Programs Manager, Food Club Network

Programs Manager, Food Club Network Reports to: Executive Director, Food Club Network Location: Hybrid or remote, within Michigan (Food Club Network is based in Grand Rapids, MI) Status: Full-time, Exempt About Food Club Network Food Club Network (FCN) is a recently established statewide organization that supports communities working to expand access to affordable, nutritious food through the Food Club model. We connect Food Club leaders and partners, support communities exploring and implementing the model, and build shared resources that help the network learn and grow. Learn more at https://foodclubnetwork.org/ . About the role This is a new full-time role for an experienced practitioner who can work directly with Food Clubs and communities to solve real operational problems. You'll be the first person members call when something gets hard: a sourcing partner changes its terms, a club needs to rethink its membership structure, or a community wants to know whether the Food Club model is right for them. You'll bring your own experience, draw on the expertise already in our network, and help people find workable options. As our second hire, you'll also help shape how we work. You'll identify which tools and resources our members already rely on, notice which ones are missing, and build the practical guides, templates, and checklists that help clubs prevent problems instead of only responding to them. You'll handle a manageable share of coordination and systems work as well, because in a small team everyone keeps things moving. How you'll work You'll own member support, explorer community support, and the network's practical toolkit. You and the Executive Director will agree on priorities, scope, and capacity each quarter, and then you'll manage your own caseload and calendar. You'll coordinate fellows, consultants, and collaborators but will have no direct reports. Core responsibilities 1. Member Support & Technical Assistance (about 40%) Serve as the primary point of contact for member Food Clubs on operational questions and challenges. Diagnose problems quickly and practically, including food sourcing and supply, food bank and partner agreements, pricing and membership structures, volunteer and staffing models, distribution logistics, and data practices. Bring members workable options grounded in experience, peer practice, and available resources, and help them weigh tradeoffs and decide on next steps. Connect members directly with peer clubs, partners, and vendors, and keep support moving without becoming a bottleneck. Prepare background, options, and talking points when an issue needs a conversation with a food bank, funder, or agency, and flag issues that may need a network-level response. Visit clubs regularly to understand how they operate and build trusted relationships with leaders, staff, and volunteers. 2. Replication & Explorer Community Support (about 25%) Guide communities exploring the Food Club model through discovery, readiness assessment, design, and launch. Offer tactical perspective on site selection, sourcing, partnerships, staffing, budgets, and timelines, and help communities evaluate opportunities and tradeoffs. Identify deeper support needs and connect with experienced Food Clubs as appropriate. Help explorer communities learn from established clubs through site visits, peer conversations, and shared materials. Track each community's progress, questions, and next steps so support stays consistent over time. 3. Tools, Resources & Network Learning (about 20%) Inventory the tools, templates, and practices that already exist across the network, and make the most useful ones easy to find and adapt. Identify gaps that recurring member challenges reveal, and create the tools that should exist, such as sourcing guides and agreement templates. Help develop proactive reviews that help clubs identify risks and opportunities. Plan and facilitate peer learning, workgroups, and convenings that are useful, welcoming, and well run. Gather what members are learning and bring recurring themes to the Executive Director to inform network strategy, standards, and policy priorities. 4. Coordination, Systems & Communications (about 15%) Turn agreed priorities in your areas into clear project plans with owners, timelines, and next steps, and keep the shared project view current. Coordinate assigned fellows, consultants, and collaborators so they know what's expected and have what they need. Maintain the contact and member-support records (CRM) that show who we're working with, what they need, and what's been done. Collect and report member services data for the organizational scorecard and funder reports. Manage routine member communications, including meeting notices, service updates, and follow-up, and share stories and updates with our communications contractor. What success looks like In your first six months, you'll work with the Executive Director to make progress toward these outcomes: Members know who to call, get timely and useful help, and say FCN support made a practical difference. You have visited every member club and understand how each one operates, what it does well, and where it needs support. Explorer communities have a clear path through discovery and readiness, with consistent support and honest guidance about fit. At least two practical tools that members have asked for are in use. Member support records and scorecard data are current and easy to report from. The Executive Director no longer serves as the default first responder for member operational issues. What you bring Typically five or more years of hands-on experience in food access, food distribution, community-based programs, or a closely related field, including direct responsibility for operations. A track record of helping partner organizations or communities launch, improve, or troubleshoot programs, such as onboarding, implementation, or technical assistance work. Practical knowledge of how food moves from source to shelf, including working with food banks, donors, wholesalers, or retailers. The ability to size up a problem, ask the right questions, and offer clear, realistic options, including when the answer is not yet known. Strong relationship skills across organizations and roles, from volunteers and community leaders to executives and funders. Experience creating practical tools, guides, or trainings that others actually use. Sound judgment about what to handle independently, when to bring in others, and when to raise an issue with the Executive Director. Facilitation skills for peer learning, workgroups, and community conversations. Practical project-management and organizational skills, and comfort with digital tools. Clear writing for different audiences and purposes. Reliability, discretion, and attention to detail, including when handling confidential information. Comfort building a young organization where not everything is defined. A commitment to dignified, community-centered approaches to food access. Relevant experience may come from paid employment, community leadership, volunteer work, education, or a combination. No particular degree is required. Helpful, but not required Experience with Food Clubs, client-choice pantries, social supermarkets, food cooperatives, or grocery retail. Familiarity with food bank agency agreements, Feeding America network practices, or public food programs such as TEFAP. Experience researching, negotiating, or implementing shared purchasing or operational efficiencies, ideally across multiple organizations. Experience in a membership organization, collaborative network, or small or early-stage team. Familiarity with Michigan's food system, community partners, or funders. Familiarity with CRM systems or project management tools.

Compensation and Benefits

The anticipated starting salary range for this position is $62,000-$70,000 . In addition to cost of living adjustments, performance-based increases are anticipated annually, commensurate with the candidate's success in strengthening member support, community replication, and the network's shared tools and resources. In addition to competitive compensation, the candidate will receive a generous benefit package including: Flexible schedule and hybrid/remote work 20 days of annual paid time off, plus 11 paid holidays Single and family health care and dental coverage, including employer HSA contribution Paid parental leave Short-term disability benefits at no cost to the employee Matching contributions of up to 3% of the employee's compensation to a Simple IRA

How to Apply

Please submit a resume and written responses to the three questions below in one document (PDF only) to [email protected] with the subject line "Network Programs Manager Application." A cover letter is not required. Please keep each response to 500 words or less. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. What interests you about this role, and why are you a strong fit? Describe your experience helping community food programs or partner organizations launch, improve, or solve operational challenges, including any work with food sourcing, food bank or retail partnerships, or creating tools others use. Describe a time you independently solved a complex problem for a partner or community while managing other priorities. What did you handle yourself, when did you involve others, and what was the outcome?