Collaborative Market Garden Coordinator
Kia ora! Crooked Vege Ōtaki and Ahoaho māra kai are looking to hire a coordinator to help us create a cooperative market-gardening business framework that enables local-scale farmers to collaborate in a mutually beneficial way.
Ahoaho māra kai and Crooked Vege Ōtaki are two small, organic, Ōtaki-based market gardens using earthkind, agroecological methods and aligning to the principles of hua parakore to grow nutritious kai.
While each farm operates independently, we came together in the summer season 2023/4 to distribute our kai cooperatively to our local community. Ahoaho operates out of Ōtaki College. Jack, a sole trader, operates the market garden side of Ahoaho which focuses exclusively on the Ōtaki Vege Bag kaupapa, while Rosa works with rangatahi in the māra.
Crooked Vege Ōtaki formed as a non-profit social enterprise in mid 2023 and is run by George, Bella and Jon. Crooked Vege also manages wholesale accounts across Kāpiti and Horowhenua to subsidise the vege bag kauapa. Please note that Crooked Vege Ōtaki will act as the employer for this contract.
We’re looking to upscale both farms by developing an efficient business framework that focuses on efficiently delivering more kai to our community. We recently received a grant that will enable us to hire someone to focus on this in 2025.
We are really excited to be hiring someone to join our small team. This role is based in Ōtaki, with the option to work some hours remotely. Fresh veggies are included in the job as well!
This role will include:
● Developing and managing money systems, bookkeeping, and administrative systems for the collaborative Ōtaki Vege Bags we do weekly with Ahoaho māra kai
● Community organising and engagement
● Managing sales and marketing for both farms
● Exploring the best legal structure for this farming business model
● Contributing to general farm work to understand how both market gardens function
You don’t need experience in all above areas to be great for the job! We are looking for someone who:
● Is passionate about changing the food system
● Has a knack or interest in creating innovative and efficient systems and has an aptitude for project management
● Works well in a small team
● Has a good sense of initiative
● Is a confident communicator
● Has competency dealing with weighty bureaucratic systems
● Has tech skills
● Is able to work outside in the market garden
This job is a fixed contract $35/hour role, 20 hours a week until April 2026 (13 months). We are flexible around the hours/week so please let us know if you have questions around this or would like to discuss further options. Please note the hours per week we agree upon will dictate the length of the contract.
If you have interest in this role, please apply!
Apply by sending your CV and a cover letter to kiaora@crookedvege.co.nz. In your cover letter, please include an answer to the following question:
What is your experience with the food system and why are you interested in working in it? (No experience necessary, we just want to hear your story!)
Applications close midnight Sunday 19th January 2025.
