Norwich FarmShare is recruiting a part-time Membership and Finance Officer to support our growing membership and make sure our Hub and our admin systems run smoothly. If you're organised, flexible and have a problem-solving approach to your work, we'd love to hear from you! Read on for the full job description.
Deadline for applications: midnight on Friday 10 May.
Membership and Finance Officer, Norwich FarmShare
Job description
Hours: 10 per week, ideally including some time on Wednesdays and an hour on Thursday once a month.
Salary: £9.50/hour
Length of contract: Permanent
Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays, pro rata for 10 hours/week based on a 35-hour week. This includes a week for Christmas shutdown.
Location: Home-based, in or near Norwich, with monthly visits to the Thursday hub at Wensum Sports Centre in Norwich.
Line manager: Chair or other board member of Norwich FarmShare (tbc)
This is primarily a desk-based role, with an expectation that the postholder will spend around an hour at the Thursday hub (where members collect their vegetables) at least once a month. The role involves being the main point of contact for enquiries from current and potential members; undertaking basic bookkeeping tasks and ensuring payments are up to date; and overseeing the effective running of the hub. As the only employee of Norwich FarmShare (our two growers are self-employed), you would be expected to take on ad-hoc administrative tasks as they arise.
We are expanding this role from the current four hours in line with our plans to grow our membership and professionalise our operations. We are seeking someone proactive with a problem-solving approach, who can help us to develop more effective systems as well as carrying out the routine administrative tasks effectively. There is likely to be some scope for the postholder to explore new projects to help build a bright future for FarmShare.
Main tasks:
Member support (approx. 3 hours per week)
Responding to email enquiries from members, including changes to orders as well as various less predictable requests.
Ensuring the member database is up to date and updating the mailing list with new members.
Contacting new members to welcome them to FarmShare, explain to them how the hub works, and offer volunteering opportunities.
Contacting departing members to thank them for their support and ask about their reasons for leaving.
Finance (approx. 4 hours per week – less once direct debit switch is complete)
Using QuickBooks accounting software to check payments, and chasing up any missed payments.
Categorising payments in QuickBooks, and reconciling the accounts (training will be available).
Paying invoices from suppliers and others.
Asking and supporting members to switch to payment by direct debit once a new system is in place (payments are currently by standing order).
Hub management (1-2 hours per week)
Compiling the weekly sheets for the week ahead, indicating which members require veg / fruit/ eggs each week. (Ordering is done by the growers.)
Keeping an overview of hub tasks and processes, and periodically seeking feedback from volunteers about how these are working
Keeping the volunteer rota up to date and liaising with hub volunteer team to ensure all slots are filled.
Being the main point of contact for volunteers encountering any problems and for Wensum Sports Centre.
Attending the hub for at least an hour a month to check processes, support volunteers and see if any changes are required.
General administrative tasks (1-2 hours per week)
Keeping the online calendar up to date, informing the relevant people of upcoming events, and alerting growers or board members when holiday cover is required.
Sending a weekly report of member numbers to the board.
Dealing with occasional enquiries from other local organisations, media etc, or forwarding them to board members as necessary.
Social media: this is currently updated by growers and volunteers, but it may be useful for the postholder to post reminders about volunteering opportunities and events.
Developing aspects to the post
Below are some tasks which we hope can be undertaken in the future. It is likely that time to explore these will be freed up once the switch to direct debit is complete.
Hub sales: there has been some interest in inviting other local producers to sell their produce through the hub, or use it as a collection point. It would be useful to establish the level of interest in this and pursue it if appropriate.
Additional collection points: we would ideally like to establish at least one additional collection point in the west of the city. This would require additional staff/volunteer capacity. The postholder could investigate the level of interest in this and the resources required.
Person specification
Essential:
An organised and meticulous approach to work.
A problem-solving approach, with a willingness to help set up new systems or streamline existing ones.
Friendly and approachable but professional in manner, especially by email.
Confident in working with basic financial processes (training will be provided).
Flexible, with an ability to reprioritise at short notice and respond to changing circumstances.
Self-motivated and able to work alone.
Desirable:
Knowledge of QuickBooks accounting software.
Experience of bookkeeping.
Experience of dealing with member/customer enquiries in a professional context.
Knowledge of how FarmShare works and our core values.
To apply for this post, please send a CV and a cover letter explaining how you meet the requirements of the role to info@norwichfarmshare.co.uk Please give specific examples of how you meet each of the essential criteria.
Closing date: midnight on Friday 10 May. Interviews will take place on Friday 17 May.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sandra at info@norwichfarmshare.co.uk
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