LWR’s work in coffee has traditionally focused on grants-based support to producer cooperatives and their farmer members. Recently, LWR embarked on an impact investing initiative that has broadened its enterprise development beyond grants-based programming to include investments in mission-driven coffee production companies. Our first investment, which will be the initial focus for this position, is in a coffee production company that operates on Mount Elgon, an extinct volcano straddling the border between Uganda and Kenya.
The Coffee Quality and Marketing Manager will support the growth of LWR portfolio companies and grantees by training staff in evaluating/grading coffee, creating blends and single origin/varietal offerings that meet buyer specifications, marketing coffee to premium-quality roaster-retailers around the world. The position will also master the operations of a well-run coffee production businesses in order to ultimately transfer innovations, systems and expertise to other LWR investees and grantees throughout the world
Duties:
• Review existing investee or grantee coffee quality, brand and marketing strategy
• Develop and implement coffee quality protocols for field operations (sourcing, processing) and warehousing
• Train investee or grantee staff in evaluating/grading coffee, creating blends and single origin/varietal offerings that meet buyer specifications.
• Cup coffee inventory to ensure high quality and consistency
• Design and develop a branding and marketing strategy that will enable investees and grantees to establish trading relationships with roaster-retailers willing to pay higher prices for micro-lots of coffee
• Market coffee to roaster-retailers and build brand awareness and positioning for coffee produced by investees and grantees. Direct, plan and coordinate marketing efforts, including social media and content marketing.
• Manage and mentor investee and grantee quality control/management staff.
Q Grader accreditation preferred.
Founded by Lutherans in the United States at the end of World War II, grounded in Lutheran theology and building on decades of experience, Lutheran World Relief tackles global poverty by helping people adapt to the challenges that threaten their livelihoods and well-being.
We work with people based on need, regardless of race, religion or nationality and we do not evangelize.
We provide aid in emergencies and help families restore their lives. We partner with communities to build and grow rural economies. We break the cycle of poverty, so families and communities can thrive.
Our goal is to help people build self‐sufficiency and create new community‐owned approaches to problem‐solving that will last long after our projects end.