Part-Time Chocolate Experiences Educator

Industry:

Company: Dandelion Chocolate

About Us
Dandelion Chocolate is a bean-to-bar chocolate factory in San Francisco’s Mission District. We make chocolate from only two ingredients, cocoa beans and cane sugar, and travel to origins as often as we can to build good, trusting relationships with the producers who grow and ferment our beans. Guests come to our factory not only to eat delicious chocolate, but also to learn about our story and process. We are looking for a Chocolate Experiences Educator who will help bring the Dandelion Chocolate experience to life for our guests by assisting with tours, events, and classes.

About the Job
You will be working with the Chocolate Experience Team to bring world-class chocolate experiences to Dandelion guests whether at our physical locations, off-site, virtual events. No matter how busy the day gets, you always make time for the unexpected and pride yourself on above-and-beyond guest experiences. There is no such thing as a typical day on the Chocolate Experiences team, but you may start your day leading a team building Chocolate Making class for twenty guests before hosting a private factory tour for high school students. After that, you prepare ganache for the upcoming truffle making class. In the evening, you attend a promotional event leading guests through a guided chocolate tasting. This part-time position is essential to Dandelion Chocolate as we establish ourselves as a world-class, go-to destination for bean-to-bar chocolate experiences.

About You
You have a passion for education and teaching others, a deep respect for quality handmade products, and a near-magical ability to share our story with guests. Your attention to detail is unparalleled, and nothing makes you happier than when our supply closet is organized and everything is labeled and in its place. You are a master of communicating and engaging with diverse groups of people from our guests to our retail and production teams. Your positive attitude and ability to adapt shine when twice as many people show up for a class as expected, the electricity goes off during a tour, or you arrive at an event to find that your chocolate has melted. You are always prepared to rise to any occasion with grace and good humor. This part-time position starts at $29/hour.

Responsibilities

• Lead Experiences — After robust training, facilitate the setup and execution of experiences, including leading classes like chocolate making or truffle making, tours for adults and youth, chocolate tastings, off-site events, and private events such as birthday parties and corporate outings. This will account for approximately 80% of your time.
• Build Relationships — Develop trusting relationships and clear communication throughout the organization so that team members in all departments are excited to work with you, even when they’re at their busiest.
• Above-and-Beyond Service — Connect with and ensure that guests have intimate and exceptional experiences for each event and class that leads to deeper engagement with chocolate. You will also help to affirm Dandelion Chocolate as a go-to destination for exquisite chocolate experiences.
• Travel — Occasional travel in and around the San Francisco Bay Area and the United States for chocolate festivals, food shows, and promotional events.
• Chocolate Making Expertise — Continue to develop your chocolate knowledge by reading the blog, sourcing guide, and engaging in internal education opportunities.
• Area of Ownership — Over time, develop expertise in one of the following areas: brand alignment, children’s programs, inventory, factory tours, creation experiences, social media content, or team training.
• Other tasks as necessary.

Requirements

• Availability — This role requires evening and weekend availability with a Thursday-Sunday work schedule.
• Training — Within the first 90 days, complete our training program, including obtaining a food handler’s certificate, shadowing chocolate production, safety training, and training to lead factory tours for adults and children. Assist with classes and private events with our teaching team, developing the skills to lead classes and other experiences within 90 days.
• Language and Communication Skills — Fluent written and spoken English and the ability to communicate with diverse groups of people. Fluency in other languages (especially Spanish and Japanese) is a huge bonus!
• Teaching and Public Speaking — Ability to engage with guests as a representative of Dandelion Chocolate and comfortable teaching and leading tours, events, and classes. Whether you are teaching a Girl Scout troop or a group of fellow chocolate makers, you are able to share and articulate your knowledge, and you’re okay saying when you don’t know an answer.
• Prior teaching experience — Experience teaching, in education, leading tours, or assisting with events or equivalent experience required.
• Organizational Skills — Prior experience developing and maintaining checklists, training manuals, and documentation for a team. Proven ability to develop sustainable systems and processes that ensure continued excellence.
• Tech Skills — Comfortable using tools like Google Drive, Word, Calendar, Keynote, and event booking software. Able to use technology like microphones, projectors, iPads, etc.
• Physical Stamina — Ability to lift 30-40 pounds of equipment or product and be on your feet for extended periods of time.

Benefits
The benefits and perks continue beyond a robust chocolate and coffee education. Dandelion Chocolate constantly invests in our people and culture. All team members receive partially subsidized medical, vision, and dental benefits as well as the option to enroll in our 401k program. All employees receive paid vacation time, holiday pay, and paid sick time. In addition, our team members enjoy commuter benefits, FSAs, local gym discounts, chocolate tasting opportunities, the chance to travel to origin and our Japan locations, and a range of opportunities to grow and develop within the company.

How to Apply
Dandelion is growing and we are invested in employees who take ownership over their role and are interested in contributing in a bigger way. Please send your resume and a cover letter to [email protected]. You will stand out from the crowd if your resume is accompanied by a cover letter with a few sentences about your favorite teaching technique. We look forward to hearing from you!