal, updates as needed)
- Updating general co-op docs and developing additional admin. docs as needed
- Updating membership documents, process as needed
Financial Management and Fundraising
- Developing and updating budget in dialogue with Treasurer
- Pursuing funding opportunities as directed
- Writing grants as needed
- Communicate with funders as needed
- Generate content and data for interim and final grant reports
- Respond to all communication requests related to grant project activities
Board Liaison and Engagement
- Organizing meeting agendas based on previous meeting and ongoing discussions
- Sending meeting reminders
- Ensuring meeting minutes are taken, offering minute-taking and facilitation support where necessary
- Ensuring minutes are distributed
Member Liaison and Engagement
- Write monthly updates for members summarizing main activities, communications, etc. accomplished
- Organize and attend BCESC general meetings and committees meetings when requested/able
- Orienting and assisting new members
- Gathering documents and following up with members
- Ensuring share payments are made (in liaison with Treasurer)
- Communication with potential members and follow and orientation with new members as needed
- Work with members to determine seed quantities and varieties needed each year
Marketing, Outreach, and Communications
- This position will increase our marketing presence as part of our efforts to increase sales through paid advertising and increased social media presence
- General correspondence with both email and social media messages, answering, deferring, following up, sharing with members as needed
- Drafting and sending newsletters – regular and special (e.g., garlic sales, spring sales)
- Managing and posting to social media
- Managing and updating Facebook ads
- Maintain and increase relationships with retail partners who carry our seed racks across BC
- Explore partnerships for other sales avenues (e.g., seeds as gifts)
Seed Quality Assurance and Stock Management (with staff)
- Development/updates to commercialization and crop records as requested
- Organizing production projection discussions and meeting early in the year
- Transferring and organizing seed crops from one sale year to the other
- Organizing members to submit their crop information in the fall
- Gathering seed description and photo for website
- Gathering seed crop records for all the crops in the fall
- Reviewing seed crop records (with the help of a committee if needed)
- Getting members to send seeds in by deadline once approved
- Updating seed crops as needed (sold out, corrections, quantity changes, etc)
Other tasks and responsibilities are also included with this position. Any general task associated with management of the business is the responsibility of the Operations Manager and is supported by the Board and Staff.
Approximate Seasonal Work Schedule and Work Flow
This unique position offers a lot of flexibility in work schedule which will fluctuate throughout the year, but also has some high-demand periods where availability is crucial. Estimated hours are as follows:
Jan to March – 30 to 35 hours per week (sometimes more)
- This is our busiest time of year as we pack and send out a majority of our seeds
- The Co-op’s focus is on packing and shipping seeds, supported by marketing and customer communications
- There is much time-sensitive work to be done so it can be a pretty busy few months
April to June – 15 to 25 hours per week
- Seed orders typically slow down in this period
- We stay engaged with customers through social media
- Work days are flexible as long as orders are sent out on time
- We can start some quality assurance testing of existing stock at this time
- This is a time to review existing systems and make changes and improvements where needed
July to September – 8 to 15 hours per week
- We continue our quality assurance testing during this slower time of year
- We stay engaged with customers through social media
- We continue to review and refine systems to prepare for following season
- Will sometimes do a mid-season stock take to get online stocks up to date
- We have a bump in sales in August and September as we offer our garlic seed for sale
October to December – 10 to 20 hours per week
- This is when we start receiving seeds from members, which are then germination tested and entered into our records in a multi-step process
- Conducting germination tests on in-stock seed
- Checking stock to prepare for following season and updating websites and seed packets
General Skills and Considerations
- Ability to work independently while still communicating effectively with the board and staff
- When supporting staff to ship orders: the ability to work comfortably in a small space with others, and on your own, while maintaining an organized, clean workspace
- Primary packing space is a 20-ft shipping container office – comfortable, but small!
- Ability to stay focused and multitask in a busy, fast-paced environment
- Ability to manage time efficiently to meet deadlines and address priorities effectively
- Strong communication skills and commitment to addressing and transforming conflicts
- Ability to receive feedback with an open mindset
- Creative and innovative problem solving
- Passion for seeds and food as a vehicle to foster connections and create social change
- Vehicle would be beneficial for postal drops (if needed); work kilometres will be reimbursed
- Familiar with several software and online tools
- Microsoft Word and Google Docs
- Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets
- Social Media – Instagram and Facebook
- Shopify
- QuickBooks
JOB DETAILS
Term: Dec 1, 2023 or earlier. Permanent position.
Hours per week: 10 to 30. Seasonal part-time to full-time.
Wage: $30/hourLocation: Aldergrove (packing and shipping, when required) and remote
Workplace Safety and COVID-19
The BC Eco Seed Co-op Seed Hub is a small but well-organized space which will sometimes require close contact with other Co-op staff. We currently look to provincial health guidelines and recommendations to ensure a safe work space. The Co-op endeavours to ensure a safe working environment for all its staff. We do not allow public visits to the Seed Hub. The BC Eco Seed Co-op operates on a working cooperative farm and adherence to on-farm policies is required.
TO APPLY
Please email resume, in pdf format, to info@bcecoseedcoop.com. No cover letter is required but please introduce yourself in your email.
Deadline to apply: Nov 24, 2023
When applying, please mention you saw this posting at youngagrarians.org
LEARN MORE ABOUT BC Eco Seed Co-op
Website: https://bcecoseedcoop.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bcecoseedcoop
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bcecoseedcoop/
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