Program Manager

Organizational Background

Mill City Farmers Market (MCFM) is a non-profit farmers market and Minneapolis’ trusted source for local and sustainable groceries, combining a vibrant marketplace with nourishing community connection. Established in 2006, MCFM is a national flagship market open year-round that works to build solidarity between food producers and eaters through education, food access initiatives, and direct support for local farmers and producers.

MCFM operates weekly outdoor markets from May through October, along with bi-weekly indoor Winter Markets from November to April, that support more than 100 local farmers, food makers and artists in total and welcome over 165,000 customers annually.

MCFM is seeking a Program Manager to manage its portfolio of interconnected programs, including community education, food access initiatives and grantmaking for small, sustainable farms and local food producers. This position reports directly to the Senior Manager of Programs and Operations and supports on-site programming as well as vendor and market management. The Program Manager plays a critical role in advancing the mission of MCFM by maintaining a vibrant community gathering place where vendors prosper and by building and maintaining positive relationships with vendors, shoppers, program, and grantee partners.

• Work closely with community partners and MCFM staff to design, coordinate, supervise, assess, and promote MCFM’s programs:
  Next Stage Grants, Zero Waste, Mill City Cooks live chef demos, Power of Produce, Market Yoga, Bike Benefits, Greens for Good Gleaning, MCFM Bucks and SNAP Matching
• Lead the Next Stage Grant Program’s annual cycle through grant outreach, coordination of a review committee and scheduling, application guidance and troubleshooting, management of decision making process and collection of results.
• Create annual programming budgets with the Sr. Operations and Program manager and monitor expenses in collaboration with the team.
• Manage program equipment and supplies, fixing, ordering, and inventorying as necessary.
• Coordinate weekly EBT program, including vendor token repayment and data management.
• Recruit and manage volunteers for Mill City Cooks and other MCFM programs.
• Assist with Annual Fundraiser Benefit in September as needed, including tasks related to event operations and logistics, staff management and volunteer coordination.

• Co-manage on-site operations of MCFM’s year-round farmers market including coordination of 70+ on site vendors, 5-8K average weekly visitors, market staff, equipment set up and tear down.
• Assist Sr. Manager with annual vendor application and review process. Draft vendor acceptance and rejection letters. Coordinate documentation of vendor licensing, insurance and other required documents.
• Assist Sr. Manager in hiring, training, and supervising part-time Market Day Staff and volunteers.
• Execute market prep list, including document prep, staff schedule of tasks, vendor booth cones, device charging, cashbox and equipment prep, and programming supplies.
• Assist in managing market equipment and supplies; fixing, ordering, and inventorying as necessary.
• Reinforce MCFM vendor policies, procedures, and rules along with city, state, and federal regulations.
• Implement Emergency Action Plan protocols.
• Troubleshoot unexpected issues on site and in the office.

• Coordinate and manage evaluation activities for programs across the organization.
• Track and maintain program data and assist with collection and sharing of program results.
• Contribute to written reports, data collection and support grant writing when applicable.
• Participate in weekly market recaps and organizational annual planning by making recommendations to incrementally improve market programs and events based on organizational priorities, vendor and customer feedback, staff capacity, available resources and mission fit.
• Research and network with other market events, activities, programs, etc. and legislation around farmers markets to continue to improve MCFM and the farmers…