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THE PEOPLE'S POTATO IS HIRING!

8/1/2016

The People’s Potato, a not-for-profit soup kitchen, is looking for a new collective member 25 hours per week - Remuneration: $18 per hour

The primary activity of the People’s Potato is to serve daily vegan lunch to approximately 400 people on the Concordia University campus. Other activities include a bi-weekly food bank, monthly workshops related to food and food politics, and a summer garden. The contracts end in mid-May and are renewed in mid-August. We are seeking a collective member who is able to make at least a one year commitment. Work schedules are flexible, however collective members are expected to be available most weekdays between 8:30am and 3pm, as this is when the bulk of our cooking and cleaning takes place. We also hold weekly collective meetings where attendance is mandatory. During these meetings, the tasks of facilitation and minute-taking rotate among all collective members.

The People’s Potato is an anti-capitalist and worker-run organization. This means that the Potato is managed by its employees, that there is no boss, and that there is no formal hierarchical structure between collective members. Applicants must be willing to work within a structure where decisions are made collectively. The People’s Potato is a working environment in which employees both guide and execute the vision of the organization.

The individual hired must be willing to cook, clean, and go on runs to pick up food donations. All of these tasks, but especially the food runs, require heavy lifting. As a full time worker, the new collective member will take on three to four 4-hour shifts per week and will also be required to participate in committee work such as organizing workshops, responding to emails, coordinating volunteers, etc. The type of committee work will be decided depending on the interests and skills of the new hire and on the current needs of the collective.

The People’s Potato encourages applicants to describe in their cover letter the unique contributions they, as individuals with diverse experiences, would bring to the organization. We do not value or prioritize paid work experience over personal and life experience. Therefore, we welcome candidates to include all relevant skills and knowledge in their application, regardless of whether these abilities were developed through paid work, volunteer work or personal experience.

The People’s Potato undertakes its hiring procedures upon the basis of employment equity. Employment equity is a proactive measure designed to compensate for the present non-existence of a level playing field with regards to people's experiences and job qualifications, given the structural injustice that affects oppressed groups within patriarchal racist capitalism. These groups include but are not limited to: indigenous people, people of color, women, queer people, trans people, people with disabilities, and working class people.

Please indicate in your cover letter if you would like to be considered for employment equity by including the following sentence "I would like to be included for employment equity." Please note that we do not require applicants to specify the basis on which they are applying for employment equity.

Requirements:
-Ability to function in bilingual work environment (alternating Eng /Fr meetings)
-Ability and willingness to do heavy lifting
-Cooking experience (paid or unpaid)
-Interest or involvement in social justice causes (paid or unpaid)
-Ability to function in a busy kitchen environment
-Ability to work closely with others
-Interest in working in an inclusive environment with an open-door policy
-Strong organizational skills
-Self-motivated/self-directed
-Basic computer skills

Assets:
-Valid driver's license and willingness to drive a large van
-French writing skills
-Knowledge of consensus-based decision making processes
-Experience working collectively (paid or unpaid)
-Conflict resolution skills
-Experience coordinating volunteers
-Background in harm reduction work
-Grant writing experience
-Experience working with Photoshop, InDesign, Excel

Submit both a cover letter and a C.V. by e-mail to: peoplespotato@gmail.com. Include “Job Application” in the subject heading. The deadline for applications is August 21 at 11:59pm. Only applicants accepted for interviews will be contacted. Interviews will take place between August 29 and September 2, but can be conducted over Skype or over the phone if the applicant is not in town. The position will begin Tuesday, September 6th, 2016.

*For more information about the People’s Potato and to access our constitution, please refer to our website:peoplespotato.com

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