Associate Director of Food Sovereignty

Booker T Washington Community Service Center•San Francisco, CA

3d•$125,000 - $135,000•Onsite

About The Position

Booker T. Washington Community Service Center (BTWCSC) is seeking a highly-strategic and experienced Associate Director of Food Justice and Sovereignty Programs to protect our community's right to healthy, culturally appropriate food produced sustainably. This role involves creating and implementing strategies to strengthen San Francisco food systems, such as leading BTWCSC’s self-sustaining food supply within the community to reduce dependency on external food sources, enhancing San Francisco and the District 5 neighborhoods’ nutritional well-being with access to fresh, and healthy foods; building meaningful economic partnerships with local farmers, chefs and producer communities, and promoting understanding of permaculture and skills like growing, harvesting, and preserving food. The Associate Director will also co-lead our vital citywide food system advocacy and community nutrition education work with coalition partners. This senior role requires a seasoned leader with exceptional skills in administration, people management, systems building, partner relations, and advocacy. The Associate Director will also be responsible for the overall success of our robust community food procurement and distribution programs, including our daily community meals, CSA boxes, and weekly Friday Fresh markets, ensuring the timely and safe distribution of high-quality, nutritious food. Reporting to the Director of Programs and Impact, the AD of Food Justice and Sovereignty Programs will ensure equitable access to and distribution of food within the Fillmore/Western Addition and broader District 5 community, applying best practices in food safety, health, and nutrition and a participant-centered approach. The Associate Director will also direct, coordinate, and collaborate with all staff and activities associated with all BTW food operations, education and engagement programs. By taking advantage of this opportunity, this role will contribute to the organization's mission of meeting community needs by providing efficient and effective program administration based on a data-driven approach that enhances BTWCSC's commitment to excellence.

Requirements

A college degree in culinary sciences, food systems, sustainability, nutrition, environmental science, public health, community development, social work or equivalent experience is required.
4 to 5+ years of experience in food, agricultural production, restaurant, grocery retail or hospitality experience in a fast-paced setting, preferably in a management position.
Direct experience in community health, direct service and/or client management.
3+ years of demonstrated experience leading, coaching and collaborating with a team.
Demonstrated experience in managing program and/or food budgets, monitoring expenditures, and ensuring fiscal responsibility and sustainability.
Proven experience in sustainable and direct food sourcing, maintaining inventory and limiting waste.
Demonstrated knowledge of the food and nutrition, inequities, social and cultural needs of underserved communities and the historical and contemporary impacts of racism and structural inequities.
Current CA Driver’s License, current auto insurance, and a clean driving record.
Current CPR & First Aid Certificate (every two years after that)
Food Safety - ServSafe certification.
Current Immunizations (TB) (every two years after that)
Clearance Child Mandated Reporting (can be completed upon hire)
Google Suite, MS Excel and software proficiency required.
Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with staff, clients, volunteers, community stakeholders, funders and government agencies.
Demonstrates professionalism, socioemotional intelligence, and integrity.
Excellent verbal, writing, and comprehension skills.
Demonstrates strong project management skills and the keen ability to plan, implement, and execute.
Ability to work with diversity and challenge, establishing and maintaining working relationships with producers, farmers, co-workers, volunteers, funding source representatives, board members, and other service providers.
Ability to manage staff and contribute to strategic hiring decisions.
Demonstrated excellence in organizational and systems planning and implementation.
Demonstrated interpersonal skills including flexibility and the ability to listen, negotiate and collaborate with various stakeholders.
Proactive, organized, independent, motivated and detailed oriented manager.
Experience in successful people management and acute soft skills.
Ability to work independently and be both creative and strategic when confronted with complex and multifaceted opportunities and challenges.
A positive attitude, compassion, and strong team-oriented work ethic.
Strong applicants must have the ability to be flexible and adapt to change.

