Senior Manager-Food Access Programs - Barre, United States - VERMONT FOODBANK

Description

Position Purpose:

This position is responsible for developing and managing the Vermont Foodbank statewide Food Access Programs, including VeggieVanGo, Backpack, and VeggieVanGo+ (School Pantry) programs. The position oversees the Food Access team, which collectively develops and nurtures collaborative partnerships with school and hospital administrators, community partners, VF staff, and other relevant stakeholders. Works closely with VF operations, warehouse, and volunteer staff to help ensure that programs and events are well equipped to provide dignified service to people seeking food. Works closely with Director of Community Resources, Community Impact team, and other departments to ensure organizational and programmatic goals are met. This position actively engages in development of VF professional leadership competencies and learning opportunities in order to provide strong leadership to the Food Access team.

Applicants must be within driving distance of one of the 3 Vermont Foodbank offices.

Supervisors are expected to be unequivocally committed to enabling equity work throughout the organization by practicing inclusive and transparent management and by helping to reshape positions, priorities and goals, and budgets to better center equity.

Building equity and racial justice into Vermont Foodbank's organizational practices is everyone's responsibility, and it requires the commitment and collaboration of every employee and team. Therefore, everyone is expected to honor diversity, contribute to an inclusive organizational culture, and leverage their own personal agency and scope of influence to center equity.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Works cooperatively with VF staff and 100+ community partners to address challenges, identify solutions, and establish best practices to ensure that direct service programs and events statewide are well equipped to provide dignified service to people seeking assistance and organizational goals are met.
• Communicates with large cross-departmental teams and volunteers to support the mission and goals of the Foodbank
• Manages the development, implementation and evaluation of the VeggieVanGo, BackPack and VVG+ school pantry programs, in close collaboration with other VF staff.
• Collaborates with operations staff to develop and improve systems to meet programmatic needs, including communication about the day-to-day logistics of coordinating and operating Vermont Foodbank direct distributions. Communicates regularly with operations teams about ordering and maintaining consistent inventory of BackPack and VVG+ appropriate food items to ensure delivery schedule for both programs.
• Supervises 2 full-time staff and 1 part-time, temporary position.
• Provides administrative and logistical program oversight, including developing and maintaining communication systems, and creating programmatic materials and systems to streamline and improve program and team capacity.
• Develops and nurtures relationships with school and hospital staff, site coordinators, program participants and other community partners at current and potential new sites— by maintaining open and regular communication, and creating opportunity for strategic collaboration and adapting programs to meet community needs.
• Provides trainings, program materials, and technical assistance to Food Access Program partners, site coordinators, and volunteers.
• Coordinates Food Access Programs' monitoring and evaluation, such as the creation of annual program evaluation with stakeholders; data collection and analysis; gaps assessment; streamlining organizational data tracking; and monitoring overall programmatic experience and feedback to inform program decision-making.
• Works closely with Director of Community Resources to create and manage annual program budgets, assess spending projections, and track expenses.
• Conducts school site visits every 2 years to ensure that program objectives and food safety guidelines are met.
• Works closely with operations staff to manage a vendor contract to build the BackPack food packs.
• Facilitates distribution of resources, nutrition education and other materials provided by VF staff, community partners, Feeding America and other hunger relief organizations.
• Collaborates with Philanthropy and Communications teams on program collateral & public relations materials, grant proposals and reporting deliverables, meetings with funders, legislature program visits, and external media communications.
• The Foodbank relies on volunteers every day to fulfill our mission. All Foodbank employees must support our culture of philanthropy by treating every volunteer with appreciation and respect.

Other Functions:

• Performs other tasks as assigned by Director of Community Resources or as needed within Community Impact team.
• Positively contributes to an organizational culture of safe, dignified, and secure food handling, warehousing and distribution.
• In instances of a federal, state or locally declared emergency, Vermont Foodbank is typically considered an essential service and emergency responder; all of its employees may be called in to perform regular or emergent duties.

Skills/Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and/or abilities an individual needs in order to perform this job successfully.

Education and/or Experience:

• 5 years of related work experience in program development, management, and evaluation, preferably in a human services environment.
• Experience supervising and managing staff
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience.
• Familiarity with the needs of low-income populations, specifically children and families, is preferred.
• Strong community engagement, communication, and facilitation skills.
• Experience with functional operations systems creation and development
• Strong project management and evaluation skills, with experience managing complex, multifaceted projects.
• Existing relationships with, or ability to build relationships with, a cross-sectoral range of local stakeholders statewide.

Other Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work independently, flexibly, and in successful collaboration with diverse stakeholders.
• A willingness to challenge conventional thinking, coupled with the ability to collaborate effectively, encourage dialogue, and apply a systems thinking lens.
• Conflict resolution, and ability to bridge differing perspectives and needs to find a common solution.
• Strong interpersonal skills to successfully communicate with community partners, donors, staff, volunteers, and the general public.
• Display a growth mindset through willingness to offer and receive feedback.
• Ability to think strategically, advance big picture goals inclusively, and build alignment.
• This job requires excellent organization and time management skills, and ability to advance longterm projects while responding to time-sensitive emergent needs
• An ability to adapt well to changing organizational and community priorities is necessary.
• This job requires the ability to contribute to making our programs more equitable and inclusive. Demonstrated experience with diversity, equity and inclusion in theory and practice. Understanding of the socio-economic impact of hunger and poverty. Knowledge of the communities accessing the charitable food system.
• This job requires flexibility in office hours and travel.

Technical/Computer Skills:

• Proficient in MS Office Suite and other emerging platforms. Advanced Excel skills a plus.

Certifications/Licenses/Registrations:

• A valid Vermont Driver's License.
• 3-year motor vehicle report (MVR) showing a clean driving record.

Compensation details: Yearly Salary

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