Equal Exchange is unconventional. It is a story of a group of small farmers- the activists and visionaries behind them, striving to change the banana industry as we know it. The Equal Exchange banana supply chain is a total departure from the conventional system - from the small farmer cooperatives directly exporting bananas to the alternative, independent retailers making them available to conscious eaters. Together, step-by-step, we are building a real alternative to conventional bananas.
OKE USA, the fresh produce import arm of Equal Exchange, was formed in 2006 to fulfill this vision.
Having expanded into Fair Trade Avocados six years ago, we now have an amazing opportunity for an Avocado Supply Chain Coordinator to join our small and dynamic team in West Bridgewater, MA conveniently located in between Providence, RI and Boston, MA.
What we’re looking for:
A produce professional who believes in the concept of Fair Trade, and has the know how to be successful with a variety of responsibilities.
What we offer you:
A great opportunity to grow with the company, along with an competitive compensation program including; health and dental insurance coverage, vacations, holidays, sick days, and a simple IRA plan with a 2% salary match. When submitting your resume, please include a cover letter answering the following questions. Please note, your cover letter and resume will need to be combined into a single document.
Questions:
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If you were a small scale avocado farmer, what would you want out of a relationship with Oke USA?
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The avocado industry is dominated by large multinationals that control a majority of the global avocado market. Oke USA operates at a minute scale in comparison. What are some of the challenges associated with this difference in scale and how would you approach those challenges?
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Oke USA must compete with other produce companies on the most conventional terms while also carrying out our fair trade mission. What do you bring to a company with this challenge?
- Ability to manage complex logistics
- Spanish language fluency or high proficiency
- Resiliency
- Problem solver
- Good communication skills
- High proficiency with excel
- Team player
- Ability to work independently
- Time management skills
- Ability to relocate to Boston / Providence / West Bridgewater area
- Ability to work under high stress in a fast paced environment
- Attention to detail alongside the ability to think big picture
- Commitment to making a difference and passion for issues related to sustainable agriculture and alternative food systems!
- Flexibility and willingness to continuously learn by experience. This job may evolve as Oke grows and evolves
- Experience with perishable produce logistics
- Experience with Latin American farmer cooperatives
- Experience working in social-justice, food systems and/or other mission based work
Logistics (70%):
- Manage complex weekly international and domestic logistics for Oke’s avocado supply chain from Latin America to US distributors and stores
- Coordinate orders, truck/ocean transportation, customs, domestic logistics, quality control
- Co-manage projections, procurement, and inventory management
- Co-manage customer relations and distribution
- Perform pricing and financial analysis
Sales and Education (20%):
- Build and maintain relationships with existing customers and accounts
- Implement grassroots marketing efforts to build store and consumer awareness of brand mission through demos, store visits, social media, print, store staff trainings, educational lectures
Team (10%):
- Participate in staff, team and educational meetings and activities
- Understand producer partners, trading policies, and the Fair Trade movement
- Work with the Oke team to engage in team level sales, supply chain and creative thinking around building alternative fair trade supply chains