Food Business Finance Advisor

Universities of Wisconsin•Madison, WI

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Food Business Finance Advisor supports the Food Finance Institute’s mission by helping food and farm businesses strengthen their financial decision‑making, prepare for growth, and access appropriate capital. This role combines client‑facing consulting work, finance‑forward training delivery, and collaboration with partners across the food business ecosystem. This position is ideal for a professional with applied experience in food or farm businesses, finance, lending, consulting, or impact investing who is comfortable working directly with entrepreneurs and financial information—and who is eager to grow their influence as a trusted advisor and emerging thought leader in food business finance. The Food Business Finance Advisor works with food brands, value‑added farms, processors, and food systems enterprises across Wisconsin and beyond, supporting businesses at various stages of growth. In addition to coaching and training, the role contributes to the development of high‑quality content, tools, and programs that advance FFI’s finance‑forward approach to business sustainability and capital access. This position reports to the Director of the Food Finance Institute and plays an important role in advancing the guiding principles and impact goals outlined in FFI’s Strategy Framework Summary (ffi.pub/Strategic).

Requirements

Demonstrated experience managing and/or owning a food or farm business through startup and growth phases.
Hands‑on experience working with financial information for businesses, such as budgets, projections, financial statements, or capital planning.
Experience advising, supporting, or coaching entrepreneurs or clients through financial decision‑making.
Working understanding of financing mechanisms commonly used by food and farm businesses, including loans, grants, equity, and mission‑aligned or impact capital.
Strong communication skills and the ability to clearly explain financial concepts to non‑financial audiences.
Experience writing and reviewing business plans and financial models.
Demonstrated understanding of: Different growth trajectories and business models available to food-focused businesses.
Demonstrated understanding of: Different capital structures and financing mechanisms for food and farm businesses.
Ability and willingness to meet in-state and occasional out-of-state travel requirement.

Nice To Haves

A Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) with emphasis on business, marketing, agricultural economics, or finance.
Experience working with impact investment and/or equity raises.
Project finance expertise.
Natural or climate-smart food and farm business experience.
Experience managing or delivering client-serving programs, including client engagement, recruitment, delivery, and results.
10-15 years or more of relevant experience in food or farm businesses, finance, lending, consulting, economic development, impact investing, or a related field.

Responsibilities

Provide expert consulting for food businesses across the value chain: Food brands, Value-added farms, Food system enterprises (e.g., food hubs, integrated community projects).
Support businesses in understanding their financial position, growth options, and capital needs.
Assist clients in preparing financial projections, proformas, and materials needed for financing conversations.
Help businesses assess and structure potential capital stacks in alignment with their business model, growth plans, and values.
Coach entrepreneurs on capital readiness, lender and investor expectations, and financial decision making related to growth.
Track and support data collection and reporting to inform FFI learning and impact measurement.
Deliver finance focused training to a wide-array of scaling food and farm businesses through workshops, cohort based programs, and other learning formats.
Leverage experience to develop content to support food and farm businesses.
Contribute to the development, refinement, and updating of curriculum, tools, and resources related to food business finance.
Support program design, evaluation, and continuous improvement to enhance participant experience and outcomes.
Contribute ideas and insights to FFI’s broader program and training strategy in service of creating financially viable businesses.
Manage and contribute to program design, overall process improvements, and positive client experience.
Build and maintain relationships with food business service providers and ecosystem partners, including lenders, consultants, extension staff, and economic development organizations.
Assist in identifying opportunities for new programming, partnerships, sponsorships, or contracted work in coordination with FFI leadership.
Identify programming opportunities, products, or content and ongoing ways to enhance overall FF impact.
Generate awareness and referrals for FFI and the Office of Business and Entrepreneurship (OBE).
Support fundraising efforts including generating revenue through new contracted work or programming ideas and recruiting program sponsors to contribute cash and in-kind support for our work.
Participate in cross program collaboration and OBE organizational initiatives as needed.
Other duties as assigned.