Food Procurement Strategy Advisor

City of New York•New York City, NY

About The Position

The Mayor’s Office of Food Policy (MOFP) advances the City’s efforts to increase food security, promote access to and consumption of healthy foods, and support economic opportunity and environmental sustainability in the food system. The Office works across city agencies, including but not limited to the Departments of Education, Health and Mental Hygiene, Social Services, and Aging, to develop and advance innovative food policy. The office reports to Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services, Helen Arteaga. MOFP is critical in integrating an equity framework into food policy priorities and solutions. To accomplish this mission, the Mayor's Office of Food Policy serves as a thought leader, facilitator, and convener. The Mayor’s Office of Food Policy seeks to hire a Food Procurement Strategy Advisor to lead and support strategic food procurement efforts across multiple city agencies. The Advisor will collaborate with the Department for Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS), the Mayor’s Office of Contract Services (MOCS), the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and other agencies to develop strategic sourcing practices that are aligned with food policy initiatives, agency needs, and industry best practices.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree required.
5+ years of professional experience in supply chain, purchasing, procurement, contract administration, or related fields, preferably within food & beverage, CPG, or ingredient categories (public or private), including at least 18 months with administrative, managerial, executive, or supervisory responsibilities.
Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered, provided the candidate has at least 18 months of the required administrative, managerial, executive, or supervisory experience.
Minimum two years of experience in food & beverage, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or ingredient categories (public or private).
Strong understanding of food supply chains, products, and logistics.
You are committed to our office’s mission and values and have an understanding of the food system in NYC and beyond.
You are experienced in food procurement, including contract development, management, and evaluation.
You can interpret and apply federal, state, and local procurement regulations and procedures.
You're highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet goals creatively and effectively.
You are a flexible, self-motivated team player with a strong work ethic, able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

Coordinate end-to-end procurement project management, including market research, contracting, reporting, vendor relations, and inter-agency coordination, under the guidance of the Senior Policy Advisor.
Ensure all food procured meets city food standards, and vendors comply with supply chain transparency requirements.
Set goals and metrics to evaluate vendor performance, implement performance improvement tools, and develop a plan to integrate historical performance into procurement decisions (In collaboration with city agencies, DCAS, and MOCS).
Provide technical support for vendors through developing educational materials, training webinars, and office hours.
Coordinate food traceability data collection and management to improve transparency in food procurement, in accordance with Executive Order 8 (2022), Local Law 50, and other applicable regulations.
Produce internal and external facing reports to evaluate the impact of new procurement methods and values-based purchasing initiatives.
Advise on future food procurement strategy in response to evolving market conditions and agency needs.
Verify that pricing strategies, cost structures, and evaluation criteria adhere to state and city procurement regulations and reflect market trends and policy objectives.
Foster collaboration between nutrition, procurement, quality assurance teams, and external partners on food purchasing.
Liaise between agency nutrition leadership and DCAS procurement team to ensure alignment between kitchen needs, market conditions, and contracting processes.
Collaborate with DCAS to lead $35 million in food-related initiatives, impacting 6.4M meals annually, across multiple city agencies.
Collaborate with MOCS and other partners to align procurement strategies with citywide procurement and food policy goals.
Propose strategies to attract a diverse, responsive vendor pool by developing marketplace-building initiatives and leveraging tools created by MOCS, SBS, and other business-facing agencies.
In partnership with regional actors, conduct market research on food trends in the tri-state area to identify potential risks and emerging opportunities.
Support evidence-building efforts through partnerships with external evaluation partners, including the City Food Policy Project.
Participate in procurement-focused professional networks.
Identify opportunities for innovation of internal processes and work creatively to institutionalize what works well. Help originate and define new city-wide policies.
Research, pilot, and institutionalize best practices across city agencies to improve procurement outcomes and advance policy objectives.