Director of Partnerships & Community Impact

Description

Summary: The Director of Partnerships & Community Impact will lead and support the strategy, development, and implementation of all Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin (SHF) neighbor-facing programs, including all Partner food distribution efforts throughout SHF’s sixteen county service area to support those experiencing food insecurity.

With a passion for community service, the person in this role will be a dynamic people leader and systems-thinker. They will have the ability to think strategically about our work. They will be a critical listener focused on mission alignment with our current and potential partners. This member of the SHF Department Director team will have a successful track-record in cultivating and managing internal and external relationships. They will be comfortable engaging with a diverse group of collaborators from a variety of communities and backgrounds and will spend time building strategic relationships in community. They will ensure that our work and resources are aligned with community need, while incorporating community voice and thoughtful evaluation of our efforts.

In collaboration with the Community Resources & Capacity Manager and Community Relations Manager, as well as other team members, the Director is responsible for creating and maintaining a strong partnership between SHF and our community. The Director will ensure integrity, consistency and prioritization of equity across all SHF food distribution mechanisms. They will work to strengthen food security our 16-county area through outstanding customer service, relevant partner support, and consistent compliance practices.

Position Responsibilities & Essential Functions

Leadership - (Approximately 30% of the role)

• Provide strategic planning and direction for all SHFB programs and partnerships n alignment with organizational strategic plan.
• Provide and communicate appropriate data-informed decision making, and reporting, both internally and with external collaborators to drive equitable food access.
• Lead systems-level thinking and change management processes to adapt to evolving community needs and resource availability.
• Collaborate with the Community Relations Manager and Community Resources & Capacity Manager to plan, deliver and evaluate services to support programs and collaborations with partners.
• Cultivate emerging areas of work to address nutrition insecurity and its root causes, as well as develop tools/resources to support programs and community partners.
• Serve as a member of Second Harvest’s department director team to help guide organizational decision-making and strategies.
• Collaborate with team members to conduct a periodic community needs assessment to identify challenges and opportunities related to the achievement of the organizational mission.
• Research strategies for optimal delivery processes and services and share recommendations to the department director team.
  
  

Community Relationships - (Approximately 30% of the role)

• Actively engage in the community to cultivate, build and strengthen SHF ties to other organizations affecting the food insecure space.
• In addition to SHF’s food distribution partners, this may include community health organizations, community centers, school districts, county agencies, community consortia, and others.
• Strengthen relationships with community partners; develop and oversee capacity-building support for partners to meet the needs of individuals experiencing food insecurity.
• Demonstrate commitment to culturally responsive engagement with community partners and program guests.
• Elevate partners’ and community collaborators’ voice by continuously seeking input and feedback.
• Collaborate with the Partnerships and Community Impact team to identify connections and manage opportunities in existing and new relationships to increase community impact.
• Identify and cultivate new strategic partnerships and professional relationships as appropriate and in alignment with SHF’s vision, strategy, and values, and recognize opportunities to make relevant beneficial connections.?
• Support partners and collaborators by actively engaging with Feeding Wisconsin to understand local and statewide policy and advocacy priorities and bringing partners to spaces with policy makers to actively engage in the process.
• Partner with the Community Resources and Capacity Manager and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) to support and ensure compliant management of TEFAP distributions while also working to increase equitable food distribution.
• Monitor local, state and federal nutrition policy and programs to ensure SHF is adaptative to ever-changing policy.
• In collaboration with the Executive Director, engage with federal, state, and community leaders to address food security-related topics.
• Actively engage with Feeding America and other foodbanks to share and learn best practices.
  
  

Department Oversight and Project Management - (Approximately 25% of the role)

• Provide planning, direction and evaluation of programmatic and partnership activities.
• Establish and cultivate strong partnerships with internal teams in operations, inventory, transportation, development and marketing, to alignment and effective communications.
• Manage and direct departmental and cross-team projects; resources, goals and timelines.
• Ensure accountabilities on team and across departments to ensure smooth ordering and food distribution processes for partners.
• Establish and manage an effective department budget, procedures and policies in collaboration with department Managers; ensure Managers are properly executing their budgets.
• Collaborate with Development team in planning, forecasting and solicitation of new funds and to ensure budgets are in line with programmatic grants.
• Work in partnership with the operations department team, synthesizing data and information, sharing trends, and supporting agency and programs team members to:
• Provide insight to partner agency’s needs.
• Assess the fit of existing inventory assortment to those needs.
• Communicate community changes that will impact partners' needs as they occur.
• Ensure accuracy and outstanding customer service to address and resolve customer service-related concerns.
  
  

Personnel Management - (Approximately 15% of the role)

• Direct and manage the hiring, training, and supervision of team members to implement SHF goals, programs, and policies successfully. This includes paid staff and volunteer interns.
• Support development of team members’ skills and abilities; collaborate on how to best serve community partners, establish performance objectives and measure progress toward goals.
• Ensure team members have the resources they need to be successful.
• Encourage and support a strong department culture of internal and external partnership.
  
  

Competencies

Effective Leadership

• Passion for the mission of Second Harvest Foodbank.
• Leadership through influence and collaboration; ability to prioritize and communicate with staff about key objectives necessary to achieve organization goals.
• A clear understanding and connection to the needs of our neighbors, partners and communities to ensure the provision of programs and services in an authentic, compassionate manner.
• The ability to engage with a diverse group of collaborators from a variety of communities and backgrounds.
• Results-oriented, strategic thinking, with the ability to collaborate and integrate initiatives with other departments.
• Ability to identify and resolve problems in a timely manner and gathers and analyzes information skillfully.
• Ability to cultivate and develop equitable and inclusive working relationships with staff, volunteers, community partners, and vendors.
  
  

Language Ability

• Direct and manage the hiring, training, and supervision of team members to implement SHF goals, programs, and policies successfully. This includes paid staff and volunteer interns.
• Support development of team members’ skills and abilities; collaborate on how to best serve community partners, establish performance objectives and measure progress toward goals.
• Ensure team members have the resources they need to be successful.
• Encourage and support a strong department culture of internal and external partnership.
  
  

Communications

• Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to relate well to all levels of SHFB, ability to build appropriate rapport, ability to build constructive and effective relationships.
• Demonstrates group presentation skills and conducts productive meetings.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to effectively coach and mentor team members; collaborate and build relationships; and leverage resources within the function and across the organization to achieve desired outcomes.
• Ability to communicate the branded message internally and externally (mission, vision, values).
  
  

Computer Skills

• Microsoft Office Suite (365) – specifically Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• SharePoint
• Google Workspace
• Familiarity with inventory management or ERP software functions
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications

Required Education/Experience

• 5 + years of relevant leadership experience in human services, community engagement, or customer service/sales.
• Experience working with community-based nonprofit organizations.
• Experience developing and maintaining community relationships.
• Demonstrated experience in program evaluation.
• Experience developing and implementing departmental strategy.
• Customer service/relations experience.
• Valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• Ability to travel throughout SHF’s 16 county support area.
  
  

Preferred Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field.
• Knowledge of and experience with private and public food assistance resources.
• Demonstrated experience with data collection and analysis.
• Experience working in supply chain management.
• Lived experience with the impacts of systemic racism or marginalization.