Chief Operating Officer, Institute of Food Technologists - Chicago, IL, United States - Korn Ferry Executive Search

Description

POSITION SPECIFICATION
Position: Chief Operating Officer Organization: Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid) Reporting Relationship: Christie Tarantino-Dean, Chief Executive Officer Website: ORGANIZATION BACKGROUND Since 1939, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) has been a forum for passionate science of food professionals and technologists to collaborate, learn, and contribute all with the goal of inspiring and transforming collective scientific knowledge into innovative solutions for the benefit of all people around the world. As a scientific community grounded in purpose, IFT feeds the minds that feed the world. More than 11,000 individuals from more than 90 countries are part of the IFT membership community. Members span every career stage from student to retiree and nearly every role across the global food system. Individuals join IFT for a variety of reasons as unique as they are, but they share the same goal: to harness the power of this community to help them as they work to develop food that is safe, nutritious, tastes great, and feeds our growing global population. Mission Connecting global food system communities to promote and advance the science of food and its application. Values As a collective, IFT's community works together to advance the science of food and one another through the following shared values:

• Community: We believe in the power of community. We collaborate across borders and scientific disciplines with public and private institutions. We are a convener of people and ideas. Teamwork is essential to our success.
• Integrity: We want our scientific and operational integrity to be renowned. We honor the diversity of people and ideas in our community. We adhere to the highest level of professionalism and professional ethics.
• Passion: We are passionate about the science of food. We are dedicated to expanding knowledge and advancing careers. We commit ourselves to finding solutions to the food challenges facing humanity.
• Progress: We are dedicated to supporting the changing needs of our members and our community. We are committed to continuous improvement and to championing innovation.
• Respect: We respect the scientific process and our peers. We are guided by the needs and demands of our members. We are committed to clear communication and responsiveness.
• Inclusion: We promise to listen, learn, and invite input from people of all backgrounds. We will create processes to reach shared agreements and pursue equity in our community. Our decisions and actions are informed by intentionally challenging assumptions, beliefs, and practices that maintain inequity in society and science.

Strategic Plan IFT's Strategic Plan is focused on 3 key areas of impact:

• Directly supporting job-related challenges with fast and simple problem-solving tools, resources, and connections.
• Addressing global food system challenges by leveraging the global network, creating community, and inspiring longer-term learning.
• Giving visibility to what the food future might hold through forecasting trends, showcasing research, and building innovation networks.

Recent Annual Reports 2023 Annual Report, 2022 Annual Report, 2021 Annual Report. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is an integral member of IFT's executive leadership team responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of two significant operational areas: Marketing and Membership. The COO will utilize their exceptional strategic planning and business development experience to design and implement policies promoting the association's culture and vision while developing and implementing integral business strategies to drive growth and efficiency. The COO will work in tandem with the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Science & Technology Officer, and Chief Financial Officer to focus on operational excellence and resource management while aligning with IFT's strategy, goals, and core values to drive organizational success. Specific responsibilities include the following:

• Serves as a strategic partner and trusted advisor to the CEO, Board, and executive leadership team, leveraging key insights to build robust and dynamic operational and business strategies to advance the mission and impact of IFT.
• Collaborates with the executive team to develop and implement strategic plans that align with the organization's mission and objectives. Drives initiatives that support sustainable growth and innovation.
• Provides leadership to the Marketing Communications and Business Development team (29 people) and the Members Experiences and Feeding Tomorrow Fund team (12 people), with oversight of their efforts to develop and implement a strategic marketing and communications plan and attract and retain membership.
• Provides support to the Board and relevant Board committees, including presentations at meetings as requested. When appropriate, the COO will have the authority to act in the CEO's absence with guidance from the Board of Directors.
• Ensures effective and efficient administration of IFT's operations. Analyzes and evaluates the performance of overall operational performance against budget and growth objectives. Implements corrective measures as needed and maintains transparent communications with IFT leaders on these actions.
• Continually assesses IFT's products and programs with organizational policies to ensure compliance with regulatory, operational, and legal requirements / standards.
• Measures and analyzes current and potential revenue streams, offerings, and relationships to optimize business growth and revenue strategy with the senior management team.
• Works collaboratively to improve and develop new systems, processes, controls, and procedures, enhancing the overall efficiency of the association and ensuring excellent service and increasing engagement with members, customers, students, and staff.
• Attracts, retains, develops, and engages strong diverse teams that execute IFT's organizational priorities to achieve goals and deliver against key metrics. Demonstrates commitment to efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion. Establishes key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure organizational performance and success. Regularly assesses and reports on progress towards goals to the executive team and the board of directors.
• Through effective management, cultivates a culture that values teamwork and accountability, and allows for a strong and productive employee experience.
• Oversees contractor and vendor relationships within areas of responsibility, ensuring risk management principles and fiscal responsibility are upheld.
• In collaboration with the executive and marketing leadership teams, develops, and implements an integrated strategic communications plan to enhance the organization's brand identity, broaden awareness of its programs and priorities, and increase visibility with key stakeholder groups.
• Builds loyalty by cultivating and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders, partners, donors, and external organizations to expand the organization's reach, impact, and revenue opportunities.
• Shows a deep commitment to the organization's overall mission and passion and respect for the global food technology industry.
• Demonstrates an ability to quickly become conversant in the organization's work to communicate with all relevant constituencies.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS The COO will serve a critical role in driving operational excellence, fostering innovation, and advancing the mission of IFT within the food technology industry. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years in a senior leadership role, preferably within an association setting. They will have deep experience demonstrating the ability to navigate complex challenges, adapt to change and make informed and difficult decisions. They will also have the ability to develop and execute strategic plans that drive organizational growth and success. Key qualifications include but are not limited to:

• Executive leadership experience overseeing operations in organizations of similar or larger scale and complexity. Executive experience or knowledge in the food technology industry is a plus.
• Previous experience managing enabling functions outside of operations such as Membership, Marketing, and Meetings is highly desirable.
• Successful record of accomplishment of developing and executing strategic marketing plans to drive brand growth, member and customer engagement, and market expansion.
• Demonstrated experience conceptualizing, planning, and executing large scale events and trade shows that drive brand visibility and demonstrate a brand's thought leadership and product innovation.
• Proven ability to build, lead, and engage diverse teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, diversity, equity, inclusion, respect, empowerment, and innovation.
• Exceptional interpersonal, influence, and relationship-building skills, crucial for engaging with various stakeholders effectively.
• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to identify organizational needs and align resources to support mission and objectives.
• Commercial business acumen to ensure the organization is positioned for future growth.
• Technology savvy, capable of identifying and implementing technology solutions to support operational efficiency and growth.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels.
• Effective at anticipating and managing organizational risk, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. The agility to pivot and lead change as appropriate.
• Courage and confidence to prioritize and make difficult decisions, with a highly collaborative leadership style.
• Demonstrated highest levels of ethics, integrity, credibility, and character.

EDUCATION Bachelor's degree required. Advanced degree preferred. WORKING CONDITIONS Hybrid work environment, with dedicated days in the Chicago, IL office. Occasional travel to events and meetings inside and outside of the Chicagoland area is expected. COMPENSATION A competitive compensation package will be provided to attractive outstanding candidates. Institute of Food Technologists is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome diversity in our workforce and encourage all qualified applicants to apply. Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis.
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