Nice To Haves

Demonstrated experience with providing racially and culturally-responsive services and programs for diverse populations, preferred.
Lived experience with Black/African-American communities and/or communities of color and/or navigating housing insecurity and/or the justice system preferred.
Strong advocacy and coalition-building skills, and experience mobilizing community engagement are preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead and supervise the Food to Freedom Team. Use the organization’s vision, mission, servant leadership philosophy to coach staff towards a culture of excellence and service execution.
Align and coordinate Food to Freedom staff and programs with broader organizational initiatives and BTWCSC’s strategic priorities.
Serve as a conduit for clear and timely communication between leadership and frontline staff.
Oversee administrative functions, including budgeting, scheduling, reporting, and documentation for all food-related programs.
Contribute to strategic decision-making on staffing, structure, and program design to improve effectiveness and impact.
Refine and implement BTW’s Food to Freedom ‘Cultural Atlas’ - a model mapping the relationships among the program’s activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts, and outlines the cultural and social change the Food to Freedom program aims to achieve.
Work with the Executive Team towards BTW’s strategic planning around a Fillmore/Western Addition Food Hub model to pilot farm-direct, local purchasing and distribution.
Research, assess and develop revenue generation and cost-saving opportunities with Food Operations staff to ensure program sustainability and growth.
Oversee curricular and nutrition education program activities with Food Education and Engagement Staff to ensure alignment with BTW’s internal and external education work.
Oversee larger operations of food programs, ensuring staff have the tools, technology, and resources necessary to deliver services efficiently and seamlessly.
Working with the Managers of F2F Freedom Engagement and Education and Operations, oversee the development and implementation of operational systems and SOPs for program development, data collection and reporting, and distribution.
Ensure all programs meet quality and impact goals as defined in BTWCSC’s measurement framework and strategic plan. This role will be responsible for maintaining a “best-in-class” model within the City of San Francisco.
Collaborate with the Finance Team to ensure grant compliance, budget management, and adherence to reporting requirements.
Collaborate with Executive and Development Teams on Food to Freedom program grants and fundraising initiatives for program sustainability.
Provide high-level oversight of service provision and client experience that is dignified, culturally-congruent and trauma-informed.
Oversee all aspects of food supply, including ordering, purchasing, collection, storage, rotation, and distribution in accordance with health and safety regulations, grant fidelity, and fiscal compliance.
Oversee facility readiness, equipment maintenance, and compliance with state and local health codes.
Oversee menu planning and culturally relevant food programming in partnership with mission-aligned chefs, farmers, producers, and nutrition professionals.
Work with the Managers of F2F Freedom Engagement and Education and Operations to develop and implement policies around food use and disposal, integrating zero-waste and sustainability practices.
Build and maintain strategic relationships with agency partners, food justice organizations, policy coalitions, and other stakeholders.
Serve as a subject matter expert on food access, equity, and justice issues, staying informed of emerging trends and policy developments.
Work with BTW Marketing and Communications Team to create and present educational materials, presentations, and workshops on food justice, food insecurity, and sustainable systems for staff and community members.
Represent BTWCSC and report back from engagement in local and regional coalitions, committees, and advocacy initiatives related to food systems and equity.
Engage and mobilize community members and clients in strategic advocacy efforts that expand food access, security and health equity.
Collaborate on special initiatives such as student garden projects and food education programs.
Oversee the collection, analysis, and reporting of data on food program operations, outcomes, and community impact.
Develop and maintain dashboards and reports for internal leadership, funders, and external stakeholders.
Utilize data insights to inform decision-making, to make tangible improvements to service delivery, guide future programming, and deepen impact in a strategic manner.
Develop and execute evaluation activities that measure the impact of food distribution on family stability, health, and food security.

Benefits

100% employer covered excellent health, dental, and vision benefits
Paid time off, including 15 days paid vacation, plus paid holidays and Center breaks/closures
Workers' compensation
Employee assistance program
Monthly wellness benefit after 90 days
Access to staff meals and snacks
Commuter benefits
Life and disability insurance
401(k) with employer contribution
Professional development opportunities, including conferences, seminars, webinars, and training.