The Director of Healthy Food Access oversees all healthy food access programming and related activities at The Food Trust. This position will help guide the healthy food access aspect of key Food Trust programming initiatives. The Director of Healthy Food Access provides technical guidance for programs such as Healthy Food Financing and Farmers Markets and related policy and technical assistance work.
The Director of Healthy Food Access will work closely with internal staff to ensure strong guidance in programs and will work to connect healthy food access programs with other projects at The Food Trust. In addition, the position will maintain external contact with government agencies, partner nonprofit organizations and businesses, educational institutions, policymakers, vendors, professional colleagues, consultants and members of the community. This position has access to sensitive Food Trust information and is expected to handle such information with integrity and professionalism. This position has regular contact with key stakeholders and is expected to represent The Food Trust in a professional manner.
The Director of Healthy Food Access will work directly on a portfolio of work or on a shared basis with assigned staff, and provide daily supervision of the healthy food access team. This position will report to the VP of Programs and Development and participate in department activities as necessary
Essential Functions
Programmatic
• Oversee all healthy food access programming, including Healthy Food Financing and Farmers Market programs.
• Guide and provide technical expertise for the healthy food access aspects of The Food Trust’s programming initiatives.
• Collaborate with all agency staff, partner agencies and community members on program development and strategic planning.
• Develop strategies and initiate efforts to connect healthy food access programs to other projects at the organization and expand opportunities for increasing its healthy food access programs.
• Participate in drafting proposals describing our healthy food access work to potential funders.
• Reach out to partner organizations to identify ways to work collaboratively.
• Attend meetings and conferences and present new, innovative strategies to staff.
• Serve as a member of the Senior Leadership team, provide relevant program information, and attend Board of Director meetings, as needed. Supervisory
• Provide daily management of healthy food access staff activities.
• Work directly on a portfolio of work or on a shared basis with assigned staff, and provide daily supervision of the healthy food access team.
• Independently determine and make recommendations for the hiring, firing, performance evaluations, disciplinary counseling, salary recommendations, workload distribution, communication, recognition activities, professional development and employee relations of assigned staff.
• Oversee and manage the program’s budget and operate within established limitations with support from direct reports and VP of Programs and Development
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Understanding of The Food Trust’s mission, goals, and objectives and ability to work independently with a high level of energy and contribute as part of a larger team.
• Knowledge of the concepts and practices associated with healthy food access, community development and public health, including key areas such as underwriting, grant making and working with Community Development Financial Institutions.
• Knowledge of the concepts and practices associated with research, evaluation, and statistics.
• Demonstrates effective project management strategies with the ability to coordinate all aspects of program objectives by carefully setting priorities, meeting deadlines, working effectively with others, and scheduling time efficiently.
• Ability to effectively supervise others and apply sound management practices.
• Ability to operate a computer and use a variety of common software programs including Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and customized databases.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and effectively communicate and/or present ideas/services with individuals and groups.
• Ability to organize tasks in an efficient manner and follow-up and follow-through with strong attention to detail in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to provide critical thinking, analysis, and evidence-based recommendations of data and trends.
• Possesses strong interpersonal skills as demonstrated by compassionate, courteous, cordial, cooperative, and professional interaction with diverse groups of co-workers, external business partners, corner-store owners, and the community
Experience, Education and Licensure
Minimum Experience: 10+ years of related experience in planning, implementing and evaluating healthy food access programs.
Minimum Education: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in nonprofit administration, urban planning, government affairs, economic development or in a related field of study is required.