Procurement Developer

The Common Market Georgia is an emerging, mission-driven distributor of local farm foods in Georgia.

Our mission is to strengthen regional farms while making the local bounty accessible to communities and the institutions that serve them.  We strive to integrate a lens of racial and social equity into all of our work.

To support the growth of our regional, sustainable food system, we are seeking someone who can identify and work with diverse regional farmers (typically 20 – 500+ acres) and farm food producers to assess and build capacity to serve wholesale markets for produce, meat, dairy, poultry, seafood, eggs and more. This person will be responsible for identifying products that are needed to meet wholesale orders, and to work with farmers, producers, logistics partners and farm support organizations to establish a steady supply of wholesale product that meets quality and food safety requirements. Additional duties include developing a complete understanding of The Common Market Georgia’s daily procurement operations, and supporting these activities as needed.

We are looking for an individual who is knowledgeable and experienced in sustainable agriculture, who has an understanding of racial and social justice issues impacting Southern agriculture, and who is business-oriented and highly motivated. This position demands the capacity to work closely with farmers, and to manage the detail-oriented business of tracking vendors, pricing, production schedules and logistics, as well as vendor negotiation. Success in this position requires a high level of organizational skills and attention to detail, the ability to work independently, and a mastery of responsive communications and problem-solving skills. This position is based in Atlanta, with approximately 10-15% regional travel.

Primary Responsibilities

• Identify and support farmers and vendors that can source for Common Market, developing new relationships and products lines to meet customer demand, in product areas of produce, meat, dairy, seafood, poultry, eggs and value added products.
• Identify and coordinate with farmer serving organizations and funders to identify farmer training and resource needs. Facilitate farmer trainings, and increase access to resources that will improve wholesale production capacity, such as food safety, product quality, post-harvest handling.
• Conduct regular site visits to assess farming practices, on farm and at food production facilities, and work with producers to ensure the highest level of quality and food safety practices are maintained.
• Manage relationships and logistics with Common Market farmers and vendors, as well as emerging producer and producer networks.
• Manage product planning throughout the year to ensure consistent product availability
• Take a lead role in vendor negotiations and the development of fair pricing strategies, as needed.
• Provide guidance as needed with respect to daily product ordering, and be prepared to handle daily orders and receiving as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• 2-4 years’ experience in the agriculture industry, including experience farming
• Experience in business, purchasing, and/or supply chain management
• Knowledge of sustainable agriculture and local food systems, as well as social and racial justice issues impacting agriculture in the South
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills (Word and Excel)
• Experience and skilled in analyzing data using Excel

Baseline Requirements

• Valid driver’s license, clean driving record and access to a reliable vehicle
• Flexible work hours to accommodate some evening work and regular weekend work (with corresponding days off during the week based on a regular fixed schedule).
• Ability to lift up to 50lbs

Compensation

Pay commensurate with experience, in the range of $38,000 to $42,000.

To Apply

Send cover letter and resume to susan@thecommonmarket.org