Director of Program Management & Vendor Opportunities

Job description: Director of Program Management and Vendor Opportunities

The Boston Public Market Association (“BPMA”) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to operate the Boston Public Market, the 28,000 square foot permanent food and artisanal year-round market in downtown Boston.  That mission includes programs and activities that enrich the Market’s work to support New England farmers and food producers, educate the public about the value of local and fresh, healthy food for consumers of all income levels and to build a community around food.  The Director of Programming and Vendor Opportunities, reporting to the CEO, plays a key role in the Boston Public Market Association’s mission.

The Position and Responsibilities:

The Director of Programming and Vendor Opportunities responsibilities are diverse, and includes:  recruiting and collaborating with small food and artisanal businesses to consider their role in the market, developing programs and events, fostering different partnerships and relationships that serve to fulfill the Market’s mission.  This position is tasked with identifying, developing and growing strategic collaborations and partnerships with small food and artisanal businesses, community groups and other partners, and creating new programs and events for the Market, our vendors and our visitors. 

• Building relationships with and managing recruitment of small New England businesses to connect them to the Boston Public Market’s retail sales opportunities including permanent retail stalls in the Market, pop-up retail spaces and spaces at our outdoor Farmers Markets.
• Developing, planning and executing a calendar of seasonal events and festivals that highlight our vendor’s products and provide free entertainment and educational opportunities for our customers and broader community.  These festivals include our Agricultural Festival, Oyster Festival and Fiber Festival.
• Designing and running external programming efforts in conjunction with local partners and coordinating participation in external events such as festivals and educational series.
• In conjunction with the Director of Marketing, planning and executing the Market’s annual fundraising event, the Harvest Party, negotiating and managing vendor contracts and coordinating most aspects of the event, in collaboration with the entire BPMA team
• Running the Market’s Private Event Rentals program, including marketing the space, developing proposals for potential clients, executing contracts and overseeing all aspects of logistics and operations, including arranging catering from the Market and management of any outside vendors
• Developing educational content and training volunteers/interns to execute the Market’s free year-round Field Trip and Tour programs, where thousands of students and other interested parties learn about our vendors and the importance of local food and supporting small businesses
• Encouraging vendors to conduct demonstrations, classes and tastings in our Demonstration Station and Connections Corner, providing them with an additional revenue stream and further educating our community about their businesses and offerings.

Qualifications:

• Excellent program design and management skills; ability to work on multiple projects with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to engage with a variety of constituents and stakeholders
• Agile, flexible, and mission-driven individual committed to public impact work. 
• Some familiarity with issues related to local food, food systems, food or other markets entrepreneurship, health and wellness education
• Team-oriented and collaborative
• Demonstrates ability to work with deadlines in a fast paced work environment and handles all situations calmly.
• Highly organized team player with experience planning and managing events
• Strong verbal/written communication skills and attention to detail.

The Boston Public Market provides equal opportunity for all persons seeking employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic as established by law. To learn more about the Boston Public Market, visit our website at bostonpublicmarket.org. 

Interested applicants should send a Cover Letter and Resume to Cheryl Cronin at ccronin@bostonpublicmarket.org by May 15th.