Headington Market Manager

 

Headington Action www.headingtonaction.org is seeking a self-employed person to manage its highly successful Saturday market. Those interested in this role should write to headingtonmarket@gmail.com for more information or to make an application. Applications must include a CV and a covering letter stating why the applicant is suitable for the role. Closing date for applications (extended): Monday 13th March 2023.

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Service description

Headington Market

Headington Market is a weekly community market that is run by the charity Headington Action each Saturday from 9am until 2pm. The market sells locally grown and/or sourced produce and other handcrafted and artisanal products to the local community, with an increasing focus on environmental sustainability. Profits from stallholder fees are used to support local community groups via grants distributed by Headington Action. The market also participates in special events such as the Headington Festival in June and Winter Lights in late November, in addition to providing space each week to non-profit community groups and/or local businesses.

 

Market Manager

The primary responsibility is the successful day-to-day running of Headington Market on London Road every Saturday. The Market Manager oversees all on-site market activities including set up and wind down each market day. The nature of this ‘hands on’ post requires the postholder to work outdoors, in all weathers, and involves regular lifting and carrying.

The Manager reports to Headington Action’s Market Coordinator and ensures that the market operates safely and in compliance with all relevant health and safety and hygiene regulations. The Manager represents the market to the market’s vendors, shoppers, and the wider community and supervises the market assistant(s) and volunteers (as and when they are recruited to support the operations of the market).

 

Operations and Supervision on Market Day

• Overseeing the setting-up, shutting-down and site tidiness of the market on market days, including the setting out and taking down of pedestrian barriers and the allocation of stall spaces each Saturday.

• Line managing the market assistant(s).

• Overseeing all aspects of market safety. Undertaking hygiene and health and safety assessments on a regular basis and undertaking an annual risk-assessment of operations.

• Collecting payments from stallholders, issuing receipts, completing log reports and making bank deposits (net of Manager’s and market assistant fees). Within one week of the closure of the market the Manager will forward to the HA Treasurer a summary of fees collected from each stallholder and fees/expenses debited.

• Working with stallholders, customers and others on market days to answer queries, foster good relations and generally promoting the activity of the market. Establishing good relationships with key community and neighbourhood groups.

• Managing stalls when needed, e.g. in emergencies or covering for vendor staff breaks.

• Other activities as reasonably necessary to ensure the safe and effective running of the market.

• It is expected that the Manager will be present, at the market site, during operational hours on at least 90% of market days. On those days when not present (for example leave or sickness) then the Market Manager will be responsible for ensuring the above tasks are delegated to others.

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Operations and management during the week

• Recruiting and developing new traders, vetting and progressing applications, inspecting each trader’s Environmental Health Certificate and Public Liability Insurance, ensuring that these are appropriate and current, and keeping copies. Maintaining an up-to-date trader list or database. 

• Communication with all stallholders and allocation of pitches.

• Regularly liaising with the HA Market Chair/Coordinator to resolve issues and to assist in planning the future of the market and attending occasional committee meetings as needed.

• Exploring new opportunities for improving the market for shoppers and stallholders. Planning, record-keeping, correspondence and other activities to support the market and its development.

• Liaising with local authority officers etc, e.g. Highways, Trading Standards, as needed.

 

Marketing

• Actively assist and advise Headington Action, which is responsible for marketing and promotional activities, including:

  • Promoting the market through traditional channels such as leaflets and posters.

  • Maintaining the market website.

  • Monitoring the market’s email correspondence,

  • Sending weekly reminders/newsletter to email subscribers.

  • Promoting the market on social media including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

It is estimated this role requires an average of 12 hours a week (approx 7:00am – 3pm Saturdays plus three to four hours off-site during non-market hours which can be worked flexibly).

 

Optionally, depending on the skills and interests of the candidate, a selection of the marketing tasks listed above can be included in the services for which additional payment will be made.

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Payment

The Contractor will be paid £208.00 for each market day (normally 50 markets per year) plus a bonus payment of £7.00/stall per week for each commercial (i.e. non-community) stall in excess of 15. Thus, for example, if there are 17 commercial stalls the manager will receive £208.00 plus 2x£7.00.

By agreement between the Parties the Contractor may be supported by one or more market assistants. Payment to market assistants will be at an agreed rate and will be made by the Client. The Contractor has flexibility to increase payment to market assistants on specific weeks when there is additional work e.g. when more than the usual numbers of HA’s gazebos have to be put up and taken down.

During weeks when the Contractor is not able to be there in person he is responsible for finding replacement(s) to make sure the essential tasks of market management are carried out. The costs of this will be taken from the Contractor’s normal weekly payment e.g. for anything additional to the normal weekly rate paid to market assistants.

By agreement the Contractor may take his payment and that of his assistant(s) from weekly takings provided a written record is submitted within 7 days to Headington Action.

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