Chief Operating Officer

In 1983, a humble initiative known as the Lee County Food Cooperative opened its doors, with a mission to address hunger in Southwest Florida. Little did its founders know that over the next four decades, this organization would evolve into the formidable Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida (HCFB), a beacon of hope for millions facing food insecurity.

HCFB is the largest hunger-relief nonprofit and the only Feeding America member in Southwest Florida, serving Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry and Lee counties. HCFB rescues and distributes donated food and other grocery products through food distribution programs, feeding more than a quarter of a million people who are hungry each month.

HCFB operates numerous programs, including direct distribution to the agency’s hungry neighbors, distribution of food via 170+ partner organizations and nutrition education. The demand for HCFB’s services has grown dramatically over the last 10 years. HCFB distributes almost 40 million pounds of food annually. During the pandemic, almost 50 million pounds were distributed in a year, and peak demand (i.e., following Hurricane Ian) exceeded 1.4 million pounds in a week. This growth in demand is expected to continue.

As demand has grown, so has the scope and sophistication of the Food Bank’s programs and operations. In addition, recently HCFB launched a Capital Campaign to build a next generation facility to support our growth. To date, $10 million has been pledged toward the $30 million goal.

The Food Bank has a strong senior management team (termed the “Guiding Team”) and seeks to build on that strength by adding a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to help the team bolster operational execution while supporting additional programmatic priorities, expanded community outreach and expanded fundraising. The new COO will be a key driver and partner of the growth strategy for the organization. Building upon the great reputation the Food Bank has fostered over its long tenure, this leader will help to expand capacity and bandwidth and will work strategically with the CEO to continue to drive the growth and expansion of services. With the capital campaign in full swing soon, the COO will allow the CEO to focus on external relations, fundraising, board relations and building community partnerships.

The COO will have the opportunity to oversee most day-to-day administrative and operating responsibilities of the organization. This leader will increase the sophistication of operational management, including a greater focus on Key Performance Indicators and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The COO will act as second-in-command at the Food Bank, and substitute for the CEO, if required.

Altogether, the organization has 83 full-time staff, working from two facilities, one in Fort Myers and the other in Naples, Florida. HCFB is lucky to have over 4,000 active and dedicated volunteers annually. The budget for 2024 is approximately $70 million.
As a member of the Guiding Team, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) will report to the President & CEO. They will work closely with team and the CEO to plan the future of the organization, especially on operational matters, and to guide implementation of key initiatives. The COO will oversee and manage the daily business operations of the organization.

Direct Reports to the COO:

Director of Operations
Director of Community Impact & Partnerships (Programs)
Director of Human Resources

The ideal candidate will have significant experience in leading strategic and high-level decision-making, particularly in times of organizational growth. This individual will have at least ten years of senior/executive managerial experience in a complex organization with a proven track record of success. Master’s level degree (MS, MPH, MBA, MHA) is preferred; or a combination of education and professional experience is relevant. Current or prior experience in the field or experiences that would result in a key understanding of the cause is advantageous. Successful candidates may come from the non-profit or for-profit sectors.