Manager, Locally Grown Produce

Anchorage, AK
$100,000.00/annually

As Manager, Locally Grown Produce for Alaska Commercial Company (ACC), you will lead a first-of-its-kind program to grow fresh produce year-round inside our stores using aeroponic growing systems. Funded by the State of Alaska's Rural Health Transformation Program, this is a build-it-and-run-it role: you will stand up the grow rooms this winter and spring, launch production, and run the operation through its first full year. If you are a hands-on program leader who enjoys working with vendors, contractors, store teams and rural communities, this is an exciting opportunity to join our Anchorage-based team.

This is a 12-month, full-time position that is eligible for benefits.

Joining ACC gives you the opportunity for growth and development throughout the company, a competitive salary and benefits package, and to be part of a dynamic and diverse culture.

ACC is a subsidiary of The North West Company International (NWCI), a leading retailer of under-served rural communities and urban neighborhood markets in the following regions: Northern Canada, Western Canada, rural Alaska, the South Pacific islands, and the Caribbean. Our stores offer a broad range of products and services with an emphasis on food. Our value offer is to be the best local shopping choice for everyday household and local lifestyle needs. Check out www.alaskacommercial.com for more information.

Your Responsibilities:

Build and own the master plan and schedule for all sites, from construction and renovation work through go-live and steady-state production
Procure growing systems, spares, consumables, packaging, labels and nutrients; manage the aeroponics vendor (SkyAcres) day to day; and follow all federal purchasing requirements
Plan the crop mix and planting schedule for each store to balance steady weekly volume of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, strawberries and potentially other crops
Coordinate with the internal design/construction team and external contractors to design growing spaces, obtain quotes and fit out the grow rooms
Work with Merchandising and Operations on item setup, pricing, merchandising and marketing plans that comply with grant requirements
Develop SOPs, job aids and checklists, and deliver hands-on training for local operators and cross-trained store staff; support Directors of Sales and Operations and Store Managers in recruiting and onboarding local operators
Ensure each grow room and its packaged product meet applicable food safety and labeling requirements
Track and report yields, labor hours, electricity and heat usage, consumable costs, sales, shrink and on-shelf availability; maintain a monthly program dashboard and hold monthly reviews with store and company leadership; refine crop mix, planting cadence and pricing based on the data
Manage spare systems, equipment issues and vendor technical support to keep growing downtime to a minimum
With ACC Marketing, plan and run a launch event in each of the four hub stores; build relationships with local schools, tribal and community leaders and regional health organizations; design community programs such as school visits, volunteer growing days and taste tests; and route all public-facing communications through the State's review process
Manage the program budget against the approved grant budget by category; own all reporting to the Alaska Department of Health, the Alaska Community Foundation and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; and own all reimbursement requests and supporting documentation, ensuring all costs are compliant and incurred within the grant performance period
Serve as ACC's point of contact with the State of Alaska on the program and prepare ACC for the Year 2 funding cycle, if necessary

Skill and Qualification:

Program and project management: ability to run a multi-site build and launch, managing vendors, contractors and internal teams against a clear plan and budget
Operations and retail fluency: working knowledge of how ACC stores operate and what it takes to stand up a new operation inside a remote store with a small team
Hands-on growing aptitude: experience in, or willingness to learn, controlled-environment growing and a desire to teach those skills to others; prior horticulture or agriculture experience is an asset but not required
Grant and financial discipline: comfort with budgets, documentation and compliance, and the rigor needed to keep a federally funded program clean and auditable
Communication and community engagement: ability to train, present and build trust in rural Alaska communities, including with schools, tribal organizations and health corporations

Working Conditions:

Based in Anchorage, AK, with regular travel to ACC stores, including fly-in communities
Hands-on, on-site work in store grow rooms during installation, launch and training
No direct reports; provides direction to store-based growing staff
12-month, full-time position with a defined program timeline

Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Reports to: President, Alaska Commercial Company
Position Type: 12-month, full-time position; eligible for benefits
Closing Date: Monday, October 26, 2026

We create a collaborative and constructive culture by:

Acting with Integrity • Fostering excellence • Respecting Others • Working Collaboratively • Being Accountable

The North West Company is committed to inclusion and diversity and encourages applications from all candidates including but not limited to: all religions and ethnicities, LGBTQ2s+, BIPOC, and persons with disabilities.

You may include your resume and cover letter together as a single document. A competitive salary is being offered along with opportunities to learn, develop and advance throughout the organization. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.