(posted 8/25/2023)

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Vermont Cheese Council is looking for someone to take ownership of our promotional activities and events in order to help us meet our marketing and fundraising goals. With support from the Executive Director and volunteer event committees, you will be responsible for our existing programming and as well as bringing your own initiatives to life, from visioning through execution. If you are good at visualizing how multiple moving components and people need to come together to achieve a goal, coordinating various stakeholders, and thinking about how what you do fits into “the bigger picture” – this might be the role for you.

This position will be hourly and remote, reporting to the Executive Director (ED). Initially, this will be a part-time role requiring a commitment of 20 hours per week, with the possibility of growth/expansion beyond that.

ABOUT VCC

The VCC is a membership-based nonprofit that provides community, education, and business support for cheesemakers, both in Vermont and beyond.  Our members include Vermont cheesemakers, as well as the retail shops, restaurants, distributors, state-level parties, and other stakeholders whom they depend upon for their success.  We represent the $650 million Vermont Cheese brand – including cheese producers of every scale, each of which works together through our organization to embrace a culture of mutual support in service of the common good. The Vermont Cheese Council is an equal opportunity employer.

WHY WORK FOR US

Working with us puts you right in the heart of the world-renowned Vermont cheese industry. In this role, your work will help farmers and cheese producers – supporting their businesses while helping to keep Vermont’s working agricultural landscape vibrant. The role affords a great deal of flexibility in what you do and how you do it. If you love coordinating group activities and event planning – but aren’t sure you have all the experience we are looking for, please know we hope to help the right person for this role be able to grow to fit it as needed.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Management & Coordination of Marketing and Promotional Events/Campaigns

  • Works with the ED, marketing committee, and event committees to help plan for, coordinate, and manage promotional events & campaigns for VCC – including the Vermont Cheesemakers’ Festival, The Hunt, and annual promotion of the Vermont Cheese Trail. You will develop event planning schedules, coordinate with internal and external partners to get events executed, manage ticket sales and attendee communications, recruit and support vendor and partner relationships – including program/event application processes and paperwork management, and make sure all of our logistical i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed.
  • Coordinates and engages frequently (via email and meetings both) with event coordination teams and committees, vendors, partners, and VCC members prior to event launch on through execution to ensure event success for the entire team/VCC’s membership

Communications

  • Provide written content, imagery, and schedule inputs for VCC marketing efforts
  • Coordinate with our membership to help them understand how to take advantage of marketing & event opportunities
  • Coordinate with the ED to contribute to VCC’s public, event, and partnership communication strategy – to ensure promotion, event and organizational goals align

Program Performance Projections & Assessments

  • Work with the ED to develop projections for/tracking of promotion program finances, as well as assisting with program impact reporting

ABOUT YOU:

  • Experienced with project management and/or event planning who thrives in intense larger-event environments
  • Self-motivated, independent, and able to thrive with autonomy
  • Enjoy diving into planning and getting into the details to see an experience/project come together smoothly
  • Excited about supporting sustainable food systems and working landscapes
  • Love working with people
  • Excellent written and verbal communicator
  • Strong organizational skills; able to juggle multiple projects at once
  • Able to travel to attend meetings throughout Vermont as needed
  • Legally authorized to work in the U.S.

Nice to have (but not dealbreakers if you don’t have them!):

  • Basic graphic design/layout skills
  • Experience managing 2,000+ attendee event

COMPENSATION:  This position is part-time hourly for 20 hours of work per week. Anticipated compensation $22-24/hr. Benefits include flex time, holidays, and paid vacation.

LOCATION:  The Vermont Cheese Council is headquartered in Waitsfield, Vermont. This position will be remote, requiring occasional travel within Vermont throughout the year. Ideally, our candidate would be located in/near Vermont.

To apply:  Please submit the following to hiring@vtcheese.com:

  1. A resume
  2. TWO references who can help you show off your organizing skills, letting us know what their relationship to you is
  3. And either in a cover letter or in your application email, tell us briefly why you are interested in this role and answer these three questions:
    • What is your favorite kind of thing to organize (big events, your kitchen, social gathering, processes for people to follow?)
    • Do you have a favorite kind of puzzle?
    • Say you and/or friends are going to do something new/go on an adventure somewhere new; what do you most like to do: (a) Instigate and rally to pull folks together to do it, (b) cheer others on as they take on new adventures, or (c) be in the middle of a group just getting to enjoy the adventure?