RI Food Policy Council
Full-time
8 Years Experience and Degree
The RI Food Policy Council is seeking a Program Director, Food, Climate, & Environment to lead daily operations for a new program designed to reduce the negative impacts and maximize the benefits of our food system on the climate and environmental challenges we face, with a focus on reducing food waste and increasing composting.
The ideal candidate for this new position will possess the vision, capacity, and project management skills to initiate and scale multiple projects and drive results. The ability to work collaboratively with people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds is critical. We seek an independent, self-directed leader who is also a good team player. A constant focus on impact and outcomes is essential, as is a high level of organization. Experience managing contractors, monitoring finances, and contributing to fundraising initiatives is expected. Dedication to building an environmentally sustainable food system and a passion for advancing equitable, community-based solutions to entrenched food system problems are required.
The Program Director will work regularly with leaders in state and municipal government, the business community, and the nonprofit sector. The overarching objectives for this role are to:
- Grow food waste composting volumes by supporting RI municipalities in learning about and implementing food waste diversion strategies including municipal composting programs
- Raise the importance of food waste composting and support efforts to increase food waste composting at the state level through the creation of a Statewide Food Waste Solutions Action Network and a Statewide Food Waste Solutions Action Plan
- Advance policy that supports increased municipal, commercial, and on-farm/community garden food waste composting by educating state lawmakers about high-priority policies to address food waste and advocate for their passage into law, including strengthening composting regulations.
This full-time position (37.5 hours/week) is primarily remote, with regular attendance at in-person meetings and events across the State of Rhode Island expected. The Program Director reports to the Executive Director and works closely with RIFPC staff, RIDEM staff, commercial and community composting entities, as well as RIFPC Council members and diverse food systems stakeholders. This position is currently funded for one year, with extensions subject to the availability of funds.
Responsibilities
- Grow food waste composting volumes by supporting RI municipalities in learning about and implementing food waste diversion strategies including municipal composting programs
- Educate at least a dozen municipalities about strategies for reducing tipping fees and climate footprint by increasing food waste composting through a variety of outreach techniques
- Identify two or three municipal leaders interested in potential site exploration, availability, and financial impacts, and connect them with potential commercial composting providers
- Support municipal identification of funding needed to support robust and equitable municipal composting program start-up in targeted communities
- Raise the importance of food waste composting and support efforts to increase food waste composting at the state level through the creation of a Statewide Food Waste Solutions Action Network and a Statewide Food Waste Solutions Action Plan
- Establish a Statewide Food Waste Solutions Action Network, with key objectives of this network to be developing and implementing a -statewide, 5 to 10-year plan to reduce wasted food and increase composting in Rhode Island through an open and collaborative process
- Facilitate the Network in creating and distributing a Statewide Food Waste Strategic Plan by the Network, integrated with related state plans (including the RI Comprehensive State Waste Management Plan)
- Advance policy that supports increased municipal, commercial, and on-farm/community garden food waste composting by educating state lawmakers about high-priority policies to address food waste and advocate for their passage into law, including strengthening composting regulations.
- Support Council prioritization of state legislation related to climate and environmental issues, focusing on legislation to strengthen composting regulations through the Council’s established “Work Group” structure and implementation of associated education and advocacy tools (e.g., legislative roundtables, letter writing and testimony coordination, coalition-building, cultivation of legislative champions, etc.)
- Identify issues/opportunities related to climate and environment across the agriculture, fisheries, and food sector, and convene key public, private, and nonprofit stakeholders to develop action plans to address them
- Support Executive Director on regular grant tracking, evaluation, communication, and reporting
- Participate in RI Food Policy Council staff and Council meetings and activities as requested by the Executive Director
- Center equity and inclusion in both process and outcomes across all responsibility categories
Qualifications and Skills
- 8+ years of relevant, progressively responsible project development and management experience
- 5+ years of professional facilitation experience, especially working with state agencies, municipal leaders, and community-based organizations
- Proven ability to identify emerging challenges in complex environments and find stakeholder-driven solutions to address them
- Experience leading new and/or scaling programs and overseeing contracted scopes of work
- Background in food waste management and composting
- Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent work experience; master’s degree preferred
Key Competencies
- Collaborative and visionary thinker
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Proven ability to initiate and/or scale complex projects toward timely completion
- Ease in working with state and municipal leaders as well as a broad range of demographically, experientially, and cognitively diverse people
The RIFPC is offering a competitive salary ($70-80K), full benefits, and a flexible workplace with a collegial environment. Please send a cover letter and resume to info@rifoodcouncil.org with the subject line: “Food, Environment & Climate Program Director”.
Qualified candidates will be contacted by email. Employment history and/or background check including 3 references are required of final candidates. The RI Food Policy Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values the benefits of a diverse organization. We encourage qualified applicants with lived experience of inequities in the food system to apply.
ABOUT THE RHODE ISLAND FOOD POLICY COUNCIL
The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is an independent nonprofit building a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system. Established in 2011, our diverse network uplifts the voices and power of over 1,500 individuals, businesses, and organizations. Together, we build coalitions that align resources, promote good food and agriculture policy, and execute high-impact projects and programs. RIFPC is committed to equity, and we strive to be an anti-oppression organization. For more information about our work, mission, and values, please visit www.rifoodcouncil.org.