Institutional Impact Manager

Title: Institutional Impact Manager

Reports to: Director of Institutional Impact

Status: Full-time, salaried

Location: Remote

Our Organization

The Center for Good Food Purchasing uses the power of procurement and partnerships to create a transparent and equitable food system for people, animals, and the environment. We do this by helping major institutions nationwide adopt and implement the Good Food Purchasing Program. 

Over 66 institutions in 25 major US cities have enrolled in the Program. With a collective annual food spend of over $1 billion, these institutions and cities are committed to directing their purchasing power toward the five Program values: local economies, environmental sustainability, valued workforce, animal welfare, and nutrition. Using the Program’s metric- and data-driven framework, they measure and improve food purchasing practices over time.

We also work with national partners, local grassroots coalitions, and institutions to shift toward values-based purchasing from farm to fork, and to build a cohesive network movement in support of more resilient and equitable food systems.

Institutional Impact Manager Summary

In collaboration with the Director of Institutional Impact, the Institutional Impact Manager will serve as the primary liaison with institutions enrolled in the Good Food Purchasing Program, working with them to develop short and long term implementation strategies to improve their Program performance within 1-5 years. The Institutional Impact Manager will facilitate collective action across institutions as needed, provide project management for 1-2 regional “proofpoint projects”, and collaborate with Center staff to develop tools and resources to support program implementation. The Institutional Impact Manager will also work in collaboration with the Center’s Engagement Department to build and support a productive changemaking ecosystem where community-based coalitions and institutions implementing values-based procurement are aligned and coordinated.

This is a remote role that requires occasional travel. The Center for Good Food Purchasing is based in the Bay Area of California. 

Essential Functions

Training & Technical Assistance

• Provide one-on-one technical assistance and action planning for enrolled institutions
• In collaboration with Center staff, develop tools and resources to support successful Program implementation at the regional and national level
• Identify and amplify best practices in the field and across the Program through research, resource development, content creation, and facilitated peer-to-peer networking
• Document “proofpoint” case studies to inform Program development and policy recommendations
• Maintain and expand library of external-facing tools and resources to support and augment technical assistance

Peer-Learning

• Develop programming for, and facilitate as needed, national Good Food Operator’s peer-to-peer bi-monthly learning video conferences
• Identify and develop topical peer learning cohorts, mentoring, and information sharing opportunities as needed
• Support file sharing and access across Good Food Operators network to disseminate best practices

Project Management and Administration 

• Serve as project manager for regional proofpoint projects
• Develop project management plans that ensure deliverables are met and ensure feedback loops across internal and external stakeholders inform project management and results
• Draft reporting content for related grants and contracts
• Support ad hoc organizational projects and processes as needed

Required Qualifications

• 5 or more years work experience as a procurement professional and/or in institutional food service 
• Project management or project leadership experience 
• Collaborative spirit with experience working with a variety of stakeholders
• Ability to work independently and effectively in a virtual environment
• Comfort managing multiple tasks, prioritizing effectively, seeking guidance when needed, and meeting deadlines
• Ability to work with a remote team, including regular access to phone, internet, and video conferencing

Preferred Qualifications

• Operational knowledge of federal meal programs and their requirements
• Experience with/knowledge of k12 operations and/or food systems landscape in California
• An understanding of the concepts of institutional and structural racism and bias and their impact on underserved and underrepresented communities
• Experience in, or passion for, building sustainable, equitable, fair, and humane food systems
• Work experience as either a buyer or supplier of institutional food
• Facility with Excel, particularly pivot tables
• Quantitative or qualitative data analysis 
• Public speaking
• Writing and communication skills