Employment

Chatham Marketplace, (Pittsboro, NC) General Manager Position Opening Location description Chatham Marketplace is located in a small town of 3,743 residents in a county known for many independent small farms, locally owned small businesses, a diverse population, thriving arts and music community, and many recreational opportunities. The town is home to a community college that offers unique programs such as Sustainable Agriculture, and a Natural Chef’s Program. Pittsboro is located in the center of the state, close to several major universities: University of North Carolina, North Carolina State, Duke University and North Carolina Central. An international airport (Raleigh- Durham) is located within the region. Pittsboro is also home to successful regional and national non-profits such as Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, and the Rural Advancement Foundation Inc. There is the Haw River, located nearby which many kayakers, and canoeists, enjoy. A lake is located in the area that provides swimming beaches, camp sites, fishing, and boating as well as wildlife observation areas such as an eagle lookout. Many cultural events are held frequently within the region. There are lots of musical events, plays, films and art exhibits. Chatham Marketplace often hosts musicians on the weekend, Tasting and Tapas monthly and other store events. Local artists display their work in the café. The store is located in a historic mill building. The mill once produced labels for clothing. Other businesses are also located here. The lawn has a beautiful garden, with plants that attract pollinators, like bees and insects. Volunteers and an agricultural extension agent plant and maintain the garden. Links for additional information on the area: www.chathamnc.org/index www.pittsboro.net/ www.visitpittsboro.com www.chathamarts.org www.rafiusa.org/conferencecenter.html Chatham Marketplace background The doors opened on May 18, 2005 after several years of planning and obtaining financial backing. A very dedicated group of local residents saw a need and worked very hard to fulfill their vision to have a local co-op in Pittsboro. We currently have over 2100 member-owners and annual sales of approximately $2.5 million. Recently, a local partnership (Bringing It Home Chatham, LLC) obtained the debt obligation; which keeps the payback within the community. http://slowmoneync.org/our-loans/bringing-it-home-chatham/ The General Manager reports to the Board of Directors. The Board operates under Policy Governance (www.carvergovernance.com/model.htm) and is elected by the co-op owners. The GM is expected to manage the co-op by fulfilling the Ends of Chatham Marketplace. Chatham Marketplace Ends We serve our owner and employees, our shoppers, our local farmers, our local business community, and our broader community by being a co-op that: Provides healthy quality food Supports local agriculture Strengthens local economy Is a good place to work Has an active ownership Practices environmental stewardship Is a catalyst for cooperation among community members Serves as a community hub Advances the well being of each community member Job Qualifications Applicants should have experience in the following areas: Retail management experience Grocery retail, Natural foods and Co-op experience are a plus. Financial management skills Budget preparation - yearly budget, reviews and revisions Active, sustained oversight of operating, cash and capital budgets Preparation of financial reports for review Planning Development of business plans and means to achieve goals Consultation with department managers for input on planning and frequent goal assessment Human resource management Staff – hiring, periodic evaluations, disciplinary action, terminations Team building within staff to achieve store goals Personnel policies – maintain and update a personnel policy, enforce policies equitably, update job descriptions Staff development and training – ensure that all management and staff have adequate training to efficiently carry out job duties Make available additional training and development information Volunteers – manage or delegate management of a volunteer group to help with store duties (stocking, painting, marketing materials, events) Communication skills Ability to clearly articulate ideas verbally and through written reports Ability and willingness to work with a Board that practices Policy Governance (learn about Policy Governance if necessary) Public speaking – at ease speaking to/with large and small groups Ability to listen to feedback from customers, owners and board members and to use it for constructive improvements for the store Ability to absorb negative feedback without defensiveness Interest in community outreach Interact with other local businesses Interact with local vendors, farmers Attend local events Interact with local non-profits Marketing Experience in developing ads, store promotions, events In store displays – product placement, signs Computer literacy Word processing, spreadsheets, Internet sites Photoshop, publishing programs, web experience are a plus Point of sale program experience a plus Intrinsic skills Accepts the challenge of keeping a lot of “balls in the air” Likes having varied tasks each day while keeping routine tasks under control - trusting management team to manage their duties and communicate any concerns. Maintain an atmosphere where staff and management are excited about the goals of the store and are free to express ideas by various means Manage and enjoy the unexpected without freaking out Like people and communicating with them Interest in building community through the co-op Interested candidates should submit a resume along with a cover letter explaining your desire to work with Chatham Marketplace and summarizing the skills and experience you believe would make you an excellent candidate for the General Manager position. Application should be submitted by email, with your name in the subject line, to: cmp.gm.search@gmail.com