About the Organization
Wild Seed Project is an environmental nonprofit based in Cumberland County, Maine: our offices are in North Yarmouth and our Native Seed Center (nursery operation) is in Cape Elizabeth. We build awareness of the vital importance of native plants and provide people with the tools to restore biodiversity in their own communities in order to expand wildlife habitat and build climate resilience. We have a $1.1 million annual budget, a staff of ten, and a membership of nearly two thousand individuals. Our major program areas are Native Seed Stewardship and Education, which operate with a high degree of collaboration and interdependence.
Retail and wholesale distribution of native seeds, educational publications, and branded merchandise (primarily through our Shopify platform but also to wholesale accounts via Faire and through occasional pop-up retail events) account for over 20% of our annual revenue. We are hoping to increase that proportion, both for greater financial sustainability and to support our goal of enriching the world with more native plants and information about them. To drive this growth we are hiring a half-time Shop Coordinator position to provide additional support to retail operations and marketing. This position will report to the Communications Director. Our intention is to increase the Shop Coordinator position to full-time as sales volume and revenue increase.
Key Responsibilities & Expectations:
Manage daily operations of the Wild Seed Project Shop including:
- Maintain and troubleshoot the Shopify system
- Maintain accurate internal inventory records and accurately update product inventory status on the website
- Process and fulfill outgoing orders
- Order product for resale from vendors as needed
- Coordinate with the Seed Stewardship Director to manage seed packet inventory
- Coordinate with the Manager of Applied Ecology to manage inventory of in-house publications
- Manage relationships with existing vendors and retailers
- Maintain and develop accurate and engaging copy for product descriptions
- Manage inventory of packing materials and shipping supplies
Lead customer service operations for the Wild Seed Project Shop:
- Monitor [email protected] email account
- Answer straightforward questions about Shop products; facilitate the resolution of more technical questions with support from the Education Director and Seed Stewardship Director
- Answer questions about ordering procedures
- Resolve problems with product quality, payment, and order fulfillment
- Maintain accurate records of accounts receivable and support the Executive Director in collecting payment
Support the Executive Director and the Communications Director in the development of product lines that are in alignment with WSP’s mission and values
Support the Executive Director and the Communications Director in the development of marketing strategy for the Shop and implement those strategies to ensure that revenue goals are met or exceeded:
- Create content for Shop-related emails and social media campaigns
- Design print and digital display advertisements as needed
- Support implementation of Google AdWords and paid social media campaigns
- Conduct outreach to potential retailers of Wild Seed Project merchandise and publications
Support the Education Director in the coordination of retail sales at external events; keep staff and volunteers trained and up-to-date on POS operations
Supply the Executive Director and Operations Director with data necessary to support budget development related to Shop revenue and expenses
Under the oversight of the Operations Director and Seed Stewardship Director, implement tasks as necessary to support the organization’s fall plant sale (including setting up and training users in the POS systems)
Preferred candidates will have:
- 3+ years of experience working with Shopify
- 3+ years of customer service experience
- Familiarity with e-commerce best practices
- Educational background and/or substantial work experience in marketing, retail management, graphic design, or other skills relevant to the job functions
- Enthusiasm for engaging directly with customers, and care for the customer experience
- Strong time management, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Creativity and a strong aesthetic sense
- A collaborative working style
- The ability to judiciously and effectively balance financial, social, and environmental priorities when strategizing and decision-making
- A passion for the natural world and human community
Compensation and Benefits
Coordinator positions are paid at $25.75/hour; this position has an expected average workload of 20 hours/week. This is a hybrid role that requires in-person presence at our offices in North Yarmouth for all-staff meetings every Tuesday morning and to execute order fulfillment and inventory management duties, seasonal in-person presence at our nursery in Cape Elizabeth to execute duties related to the Fall Plant Sale, and occasional in-state travel. Most other work involved may be performed remotely and on a flexible schedule. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required for pop-up retail events.
Benefits include:
- Ten days (80 hours) of PTO, three days (24 hours) of sick time, paid federal holidays, and a paid “winter break” at the end of the calendar year.
- Employee-funded dental and vision insurance are available
- Employee-funded healthcare and dependant care Flexible Spending Accounts are available
- Simple IRA retirement accounts are available; Wild Seed Project will match contributions up to 1% of total pay
- Staff discount on Shop merchandise
As the time commitment of the position increases, PTO and sick time will increase proportionately and health insurance with 75% employer coverage of premiums will become available.
Application Process
Please send your cover letter and resume to Jess Gildea, Communications Director, at [email protected] with the subject line “Shop Coordinator Application”. Attached cover letter and resume file names should be formatted as: Last Name-Cover Letter / Last Name-Resume. We will respond to your application within two weeks of receiving your email. The first round of interviews will be held the weeks of September 28th and October 5th; the second round of interviews with finalists will be conducted the week of October 12th. Interviews will be conducted via Zoom by a team composed of the Executive Director, Operations Director, and Communications Director; interview questions will be provided to candidates at least 24 hours in advance. Our planned start date for the position is November 2.
Pay: $25.75 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Employee discount
- Flexible schedule
- Flexible spending account
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Work Location: Hybrid remote in North Yarmouth, ME 04097
