Director, Produce Prescription Operations

UCSF • San Francisco, CA

2d • $113,800 - $120,000

About The Position

Vouchers 4 Veggies-EatSF (V4V), in operation since 2015, is one of the oldest, largest, and most well-respected produce prescription programs in the country. V4V is seeking an experienced, dynamic Director of Produce Prescription Operations to help scale the successful Food is Medicine (FIM) program across multiple geographic locations, with a specific focus on referrals from healthcare settings. As momentum builds around produce prescriptions and reimbursement opportunities expand through health insurance adoption, V4V is experiencing significant growth. Reporting to the Executive Director, the Director of Produce Prescription Operations will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight to ensure program excellence, sustainability, and measurable impact. The role will be instrumental in embedding V4V into health systems and building the infrastructure needed to support growth and scale through healthcare referrals and payments. A key goal will be to scale the already successful Vouchers 4 Veggies grocery and produce prescription programs in accordance with healthcare insurance contracts. Key responsibilities will include:

Healthcare Integration & Partnerships
Lead the integration of V4V within healthcare systems and payer networks
Establish and manage partnerships with health systems, insurers, and other key stakeholders
Assist with contracting and oversee implementation of payment structures
Expand operations to new counties through existing and new workflows and operational systems

Program Operations & Compliance
Oversee referral acquisition including outreach to community and county health providers, education campaigns, trainings, and other engagement
Develop and oversee referral workflows with healthcare partners
Oversee revenue cycle management processes (claims processing, billing systems)
Ensure compliance with reporting, regulatory, and funding requirements
Supervise participant fulfillment systems (restricted spend produce card) and customer service operations
Ensure continual quality improvement and program streamlining processes

Team Leadership
Serve as the direct supervisor for approximately 3-5 staff members
Oversee team workflows, procedures, and systems
Ensure collaboration and clear communication across teams
Provide professional development and performance management
Manage staff towards outcomes
Foster a collaborative, equity-centered team culture

The ideal candidate is a strategic, solutions-oriented leader who thrives in complex, cross-sector environments. They bring:
Knowledge of or experience with healthcare systems
Knowledge of or direct experience with produce prescription programs and other FIM interventions
Knowledge of or direct experience with clinical workflows and systems
Strong partnership management and contract negotiation skills
Experience with staff supervision
Ability to balance independent initiative and collaborative teamwork
Passion for the V4V mission and Food is Medicine model

This role offers a unique opportunity to drive large-scale systems change – improving health outcomes, increased food access, and helping thousands of low-income individuals manage their chronic disease through healthy food prescriptions.

Department Description:

Vouchers 4 Veggies – EatSF (V4V) is an innovative produce prescription and healthy food program, in operation since 2015, aimed at increasing access and affordability of healthy foods for low-income households, improving their health and food security. V4V not only provides people with crucial resources to purchase healthy food and improve their health but also helps address food deserts by supporting the ability of food vendors to stock fresh produce. V4V is an evidence-based program whose outcomes consistently demonstrate improved food security, diet quality, and increased access to healthy food. V4V operates in partnership with health systems and community-based organizations to reach thousands of low-income households and the program which has been nationally recognized as a model for improving food systems, is now being replicated in communities across the country.

V4V is a program of the Seligman Research Team at UCSF’s Action Research Center for Health, housed within the UCSF Division of General Internal Medicine at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. The ARC carries out innovative research dedicated to improving the health and reducing disparities through discovery, innovation, policy, advocacy, and community partnerships.

The Seligman Research Team, led by Dr. Hilary Seligman, is committed to creating communities where healthy food is affordable and easily accessible by everyone. The team’s research focuses on policies and programs impacting the food environment and food affordability, leveraging Dr. Seligman’s roles as Director of the CDC’s Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network, Senior Medical Advisor for Feeding America, and partner to the Nutrition Incentive Hub. Since 2015 the team has operated Vouchers 4 Veggies, one of the nation’s largest produce prescription programs, utilizing its well-established infrastructure and proven outcomes to conduct policy-relevant research and provide technical expertise to help advance and grow the field of food is medicine through both research and practice. The Seligman Research Team has been at the forefront of documenting food and nutrition insecurity as major drivers of poor health and of implementing and evaluating programs and policies to address food insecurity as a mechanism to improve health.

Requirements

• Terminal degree in a related area and five or more years of relevant experience which includes three or more years of supervisory experience and / or equivalent experience / training required.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and students in an academic or research setting.
• Academic background and experience in relevant area of research.
• Ability to build relationships, collaborate and problem solve both internally and with external organizations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of program development as well as grant proposal development and administration.
• Demonstrated leadership skills including effective communication, negotiation, coaching, and conflict resolution.
• Advanced oral and written communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders.
• Knowledge of human resources management practices and policies.
• Knowledge of financial principles and budget practices.
• Demonstrated knowledge university, state, and federal policies that influence higher education.
• Enthusiasm for working with vulnerable populations in underserved communities.
• Knowledge of Food is Medicine interventions, particularly produce prescription programs.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of or experience with healthcare systems
• Knowledge of or direct experience with produce prescription programs and other FIM interventions
• Knowledge of or direct experience with clinical workflows and systems
• Strong partnership management and contract negotiation skills
• Experience with staff supervision
• Ability to balance independent initiative and collaborative teamwork
• Passion for the V4V mission and Food is Medicine model

Responsibilities

• Reviews applications, interviews candidates and selects or recommends individuals for hire. Coordinates staff orientation. Supervision of approx. 3-5 staff members; ensuring appropriate onboarding, training, professional development, and ongoing supervision
• Manages and oversees scaling of the V4V program through referral acquisition including outreach to community health providers, conducting education campaigns, training, and other forms of engagement.
• Provides oversight in the execution of daily program activities. Identifies resources and / or administrative processes needed for effective program operations. Implements operational changes and monitors effectiveness. Oversee, trouble-shoot and continually improve operational systems allowing for scale (referral, enrollment, distribution of produce and grocery cards/vouchers, claims, billing, payment, and customer service).
• Collaborates with university departments, programs, and community organizations to coordinate resources and enhance programs. Establish and manage relations with key V4V stakeholders such as partnerships with complex networks that include health systems, funders, national advocacy organizations, community-based organizations, and local food vendors
• Coordinates community engagement events and manages seminars, conferences and site visits. Represent the V4V program externally to a wide range of audiences through both in-person and virtual mediums
• Monitors budgets and expenses and ensures the effective use of funds. develop and execute project work plans, scopes of work, budgets, and preparing associated reports. Assist with health care and government contracting.

Benefits

• Total compensation, including salary, benefits, and potential for additional compensation, is subject to UC policy and final approvals.
• Placement within the salary range is dependent on factors such as work experience and internal equity.
• For union-represented positions, placement is guided by the collective bargaining agreement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree