Sales and Customer Service Manager

Farm Table Delivery is seeking a dynamic and motivated Sales and Customer Service Manager to join our team. The Manager will be responsible for identifying potential customers, establishing and fostering relationships, and driving the growth of local food sales. This role requires a self-starter who is passionate about local foods, small businesses, customer service, and achieving goals.

As the Sales and Customer Service Manager, you will play a pivotal role in prioritizing customer support and fostering strong connections between our diverse customer base of restaurants, schools, institutions, home chefs, and our network of local Producers.

Your primary focus will be on increasing sales of local foods, providing exceptional customer service, and maintaining positive relationships within our community so that local Producers can grow their farms, craft, and reach.

Who is Farm Table Delivery?

Farm Table Delivery is the primary food hub in Western Iowa and manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products from local and regional Producers. It primarily serves wholesale, retail, and institutional demand while secondarily supporting its own retail customers. FTD coordinates with six other food hubs throughout Iowa and Omaha, via the Hub to Hub Network to efficiently maximize its reach.

What You’ll Do

Build Wholesale and Farm Table’s Retail Customer Base:

• Identify and establish relationships with potential wholesale customers through various channels such as cold calling, networking, and referrals.
• Identify and build relationships with potential workplace and community drop points to grow Retail customers.
• Prioritize new customer growth in designated delivery areas to maximize route efficiency.

Build and Maintain Relationships:

• Establish and nurture strong relationships with existing and prospective customers.
• Understand customer needs and pain points to provide tailored solutions and exceed expectations.
• Promote Farm Table’s mission through in-person education events to work-site and community groups, and other venues to generate shopper interest.

Customer Service and Support:

• Assists customers with order placement.
• Communicate delivery and receiving details as needed.
• Address customer inquiries, concerns, and issues promptly and professionally.

Clear Internal and External Communication:

• Maintain accurate records of sales activities, customer interactions, and progress utilizing Farm Table’s designated Inventory and CRM software systems.
• Work between Customers and Producers effectively to prioritize opportunities, upcoming promotions, track progress, and forecast revenue.
• Keep budget and timetables on target.

Marketing:

• Work collaboratively with Farm Table team members and Producers to create and implement e-media campaigns that are seasonally timed, give ample lead time for menu changes, on-brand, and educational.
• Develops print and other collateral marketing materials as needed, with a focus on sales-driven content.

Other duties as assigned.

A Typical Week

Throughout the week, the Manager is expected to identify new customers, call, schedule, and facilitate meetings to gain new customers. These are scheduled at-will and in conjunction with the best times for potential customers. This will include additional customer-centric touches as needed. This work is both remote/home and in the community.

Mondays are dedicated to resolving the previous week’s ordering issues with the Farm Table Team in the weekly recap and move-forward meeting. Your Monday will also include collecting, entering late orders and coordinating with the Operations Manager to make sure all late orders are placed with vendors.

Tuesdays are dedicated to finalizing orders and tightening everything up in preparation for delivery. This is generally a lighter day.

Wednesdays you will begin contacting customers to notify of upcoming promotions and formulating your sales plan and social media plans for the week.

Thursdays are your busiest day. You will be entering all of the pre-orders, drafting your promotional emails, and making your social media plan for the weekend. This will include creating original graphics.

Fridays you will launch your email and social media campaigns and begin contacting customers via preferred methods (email, text, call, social media). Over the weekend, you will be ‘on-call’ to assist online shoppers with ordering questions.

Sundays you will finish up the order period by confirming orders and finalizing them and contacting any frequent buyers who have yet to purchase.

Who You Are & Keys to Success (the must-haves)

• Expert customer service - Our customers and Producers deserve the highest level of service.
• Communication skills - Communicates professionally, positively, and effectively via phone, in person, video calls, email, text, and social media with strong attention to detail and tone in each channel.
• Attention to detail - The ability to find and correct potential order issues to ensure accurate orders and deliveries
• Multitasking skills - Manage multiple responsibilities at once by focusing on one task while keeping track of others.
• Time management skills - Organize and schedule activities efficiently. Create and maintain schedules of upcoming tasks and events. Maximize work efficiently.
• Software proficiency – Must be willing to become highly proficient in Farm Table designated software including but not limited to Local Food Marketplace, HubSpot, MailChimp, Canva, and Google Workspace.

What Else You Should Know

Hours: This is a part-time position with a semi-flexible schedule. It is expected that the Manager will work an average of 30 hours per week with seasonal variation. Weekend and evening hours (on-call) are required in addition to other events as needed.

Physical demands and conditions: Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Frequent phone and video calls. Occasional lifting of equipment and/or packages, setting up tables, lifting banners, etc. In-person events as needed.

Location: It is anticipated that this person is based out of Western Iowa or Eastern Nebraska and can easily be on-site at the warehouse currently located in Harlan, Iowa, and attend area networking and educational events as needed.

Educational/Experience: 2-3 years of sales or related experience required. Demonstrated on-going to commitment to professional learning.

Salary: $30/hour, 30 hours per week average.

Age minimum: Must be 21 years or older.

Transportation: You must have reliable transportation to show up to in-person events as needed. Mileage to approved events is reimbursed, mileage to the warehouse is not reimbursed.

Equipment and Connectivity: Farm Table will provide a computer and a $20 monthly allotment for cellular/telephone connectivity. The manager is expected to have a reliable internet connection and basic office supplies (scissors, stapler, pens, etc).

How to Apply

We encourage all individuals passionate about local food access in the Midwest to apply, even if you feel like you don’t meet every qualification. If you are interested, please upload and submit your Resume, Cover Letter, and 3 references in Indeed. Electronic applications are required.

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $30.00 per hour

Expected hours: 30 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule

Experience level:

• 2 years

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Harlan, IA 51537