The Chief Operations Officer (COO), a critical member of the Community Food Bank’s (CFB’s) Senior Leadership team directs the client distribution, transportation, logistical, and warehouse operations of the CFB across all sites, spanning 5 counties. The COO is critical in the exemplification and promotion of a work culture that is participatory and collaborative across CFB’s diverse stakeholders, helping to lead culture changes congruent with CFB’s values and strategic direction. The COO will provide the structure and processes necessary to manage the organization’s current operational activities and projected growth, while also being a key, creative thought partner in the refinement and implementation CFB’s strategic plan.
Duties and Responsibilities:
• Provides strategic leadership and direction to the CFB team to create a client-centered culture.
• Leads and accounts for the execution of operations activities in all areas of CFB, including the operations budget process and audit. Ensures compliance with regulatory bodies regarding warehousing, transporting and distributing foods. Regulatory bodies include AIB, Feeding America, Pima County Health Department, USDA, FDA, DES, OSHA, local city, county and state enforcement agencies and others.
• Creates, manages, and reports on key performance indicators and metrics to evaluate and improve performance.
• Supervises, manages, and coaches 5-6 direct reports and a team of approximately 60 of staff members.
• Partners with the Senior Leadership Team to elevate, communicate, and stretch the reach of the CFB’s impact on Southern Arizona and the Feeding America network
• Oversees a safe, cost- effective and efficient system of receiving and warehousing.
• Oversees creation of a standardized food box for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) that meets current contractual requirements.
• Oversees the distribution of food to our clients through the hunger relief programs operated by CFB as well as to our network of agency partners and subcontractors.
• Ensures effective integration of program staff and initiatives within operations, with a focus on how to collaborate on activities and programs ranging from food distribution to addressing root causes of hunger.
• Creates a culture of volunteer management, recognition, and retention that enables the core functions to be fulfilled, including in the resource centers, agency market, community kitchen, fulfillment, processing, production and beyond.
• Supervises the activities for sourcing donated product from retail partners, growers, packers, and distributors to meet the food needs of CFB’s service area.
• Provides strategic oversight and programmatic development for the local food resources of CFB.
• Provides guidance, direction, and oversight for CFB’s participation in cooperative partnerships.
• Leads continuous improvement initiatives and change-management efforts (e.g. implementation of cycle counts, kitting, order picking).
• Oversees proper inventory procedures, correct data management, and corresponding paperwork is maintained.
• Ensures compliance with written programs, and partners closely with internal and external compliance partners.
• Creates a culture around quality control and inventory accuracy which includes building a strong training program for staff.
• Oversight of CFB’s food distribution to clients at various locations and formats, with a focus on equity as well as individualization and standardization.
• Integrates and aligns hunger relief functions and community development/organizing activities and initiatives.
• Champions evaluation and feedback loops that consider the impact, reach, equity, and effectiveness of CFB’s operations.
• Establishes and maintains positive relationships with all CFB staff members.
• Ensures Operations staff have opportunities for learning and professional development, with a focus on capacity building, talent development, and succession planning.
• Participates in donor cultivation and solicitation activities as needed, partnering closely with the CEO and Chief Development Officer (CDO).
• Performs other duties as assigned.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
• Knowledge in managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously in a fast-paced, growth environment to include food sourcing, client distribution, transportation, logistical, and warehouse operations.
• Knowledge of proper building maintenance, storage, and pertinent safety regulations to include fleet management and logistics planning.
• Skills in demonstrating compassion and appreciation for hunger issues.
• Skills to work with, coach, and motivate staff, the network of agencies and other volunteers.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities simultaneously in a fast-paced, growth environment.
• Experience interpreting a strategic vision into an operational model.
• Collaborative management style and champion of cross-organization cooperation.
• Experience in leading positive change management.
• Demonstrated commitment to CFB's mission.
• Demonstrated commitment to developing leaders.
• Received recognition from professional and civic groups for leadership and community impact.
• Ability to travel across CFB’s five (5) county service area and to state, regional, and national conferences/meetings.
• Ability to work with people from diverse economic, social, and political backgrounds.
Minimum Qualifications:
• Ten (10) + years of experience in a role focused on leading, managing, or supervising high-performing teams focused on operations, logistics, supply chain, and/or related fields.
• Ten (10) + years of progressing leadership experience.
• Five (5) – Seven (7) years of experience and demonstrated record of leading teams, managing people, development, delegation, and coaching.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Intermediate proficiency in Microsoft Office Applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, etc.).
• Arizona Driver’s License and clean three (3) year driving record.
Equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered if applicable and must be directly related to the functions and body of knowledge required to successfully perform the job.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Master’s degree in Business Administration, Logistics, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Experience in a nonprofit organization at staff or Board levels.
• Experience in organizational development/management.
• Experience in diverse industries, including networked organizations with multiple operating units and a diverse ecosystem of alliances and partnering organizations.
• Experience with inventory management software and a high level of computer mastery (MS Office Suite, Pivot tables, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience working with and/or serving on a nonprofit Board of Directors.
• Bilingual in English and Spanish.
Physical Requirements:
• Light Work – ability to exert 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.
Visit the Community Food Bank Website and view under Opportunities
The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona responds to the root causes of hunger, and seeks to restore dignity, health, opportunity and hope to people living in poverty. Our mission is to change lives in the communities we serve by feeding the hungry today, and building a healthy, hunger-free tomorrow.