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Seacoast Eat Local is pleased to announce Shawn Menard as the new Program Director.  Shawn joins us from the Gardiner Food Co-op in Gardiner, Maine, where he was the General Manager.  Shawn received a B.A. from the University of Maine in Farmington and an M.S. is Management with a concentration in sustainability from New England College.

As Program Director for Seacoast Eat Local, Shawn will oversee the operational success of Seacoast Eat Local’s core programs – hosting Winter Farmers’ Markets, operating the Seacoast Area Mobile Market (SAMM), supporting SNAP benefits at farmers’ markets year round, and the annual Seacoast Harvest publication.

The Seacoast Eat Local Board of Directors is confident Shawn’s background in sustainability, local food systems, management, and marketing will strengthen our commitment to connecting people with sources of locally grown food and improving the profitability and sustainability of local farmers.  Shawn will be starting this role for us on May 28th.  He is looking forward to working with the board and staff towards meeting existing organizational goals and also developing plans for the future. Please join us in welcoming Shawn to the Seacoast Eat Local community.  He and his wife Caroline are looking forward to settling down in the area.

2019 Summer Internships with Seacoast Eat Local’s SAMM Program

The mission of the Seacoast Area Mobile Market Program (SAMM), as part of Seacoast Eat Local, is to strengthen communities through greater access to local foods for all Seacoast residents. We believe that by bringing locally produced, fresh food products to individuals in their communities of home and work, we will eliminate transportation barriers and thereby expand access to local food. Expanding food access in communities with historically limited access to local foods will, in turn, support the growth and spread of local agricultural efforts and businesses and also further cement the commitment to and education supporting local foods and agricultural across our region.

In Summer 2019 Seacoast Eat Local will be seeking 5 interns to join our team as colleagues for approximately 10 hours per week. Interns can come from a variety of academic disciplines, but should be highly self-motivated, reliable and committed to our mission. Interns are vital to SAMM’s success. Individuals in this position will physically assist in running SAMM, but will also have opportunities to learn and engage others in learning about local communities and businesses, as well as local agricultural production.

Intern responsibilities with the SAMM Program include:
Being reliable and on time for shifts
Following strictly all health and safety guidelines as presented by SEL/SAMM Staff
Lifting/stacking/moving product as needed (interns should be able to lift 40-50lbs)
Working in sometimes hot or inclement weather
Interacting professionally with farmers when picking up products.
Interacting positively with customers of all backgrounds and economic means
Communicating clearly with SAMM/SEL staff about experiences, problems, important information etc
Providing community education experiences such as fruit and vegetable sampling
Prepping product for sale (weighing, bagging, washing etc)
Assist in keeping SAMM clean and safe for customers
Setting up and breaking down stop sites (putting up tent, arranging table displays…)
End of market cleaning of SAMM van
Assisting in daily reporting and logging of sales and inventory
Maintaining a clean/appropriate personal appearance

SAMM Interns will never be asked or permitted to drive the vehicle, as a matter of insurance liability. SAMM volunteers will ride in the vehicle with the SAMM/SEL Staff and will agree to wear a seatbelt at all times while the vehicle is in transit.

Brief Position Description: This is a physical position- interns should expect and be able to lift up to 50lbs and to work in sometimes hot and inclement weather. Interns will be involved in all day-to day aspects of the SAMM program. This will include picking up product (vegetable orders), setting up the SAMM vehicle for the day, traveling to stops and setting up/breaking down the stop site, completing customer transactions and providing community education experiences such as fruit and vegetables tasting opportunities.

Hours/Schedule

The intern MUST be able to commit to one full day of operation for the duration of their internship. Typically, SAMM operates Monday-Friday from roughly 8am-6pm. The intern will need to provide their own reliable source of transportation to meet SAMM and then will travel on board the SAMM van during the day..

Successful Candidates
Successful candidates will be responsible, reliable and self motivated. They will be well spoken and able to represent Seacoast Eat Local positively in a public setting. Candidates must be able to provide their own source of transportation.

This is an unpaid internship, but SEL is willing to work out credit options where possible and good work will be rewarded with strong letters of recommendation, introductions to organizations of interest and possible opportunities for future hourly work. This internship is a great opportunity for a self-starter to work and be respected as part of an enthusiastic and dynamic team.

To Apply
Please send a resume, cover letter and 2 contacts for reference to Celeste Gingras, at [email protected] Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Applications will be accepted starting immediately and the position will remain open until filled.

Seacoast Eat Local is hiring a Program Director to oversee the operational success of our mission to connect community members with local food and farms. We are seeking a motivated, energetic, and hardworking person with a strong interest in local food access and community food systems.

Seacoast Eat Local was founded in 2006 with the mission to bring people together with sources of locally grown foods and advocate eating locally for the health of our environment, community, culture and economy. Through advocacy, organizing and education, we work toward a sustainable local food system that meets the needs of both producers and consumers. Our work includes operating a SNAP/EBT Farmers’ Market Program, organizing winter farmers’ markets, running a mobile market, producing our local food guide, sponsoring workshops and events, and providing information through our email newsletter, blog and website, www.seacoasteatlocal.org

The Program Director will oversee the Program Coordinator and Mobile Market Manager, as well as provide leadership to our team of interns and volunteers. Serving as the key external face of Seacoast Eat Local in the community, the Program Director will also be responsible for networking with stakeholders, community building, and relationships with donors. They will be expected to demonstrate a knowledge of and passion for a multi-
faceted local food system, while also providing the organization with the fiscal oversight and program delivery that will allow Seacoast Eat Local to continue our work as a strong and robust regional non-profit.

Responsibilities include:

• – Overseeing the Program Coordinator and Mobile Market Manager to ensure the successful execution of SEL’s core programs
• – Taking the lead on fundraising and development, including implementing the annual fundraising plan, managing the donor database, planning and executing quarterly events, leading the stewardship of existing donors, and expanding our fundraising presence in the Seacoast
• – Managing our grant-based funding, which encompasses organizing the annual grant schedule, writing grant appeals, and overseeing fiscal and programmatic reporting
• – Supervising and implementing our annual budget and working with our bookkeeper and treasurer on accurate reporting and fiscal oversight
• – Ensuring the implementation and utilization of measures and metrics for program evaluation
• – Serving as the key contact person and public face of our organization through email communication, marketing, newsletters, social media, attending local events, and relationship building
• – Carrying out our current strategic plan through 2021 and assisting and advising the board in the development of future strategic plans

An ideal candidate will hold a Bachelor’s degree and have worked a minimum of 4-5 years in project management, fundraising, and/or personnel management, and be familiar with the functioning and organization of non-profits. They will be enthusiastic about a position that puts them in contact with many different members of our community and should possess a strong passion for local food and developing robust food systems. Necessary
skills include proficiency in computer use, strong project management, leadership of staff and interns, and a demonstrated aptitude for excellent verbal and written communication. This is a self-driven leadership role within our organization, and the person hired to fill this role will be expected to serve as a supervisor of our staff, contact person with stakeholders, and collaborator with the Board of Directors, to whom they will report.

This is a full time, salaried position that includes healthcare and paid vacation. We offer a flexible working environment and schedule, though applicants must be willing to work some weekends and nights.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected] by April 6.