JOB OPPORTUNITY

Position: Food Access Coordinator
Organization: LUSH Valley Food Action Society
Location: Courtenay, BC, 2342 Rosewall Crescent, 

Wage: Starting at $23.30 per hour
Schedule: 30 hours per week, 8:30 – 4:30, Monday – Thursday with flexibility based on operational needs
Posting Closes: May 12th, 2024
Start Date: June 3rd, 2024
End Date: This is a 12-month full-time position with opportunity for extension based on funding availability
Benefits: Benefits package, wellness spending account and three-week vacation policy

GENERAL OVERVIEW

LUSH Valley Food Action Society is a Comox Valley-based non-profit organization. We envision a region where healthy, local food is at the heart of community wellbeing. We support the Comox Valley community to gain food-systems tools, engage in just and resilient local food systems and receive equitable access to nourishing food.

When you work with LUSH Valley, you work with an energetic and passionate team making positive change in the Comox Valley.

LUSH Valley offers:

• A diverse and inclusive work environment
• Opportunities for growth and learning
• Benefits package
• Monthly wellness benefit
• Fresh food perks

POSITION SUMMARY

LUSH Valley is seeking a Food Access Coordinator to support operations of several programs including Good Food Box, the Healthy Student Meal program, Comox Valley School Salad Bars, Catering, Fruit Tree and Farm Gleaning. The primary tasks in this role involve volunteer management and food acquisition and management.

The successful candidate must have a Class 5 drivers license, be comfortable driving a van and have a clean driver’s abstract. Candidates should be skilled at communicating, problem-solving, managing data and working as part of a team. The ideal candidate has a diverse skill set that allows them to work in various programs, and as a member of dynamic teams.

This role will report directly to the Good Food Box Coordinator and Social Enterprise Manager. Knowledge of food systems, food security and/or farming is an asset.

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

COORDINATING SCHOOL FOOD PROGRAMS [30%]

• Liaising with school staff to determine weekly needs
• Ordering products with an understanding of seasonality, availability and relative cost
• Recruiting and managing volunteers for warehouse activities, delivery driving and shopping
• Keeping accurate records of all purchases to ensure that invoices are paid and reimbursements are processed in a timely manner
• Making deliveries to schools as necessary

ASSISTING GOOD FOOD BOX COORDINATOR [30%]

• Managing volunteers and assisting with warehouse activities
• Managing inventory
  • Doing weekly counts, making weekly orders, managing orders, rotating products and monitoring quality
• Overseeing payments and remembering client details
• Organizing order pick-up and delivery with community partners, volunteer drivers and clients
• Conducting food pick-ups from farms and delivering food to homes as needed

COORDINATING GLEANING PROGRAMS [30%]

• Communicating with farmers to identify operational needs and opportunities for gleaning
• Liaising with homeowners and visiting sites to determine fruit tree eligibility and to plan optimal harvest times
• Scheduling the gleaning season to maximize efficient use of staff and volunteer time
• Recruiting and managing volunteers to assist with farm gleans and fruit picks
• Keeping accurate records of donated product, volunteer engagement, labour hours and the value of goods exchanged
• Conducting regular inspection and sorting of gleaned products
  • Delivering low-quality fruit to juice presses, cideries and farms as needed
• Managing shared cold-storage space to ensure maximum efficiency

TRACKING AND REPORTING [10%]

• Collecting data thoroughly and efficiently
• Conducting surveys to elicit feedback from participants and facilitators
• Presenting data to staff for meetings, presentations and reports as needed
• Responding to data inquiries from other departments as needed

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Ability to adapt to dynamic and changing responsibilities and a workload that shifts seasonally
• Ability to organize, multitask and work on multiple projects at once
• Experience communicating with diverse stakeholders
• Ability to motivate and lead a team, and work as an effective team member
• Ability to create and maintain strong working relationships, both internally and externally
• Comfortability working in a variety of physical conditions, particularly outdoors
• Understanding of food systems, food security and/or farming an asset

QUALIFICATIONS

• A positive, collaborative attitude
• Strong English language written and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency in Google Workspace
• Physical ability to lift 60+ lbs
• FoodSafe Level 1 certification
• Class 5 driver's license with a clean driver's abstract
• Criminal record clearance
• Basic first aid an asset

TO APPLY

Please send a resume and cover letter to Kristen at support@lushvalley.org .

Please indicate you saw this posting at GoodWork.ca.

LUSH Valley is grateful to receive all applications, but will only contact shortlisted candidates.

LUSH Valley believes in diversity, employment equity and social justice. We encourage applications from all community members, and would be especially interested in receiving them from Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, persons with disability, LGBTQIA2S+ people and members of marginalized communities.

 

Pay: Starting at $23.30 per hour