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POSITION SUMMARY
Position: Business Counselor, Program Associate (Fluent in Korean)
Hours: Full time, exempt
Location: Los Angeles, CA (hybrid remote)
Salary: $68,500 - $72,000
Applications Due: Apr 30, 2024
Desired Start Date: May 30th, 2024
ORGANIZATIONAL DESCRIPTION
The Los Angeles Food Policy Council (LAFPC) is a non-profit initiative to ensure food is healthy, affordable, fair, and sustainable for all. This position will support our capacity building initiatives, primarily, the Healthy Neighborhood Market Network (HNMN), a program that partners with corner stores and neighborhood market owners to build their capacity to operate as successful healthy food retailers and better serve their communities. The HNMN program uplifts community-led solutions to food apartheid and supports local business owners as they create localized good food economies across Los Angeles. Additionally, this role will support other capacity building initiatives focused on healthy food retail.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
LAFPC is seeking a resourceful, bilingual (English/Korean) Business Counselor to join our HNMN team. Reporting to the Director of Programs and Innovation, the Business Counselor will provide direct support to local store owners participating in the HNMN Program and will be responsible for supporting their clients in the areas of business planning, marketing, growth strategies, and other areas of small business development. The Business Counselor will independently manage their own caseload of clients by setting goals for each program year, establishing a spending and work plan, managing ongoing projects and budgets, and maintaining detailed records of program activities. The ideal candidate is passionate about food justice and community-led food systems, is able to work autonomously and as a member of a diverse team, and is comfortable managing multiple projects with independent timelines. They will need to demonstrate strong decision-making and problem-solving skills, develop and deepen community relations, and communicate effectively with a client-service mindset. This is a hybrid position which includes remote work as well as fieldwork which will require regular local travel.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Implementation (60%)
● Oversee a caseload of 3 to 5 clients per program year, acting as a key support and liaison for store owners.
● Collaborate with store owners to set programmatic goals, manage projects, and provide one-on-one support with business strategy.
● Train and implement program curriculum for store owners as they initiate or expand the healthy food retail options at their stores.
● Provide tailored assistance based on client needs, including such areas of focus as business operations, infrastructure development, marketing and (re)branding, community engagement, and/or other topics as identified with clients.
● Identify and oversee subcontractors to address particular areas of focus, as needed.
● Facilitate partnerships between clients and other local organizations to improve community connection and collaborative opportunities.
Program Administration (30%)
● Onboard new clients, perform initial assessments of needs, and establish spending plans based on goals and project timelines.
● Assist in the development of discretionary budgets for all clients.
● Monitor and work within each client’s budget and the spending constraints set by funders.
● Generate project documents including marketing and communications materials, internal project updates, and final reports for external audiences.
● Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, track ongoing progress for all clients, and ensure deadlines are met.
Special Projects (10%)
● Support in the development and implementation of program-specific materials.
● Act as a representative of the LAFPC and/or the HNMN Program at external events.
● Aid in the identification of and outreach to potential new clients.
● Identify and engage in additional projects and opportunities as available.
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
● Bilingual fluency in both English and Korean.
● Four years of collective professional experience and/or a Bachelor’s Degree encompassing at least two of the following knowledge areas: business administration, marketing, hospitality, business development, entrepreneurship, food and beverage retail, food and beverage operations, procurement, project coordination, and/or, case management
● At least one year of professional experience in client or customer service.
● Demonstrated experience and proficiency in computer skills–including office suite systems, data management software, and collaborative/remote workplace technologies.
● Ability to work a flexible schedule with some weekend hours, as needed.
● Alignment with the Los Angeles Food Policy Council’s (LAFPC) values of ensuring food is healthy, affordable, fair, and sustainable for all.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS
● This position requires regular local travel to provide on-site support for clients. As such, the following
requirements apply:
○ Access to a private vehicle
○ Maintain Valid Class C Driver’s license and clean driving record.
○ Ability to work both indoors and outdoors.
○ Ability to periodically lift and carry materials weighing up to 30 pounds.
● All HNMN employees must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in compliance with City of Los Angeles
*employees may petition for a medical or religious exemption in accordance with the City ordinance
BENEFITS
Hours: Full time, exempt
The Los Angeles Food Policy Council—a fiscally-sponsored project of Community Partners—offers paid holidays and vacation; health, dental, and vision insurance; a retirement plan with employer match; and a range of professional development opportunities. LAFPC promotes healthy work-life balance and workplace culture for its staff. All staff are permitted to work from home for any tasks that can be completed remotely, and LAFPC assigns projects through consent-based decision-making.
How to Apply: Submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@goodfoodla.org. The subject line should read Business Counselor - YOUR NAME, and your resume should be attached as a PDF. In your cover letter, be sure to include (1) where you discovered this listing and (2) what do you love most about your community?
Los Angeles Food Policy Council is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce. As part of this commitment, LAFPC includes certain strategies during the hiring process, such as anonymized application reviews and standardized interview questions, meant to limit implicit and unconscious biases. LAFPC encourages women and gender diverse people, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ individuals, veterans, immigrants, and anyone with a disability to apply for all of our positions.
