Green Coffee Importer / Farmer Advocate / Trader

Job Description:

Our work at Crop to Cup revolves primarily around the goal of extending a genuine invitation to smallholder producers across the coffee belt to participate in specialty coffee.  Our work within producing countries to that end, is quite varied and contextually informed, but domestically our charge is quite simple - to represent these producers and their coffees to the best of our ability.  We are their marketing agents.

This translates into building relationships with the N. American (US + Canada) roasting community, engaging them in our work, and demonstrating our progress (overcoming quality and quantity challenges) over the course of our work with producers.  It's important to recognize that we are not coffee hunters (cup chasers), that we will meet a producer where they are (from a quality perspective) and import a range of qualities - with our spot offers representing coffees that score 85+ on our tables.  From our vantage, specialty coffee is not zero sum, and it's incumbent on the industry to invest in new specialty producers  - this is a role that we’re proud to occupy.  This means that our principal role is to match roasters seeking long term relationships with producers, with supply chains, and coffees to maximize overall value. 

This is a sales role that will require an individual to build a new book of business.  Candidates will be expected to be able to create a sales plan (and corresponding travel plan) and execute against that plan/goals throughout the year. Candidates will be expected to travel (monthly) to engage with roasting communities around the country.  Candidates are also expected to be assertive in requesting tools or support as they are needed.  While the role is team-based, individuals in the role should enjoy a high amount of autonomy, flexibility and individual responsibility.

Our target roasting customers range from nano/micro roaster(s) - to operations that roast ~1M Lbs annually, but generally are around 100K lbs annually.  Because our work is long-term oriented, strong organizational and planning skills are required to explore potential work with roasters (via annual planning conversations), record interest, and activate our sourcing and communications around a roaster's needs.  

This role will also require investing time to get to know our producing communities and contexts (which will happen both internally and with international travel to aid in sourcing efforts).

Job Requirements: 

This position requires a passionate coffee professional with exceptional sensory (cupping) skill, and a deep understanding of the North American Speciality coffee roasting environment.  

Candidates applying for this role will be expected to have 5+ years of experience in specialty coffee with a demonstrated ability to cup and score coffees.  Candidates will need experience and/or a foundational understanding of sourcing and green buying.  

While the job can be staffed from anywhere, location at or near our Brooklyn or Chicago office is preferred (to have access to one or our established labs).  This position will also be responsible for representing and maintaining the values of the organization.

We believe that passion speaks, so candidates should feel free to share their engagement in the specialty coffee community, and their individual inclinations within the industry.   

Specific requirements include: 

• 5+ years in the coffee industry with demonstrated and calibrated cupping skills.  Engagement and understanding of the roasting process and industry is expected.

• Candidates will need to demonstrate skills in professional relationship building and maintenance.  Formal sales experience preferred but not required.

• Candidates will be required to have fluency in basics of green coffee buying and forward contracting. Experience in green coffee sales or green coffee purchasing is preferred.  Strategic understanding of coffee buying as it relates to cost and quality is a plus.

• Candidates should possess an understanding of coffee supply chain mechanics and processing.  International sourcing travel or experience is a plus. 

• Candidates will need to be familiar with the Gsuite of tools (calendar, sheets, gmail), and have the ability to work in a spreadsheet.

• Candidates will need to demonstrate good email communication skills, and storytelling (within a specialty coffee context). Writing samples will be required.

• Candidates will be expected to demonstrate organization, self-motivation and a goal orientation - skills that we’ve found necessary to working in a small team environment.

• Candidates will need to be comfortable with independent travel - scheduling meetings, organizing efficient domestic sales trips, generating and recording resulting interest.

Interested candidates should submit their cover letter and resume to jobs@croptocup.com.  Please include any relevant writing samples or any other demonstration of the skills required for this role.  In your letter please include your desired job location.