Produce Pool Manager

Produce Pool Manager

Location - This is a hybrid role, which means that you will have the flexibility to work both onsite and at a distance. You will collaborate onsite at either our Cashton, WI or La Farge, WI offices for 3-5 days per week, and the rest of the time you can choose to work remotely or onsite.
Employee Type - Salaried
Bonus Eligibility - No
Safety Sensitive - Yes

If a company is going to make a difference in today's world, it's going to haveto think differently. At Organic Valley, our philosophy and decisions are basedon the health and welfare of people, animals and the earth. We're a mission-driven cooperative, owned byfamily farmers, and we've been leaders in organic agriculture from the verybeginning. Once pioneers of organicagriculture, we're now an established leader. Organic is all we do. We aredriven by our mission to promote regional farm diversity and economic stabilityby the means of organic agricultural methods and the sale of certified organicproducts.

Summary of Role
The ProducePool Manager provides oversight and leadership of the cooperative's producepool. The Produce Pool Manager isresponsible for managing produce farmer relationships and productioninformation. This role involves several aspects of the Produce Pool operations,including farmer procurement and onboarding, managing annual farmer productionplans, enforcing pool policies, in-season production management, conductingProduce Pool meetings, and farmer education and training. The manager useson-site field inspections and crop progression/yield estimates to projectharvest timelines and quantities of product available for sale. This positionis the first line of product quality control, training farmers on qualitystandards and best practices for harvest and packing. This is asafety-sensitive role.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Communicates performance expectations by evaluating performance, providing timely feedback, training, and coaching, and recommending personnel actions for assigned staff.
• Ensure compliance with policies, safety procedures, and fair employment practices.
• Lead production procurement efforts to meet sales demand.
• Onboard new farmers and manage veteran farmer relationships.
• Track farm production information including planting dates, acres, varieties, and plantings to project harvest quantities and timelines.
• Communicate ongoing availability of produce to the produce team.
• Communicate production fulfillment to growers to improve grower performance.
• Develop farmer education materials and conduct training on quality, harvest, packing, and food safety.
• Manage annual Veteran and New Grower sign-up process and coordinate supply among growing regions.
• Organize and facilitate monthly Pool and Produce Executive Committee meetings, agendas, and training.
• Advise and implement quality safeguards for member production addressing pest, disease, and fertility issues.
• Monitor and revise the yearly seed varieties list through trials and research and communicate to membership.
• Participate in the creation and enforcement of pool policy and proposals for endorsement by the Produce Executive Committee.
• Provide support and feedback for determining the cost of production and fair market pricing to membership.
• Report on farmer pay price and production volume available compared to plan.
• Work with the team to develop annual budgeted sales and production goals.
• Manage Produce farmer newsletter.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities

• Remain current on all new emerging trends and relevant changes that impact the organic produce business, both domestically as well as internationally.
• Attend and speak at select produce/organic grower conferences as needed for pool development.
• Draft periodic CROPP Forum articles for membership and all Pool Department meeting reports.
• Advise farmers on the development of on-farm production and packing tools and facilities.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• 10+ years of work experience in produce production and/or produce business.
• Bachelor's degree in Horticulture, Agronomy, Soil Science, Entomology, or Plant Pathology preferred.
• Proven ability to lead a team to deliver results.
• Practical vegetable production experience and knowledge of organic practices required.
• Knowledge of USDA produce grade standards.
• Experience working in the produce industry, with an emphasis on organic farming preferred.
• Experience working with farmers.
• Ability to promote cooperative values.
• Ability to work with a diverse group of people.
• Willingness to travel to other regions and work in the field.
• Strong people skills and excellent communication, both verbal and written.
• Strong computer skills focused on Microsoft Office programs.
• Superior attention to detail.
• Ability to work after business hours and on weekends as needed.
• Daily travel in the Hillsboro and Cashton, WI areas required.

Base salary range: $92,768.00 - $127,338.00 per year
This salary rangeis exclusive of fringe benefits. The compensation package may also includeincentive compensation opportunities in the form of discretionary bonuses. Ifyou are hired at CROPP, your final base salary compensation will be determinedbased on factors such as skills, education, and/orexperience. Additionally, we believe in the importance of pay equity andconsider the internal equity of our current team members as a part of any finaloffer. Please keep in mind that entry-level candidates to this role shouldexpect to be at the lower end of the salary range and hiring at the maximum of the salary rangeis not typical.

Benefits
We believe when our peopleare strong, our mission is strong. Therefore, we offer a comprehensive andholistic Total Rewards package meant to strengthen employees' and theirfamily's total wellbeing. Here are some of the great benefits offered:

• Comprehensive Health Insurance - Choice of plans for you and your family, including some that can be paired with an HSA (which CROPP contributes to on your behalf)
• Supplemental insurances: we offer accidental insurance, critical illness insurance, and hospital indemnity insurance.
• Time Off - 136 hours in the 1st year of employment prorated by start date. Plus 9 paid holidays, plus one floating holiday to use at will.
• 6 Weeks Paid Parental Leave - For all gendered partners in childbirth or adoption.
• Vision & Dental Insurance - Free annual eye exam, discounts on glasses/contacts, flexible dental network, adult ortho.
• 401k - We match 100% up to the first 3% of an employee's contribution, and then 50% for 3.1%-5.0% of employee contributions.
• Free services at five local Neighborhood Family Clinics.
• Tuition Reimbursement - Up to $1,500 per year to support continuing higher education.
• Life Insurance - $50,000 policy funded by CROPP for each employee. Supplemental voluntary coverage available for employees, spouses, and children.
• Short-Term & Long-Term Disability/AD&D Insurance - $50,000 of life insurance coverage of $50,000 of AD&D coverage funded by CROPP for each employee.
• Employee Assistance Program - Free and Confidential for employees, spouses, and dependents.
• Free onsite fitness centers available 24/7
• Free biometric screenings (cholesterol, glucose, blood pressure) and health coaching.
• Financial advisors and seminars
• Annual $360 Lifestyle Spending Account
• Flexible Scheduling
• On-site all-organic cafeterias