Operations Team Lead- Farm Food Distributor: The Common Market

Our Vision, Mission & Growth

The Common Market is a nonprofit local food distributor that connects food from family farms to wholesale markets. Our mission is to strengthen regional farms while making the local bounty accessible to communities and the institutions that serve them. The Common Market has recently expanded its operations to provide boxes of local farm food to households affected by food insecurity. Founded in 2008, The Common Market currently serves New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC and has locations in Atlanta and Houston.

An operations team leader at The Common Market works side by side senior management in a way that encourages teamwork, cooperation, and productivity. Their main focus is fostering team unity and boosting The Common Market’s day-to-day efficiency. Operations team leader is a mission-critical position that demands professional diligence, a strong sense of commitment, and unwavering patience, in addition to these skills:

• Execution – An Operations Team Leader will focus on results and how best to achieve them in order to get the job done which will include doing the job themselves or delegating to trained/qualified team members.
• Communication skills – An Operations Team Leader is expected to deliver instructions clearly and concisely, they also address employee questions and issues and respond to staff feedback
• Customer Focus – An Operations Team Leader will be responsible for internal collaboration to achieve de-escalation, troubleshooting, root-cause analysis and remediation of customer issues. This will periodically include customer communication but will more typically be resolved internally.

Operations Team Leader Duties and Responsibilities

Fostering Teamwork: The operations team leader is responsible for ensuring team members perform tasks in unison and respect each other.

Coaching, Motivation, and Morale-Building: The operations team leader is responsible for creating a willingness among the employees to perform to the best of their abilities; providing coaching and recognition where appropriate. They are also responsible for training and development of new team members.

Prioritization and Delegation: Operations team leaders will prioritize assignments and delegate tasks on a daily basis.

Solving Problems: The operations team leader helps senior managers solve challenges that might affect production or service delivery to customers.

Execute Process Improvements: Operations team leaders will help to improve internal processes and streamline business functionality.

Equipment/Facility Management and Maintenance: Operations team leaders share in the oversight of equipment, the facility and maintenance.

Staff Scheduling and Supervision: The operations team leader will work closely with management and to prepare work schedules and day-to-day supervision of team members.

Tools of the Trade: Operations team leaders are responsible for understanding and utilizing The Common Market technology, this includes:

• Business tools (Salesforce, FoodConnex, ADP, Elite Extra, Samsara and data analysis)
• Microsoft Office (primarily Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

JOB DUTIES

Farmer Relations. Lead Common Market’s relationship with farmers, set up crop plan, create purchase orders in FoodConnex in accordance with plan. Ensure prompt farmer payments in support of our commitment to improve farm viability. Hold farmers accountable to Common Market quality standards.

Procurement Strategy. Develop procurement strategy for wholesale and box programs to optimize profitability and advancement of the mission. Forecast demand and supply to ensure adequate availability of high quality food for Common Market’s customers.

Inventory. Oversee inventory processes from receiving to ultimate delivery to customers. Conduct physical inventory. Implement measures to ensure accuracy in the inventory management system. Reconcile PO/ Salesforce Receiving Log and Farm Invoices and post Purchase Orders. Minimize shrink and spoilage.

Ensure Availability. List reflects current pricing and availability. Help resolve customer complaints related to quality/ quantity.

Food Safety. Operate facility in a manner consistent with our Food Safety Plan. Prepare for annual audit. Leadership role in Recall, Crisis Management and Food Defense/ Food Fraud teams.