Operations and Program Manager

Title: Operations and Program Manager
Salary: $50,000 FTE
Hours: 32-40 hours per week
Benefits: Pro-rated health and dental, vacation & sick leave, 11 paid holidays
Perks:  Vegetarian lunch provided Mon-Thurs, work from home Fridays
Location: 677 West Ranger Ave, Alameda, CA
Start Date:  September 2019
Reports To: Executive Director

Job Summary:

Food Shift is looking for someone with operations, management, partnerships, and food industry experience to join our team as Program Manager.  The Food Shift Kitchen is Food Shift’s primary program at this time and the Program Manager will be responsible for maintaining and expanding this program to recover food, feed people, create more jobs, and generate stable and consistent revenue to support the program.  Our ideal candidate is passionate about Food Shift’s mission, the power of food, and the potential for social enterprise to impact communities. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with Food Shift’s Director to explore new opportunities and contribute to the strategic direction and growth of the program.  

About Food Shift:

Despite the abundance of food and wealth in the Bay Area, 1 in 4 people in San Francisco, 1 in 5 in Alameda, and 1 in 4 in Santa Clara are food insecure – many of them seniors and children.  Meanwhile, 40% of all food produced is wasted contributing to climate change that is ravaging communities around the globe. Food Shift’s work is in direct response to these social and environmental imbalances.  Food Shift’s local efforts exists as part of a broad and growing movement to transform our economy and culture toward a more just, equitable, and regenerative planet for all.   

Since 2012, Food Shift has worked with communities, businesses, and governments to develop models that reduce food waste, feed people, and create jobs for people with barriers to employment.  Food Shift’s primary project is The Food Shift Kitchen, a social enterprise catering company that recovers and redistributes surplus food while providing culinary training to individuals overcoming homelessness and other challenges.  Food Shift has 4 full-time staff, 4 part-time staff, 15 active volunteers, and 8 active advisory board members. 

Major Food Shift Accomplishments:

• Leader and innovator in the movement to reduce wasted food – Increasing local and national awareness through events, media, campaigns, and public speaking.
• Co-developed school food recovery/donation program and toolkit.
• Co-hosted the first US Zero Food Waste Forum and Feeding the 5,000 events (video here).
• Developed report for Santa Clara County to support food recovery in the region.
• Influenced regional food recovery action and strategy with Alameda County
• Recovering and donating over 100,000 lbs of food per year, training and employing dozens of individuals overcoming homelessness, and generating over $100,000 in revenue each year through The Food Shift Kitchen.
• Selected by Mic 50 (video), and Indiegogo (video) as a powerful force making change.

The Food Shift Kitchen is modeled after DC Central Kitchen where each year 150 employees generate 9 million in revenue while reducing wasted food, feeding the community, and providing job training for 90 individuals overcoming incarceration, homelessness, and drug addiction.  The time is now for this model to expand in the Bay Area.

Primary Responsibilities:

Operations & Program Management

• Ensure that the ongoing work of the program is carried out in an effective and efficient manner consistent with Food Shift’s mission and values.
• Identify key roles and recruit, train, and manage volunteers, advisors, and/or staff as needed to support the program.
• Food and supply sourcing, food distribution, pricing, logistics, and quality control in collaboration with team.

Partnerships & Financing

• Identify and cultivate strategic alliances to support the program operationally and financially.
• Support with program information and content for grant proposals.
• Develop a strategy and timeline to bring in additional $10,000 per month to support the program in a mission-aligned way – this could be a combination of corporate sponsorship, events, value-added products, or food service contracts.
• Support with recruitment and workforce development partnerships as needed.
• Coordinate sales and catering for social enterprise as needed.

Metrics & Reporting

• Work with administrative staff member to ensure that the database is accurate and includes all key metrics, and adjust program to ensure Food Shift is on track to meet annual and quarterly goals.
• Refine impact metrics and systems for tracking and evaluating each program.
• Leverage Catalyst Kitchen’s membership to support program improvements.
• Produce, monitor, and deliver monthly financial reports to Director that include analysis and proposed actions to meet program targets.

Specific skills or training desired:

• Maintains and fosters a passion for Food Shift’s vision and values
• At least 3 years of program management and/or operations experience, preferably in the areas of food justice or sustainable food systems 
• Solid working knowledge of budgeting and comfort with metrics and numbers
• Strong capacity for mentoring and teaching; previous experience working effectively with volunteers and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Ability to generate respect and trust from staff and external constituencies
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate across all levels of donors, partners, staff, and volunteers
• Donor outreach and grant-writing experience a plus
• Excellent organizational and management skills
• Excellent communication skills both verbally and in writing
• Ability to stay calm and keep your sense of humor in a fast-paced environment
• Fluency with Microsoft and Google, Salesforce, and Powerpoint
• B.A Required
• Ability to work well in a team and has good self-awareness
• Ability to lift 25+ pounds and utilize motor skills needed to operate kitchen equipment
• Willing and able to work flexible hours and travel; some evenings and weekends required
• Ability and desire to be in a work environment that values working as a team, relationships and giving and receiving honest feedback

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in social enterprise or commodity/food based business
• Familiarity with HACCP or creating Standard Operating Procedures for food production and distribution, or and has experience in food safety planning and implementation in food service
• Knowledge of food services, including sourcing, safety, distribution, nutrition, supply chain, distribution, purchasing, and sustainability programs
• Servsafe certification
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record

To Apply:

• Please submit your application at careers@foodshift.net with the title “Operations and Program Manager” by August 15. Applications and interviews will be held on a rolling basis therefore the application deadline may be closed earlier or may be extended.
• The application should include:
  • A resume, link to updated LinkedIn profile, and three professional references
  • A cover letter that includes a short description of why you and Food Shift are made for each other and how you match the requirements of the role

Equal Opportunity:

Earth Island Institute provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, amnesty, or status as a covered veteran in accordance with applicable federal, state and local laws.