EMPLOYMENT | portlandmarket

Love farmers' markets, the outdoors, and food access?

We are hiring for:

Market Information Booth Staff

Job Title: Market Information Booth Staff

Position reports to: Portland Farmers’ Market Association SNAP Committee (Beth Schiller, Caitlin Jordan, Ruby Nelson, Carl Johanson, Lauren Bruns, Jaime Berhanu, and Jimmy DeBiasi)

Job Description: PFMA is seeking a friendly, dependable candidate to staff the Portland Farmers’ Market Information Booth- the centralized location for the market’s Food Access Program. The Info Booth Staff processes SNAP/EBT cards, wooden tokens, and promotes the fundraising streams that support the Program. Through grant funding, the Info Booth also disperses Maine Harvest Bucks- a nutrition incentive program that gives SNAP customers bonus tokens to be spent on extra fruits and vegetables from the market. The Info Booth also offers the Maine Senior Farm Share Program, which provides $50 in free fruits and vegetables from the market, to income eligible seniors. Additionally, the Info Booth serves as an information portal for customers with general inquiries about the market. The goal of this position is to provide food access to the community and to strengthen and support our farmers' successes.

Skills desired: The candidate should be able and willing to work independently in inclement weather, have reliable transportation*, and the ability to lift up to 50lbs. Timeliness and reliability are critical. Excellent interpersonal communication skills are required. Ability to manage a retail work environment and maintain accuracy with counting currency is paramount. Familiarity with card processing equipment and Square Register is helpful. Knowledge of the Portland area, local foods, farming, farmers’ markets, and food accessibility is a bonus! *A personal vehicle capable of transporting supplies is required for this position. Preferred vehicles include a station wagon, SUV, or small truck.

Duties:

Transport Info Booth supplies to and from the market’s storage location to the Market, while maintaining organization and care of all supplies and materials.
Set up Info Booth display each market day (canopy, table, market goods display, informational display, etc)
Process customer SNAP payments, accurately exchanging wooden tokens for payments, and administering Maine Harvest Bucks program to SNAP customers by providing matching funds (additional wooden tokens).
Operate the Maine Senior Farmshare processes at the Info Booth, including senior enrollment, voucher distribution, and any additional record-keeping required.
Process sales of Market Goods (t-shirts, tote bags, etc).
Communicate opportunities available to customers to support program fundraising (on-site donations, Friends of the Market memberships, etc)
Collect farmer token/voucher redemption bags at the end of each market.
Provide respectful, friendly, and helpful assistance to customer inquiries and needs.
Assist, as needed, with volunteer management for the Market.
Community outreach to support the fundraising needs of the Food Access Program.

Communication:

The position is managed by the Program Coordinator, with additional oversight and check-ins by the SNAP Committee.
Communication with the Market Manager as needed, regarding issues that arise on-site.

Hours:

-Summer Market Season