The Victorian Farmers' Markets Association (VFMA) serves as the voice and industry member association for the small-scale agriculture and artisan food sector in Victoria. We are dedicated to supporting genuine farmers' markets and the traders who make these markets thrive by providing authentic, direct-to-the-public trading spaces.

We recognise the need to enhance our storytelling capabilities and measure the qualitative and quantitative values that define our sector's greatness. We believe that metrics will not only amplify our diverse narratives but also garner attention from decision makers and foster respect for our members. To achieve this, we are seeking expressions of interest from talented individuals to develop a proposal for identifying, gathering, assessing and making known our farmers' market and trader values across the VFMA's network of authentic farmers' markets.

Key Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with the VFMA committee and members to analyse and distill the complexity of our sector, identifying the key values that drive our community.
• Develop a comprehensive proposal for implementing a metrics system that captures and measures these values effectively and cost-efficiently.
• Utilise global best practices, such as the Farmers' Market Metrics Guide (https://farmersmarketmetrics.guide/), to inform the development of the proposal.
• Implement a means of storing and assessing these data to provide insights for farmers' market promotion.
• Demonstrate a deep understanding of Victoria's small-scale agriculture and artisan food system, with a genuine passion for authentic farmers' markets, great food, and the strengthening of Victoria's robust local food culture.

Requirements:

• Demonstrated expertise in analysing and distilling complex information to extract meaningful insights.
• A thorough understanding of Victoria's small-scale agriculture and artisan food system, as well as the unique challenges and opportunities faced by farmers' markets in the region.
• Strong knowledge of and appreciation for authentic farmers' markets, their role in supporting local food production, and their contribution to regional economies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex ideas in a clear and concise manner.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, including member traders and markets, to develop practical and effective solutions.
• Familiarity with developing metrics systems, particularly in the context of farmers' markets and artisan food production.

If you are interested in this opportunity to contribute to the growth and success of the Victorian Farmers' Markets Association by developing a comprehensive proposal for gathering, storing and assessing farmers' market metrics, we invite you to submit an expression of interest. Please include a brief overview of your relevant experience, your understanding of Victoria's small-scale agriculture and artisan food system, and your approach to cost-effective implementation.

We look forward to receiving your expression of interest and potentially working together to establish a robust metrics system that showcases the true value of our farmers' markets and supports members to tell their unique stories.