Green coffee agency Shared Source LLC (sister company of Melbourne-based Small Batch Roasting Co) is seeking a Spanish-fluent coffee professional for a temporary role for parental leave coverage. Depending on the long-term fit, it is possible that the role may be extended to be a permanent position within the company.

The role will require travel between Colombia and Guatemala, with travel to Rwanda, Ethiopia, and Australia to a lesser, less-likely extent. The position will be managed remotely, though it will require initial travel to Portland, OR for training.

The responsibilities requiring coverage will be mostly within operational and green sales capacities, though the candidate will also have a role in parchment coffee purchases, export, and import logistics.

The position responsibilities within the Operations capacity include:

• Managing coffee releases: coordinating together with customers, third-party warehouses, and freight companies to move coffee from warehouses to customer roasting facilities
• Using internal company systems to accurately record inventory: accounting for releases, managing contracted and unallocated coffees
• Accurately invoicing customers and following-up on payment status
• Regularly paying invoices to vendors, and occasionally arranging internal financial transfers
• Coordinating with customs brokers to ensure timely and accurate information is shared to file import paperwork, liaise with shiplines, and receive coffee
• Arranging the dock-to-warehouse process in coordination with third-party warehouses to advise of incoming coffee, and ensure that containers are picked up and deposited into Shared Source’s inventory
• Ordering arrival samples from third-party warehouses

The position responsibilities within the Sales capacity include:

• Fielding incoming inquiries and providing accurate information about Shared Source’s work based on an assessment of customer needs, location, size, and audience
• Maintaining awareness of customer positions and use patterns, and making appropriate suggestions of coffees for purchase
• Managing contracts, sharing position reports, and keeping inventory reports reflective of coffee allocations
• Supporting purchase planning efforts by sharing customer needs and feedback
• Sampling offer, pre-ship, and arrival samples with existing and new Shared Source customers
• Contributing content to Shared Source’s social media platforms, including semi-regular newsletters

The position will also require occasional travel to Colombia and Guatemala, where the candidate will provide logistical support, and will be expected to be the primary translator between Spanish-speaking producer partners and English-speaking team members.

The ideal candidate will have the following skills and experience

• Oral and written fluency in Spanish - communications with producer partners are a mix of written and audio messages through WhatsApp, and translation is an essential part of the role
• 2+ years of sales and/or logistics experience in specialty green coffee and familiarity with coffee contracts
• Excellent written communication skills - a must-have for our geographically spread-out team
• Comfort with spreadsheet creation and manipulation, especially as it relates to inventory management
• Competence with green coffee: including sampling, drum sample roasting, and cupping for both purchase and sales applications- including describing sensory attributes of coffee
• Strong organisational skills to maintain and generate (as required) admin and record-keeping for a largely self-managed position
• Value alignment - Shared Source is a deeply values-forward company, and we work hard to be a very strong, important partner to producers within our network. The right candidate will care deeply about the welfare of coffee producers, pushing for change away from conventional agricultural practices, and advocating for and implementing systems for change in the way coffee is traded.
• The ability to travel internationally (valid passport)
• The candidate is likely based out of Portland, but consideration will be given to all US based candidates able to attend Portland for handover during the month of June.

To apply, please send a single page cover letter outlining relevant experience along with your current CV and the answer to the following: what is your favourite coffee and why?

Successful candidates must be able to pass a background check, be authorised to work in the US, and have successful reference checks.

Note: We are looking for a candidate to begin work on June 1, working for four to six months after that.

Shared Source LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, we assess candidates based only on knowledge, skills and ability to perform the job they are applying for.