Job Description
Shop Manager
Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables
November 2006

The Shop Manager’s primary responsibility is to oversee all aspects of the handling, packing and shipping of Featherstone crops marketed to stores and wholesalers.  This includes (but is not limited to) maintaining and stocking the packing and storage areas of the shop, working with a Featherstone partner to oversee picking in the field, receiving and inventorying product as it arrives in the shop, supervising certain in-shop pack-outs, overseeing cooler loading and inventory, and assembling orders and labeling boxes for shipment.

Maintaining and Stocking the Shop:  The shop manager is responsible for maintaining (with the co-operation of FFV partners and employees) a clean, orderly and hygienic work area where all produce is handled and stored.  The shop manager maintains an inventory of all packing related supplies (boxes, flats, paper, labels etc) and informs partners well in advance when supplies need to be ordered.

Receiving and Inventorying Product:   The shop manager works with the Harvest Manager to transition all crop smoothly, in rough field packs, finished pack cases, or bulk bins, from the field to the shop  The shop manager is responsible for assessing quality of all product as it enters the shop, and as it remains in the cooler.  Irregularities of any sort  (bunch size, disease or irregularity, ripeness or over-ripeness, breakdown in storage, etc.), are to be reported to FFV partners ASAP.

Supervising Pack-Outs in Shop:  The shop manager works with FFV partners and employees to pack certain crops in the shop   (heirloom tomatoes, squash and others).  This includes quality control, labeling and overall supervision.

Overseeing Cooler Loading and Inventory:  The shop manager is in charge of the three coolers at the shop: loading product immediately after packout, managing the rotation of first-in-first-out, assessing quality and storage needs, and managing space to maximize efficiency.  The shop manager should maintain a list of what is in the cooler, its packing and storage status, and sales destination.  Cooler loading requires frequent lifting of vegetable cases (20-45 lbs) and the operation of a pallet jack and forklift (training provided)

Assembling Orders:  The shop manager is responsible for filling all store and wholesaler orders:  assembling pallets arranged in order of delivery (and coordinated between coolers), labeling and final quality checking, and updating numbers for invoices.  This job is to be completed before leaving work each evening, unless arrangements with a partner are made well in advance.

Assisting with Field Production and Harvest   The shop manager will be called upon weekly to assist with basic field production (transplanting, cultivation and harvest etc.).  This is a secondary though critical area of responsibility, particularly when adverse weather makes completion of such tasks critical.

Schedule:

The shop manager will be expected to work 40-50 hrs / week from June 1 through Thanksgiving.  Saturday work will be required, but one afternoon off during the week is a possibility.  Additional days off are available (including at least one long weekend in August) but must be arranged two weeks in advance.

This is a high responsibility job, and getting to work on time every time is essential.