Employment

Thank you for your interest in employment with the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank. Please submit your materials to Human Resource Office, Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, P.O. Box 937, Verona, VA 24482. Download our employment application here.

POSITION PROFILE

DIRECTOR OF AGENCY RELATIONS AND PROGRAMS BLUE RIDGE AREA FOOD BANK

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, a member of the Feeding America network, seeks candidates for the position of Director of Agency Relations and Programs.

Established in 1981, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank’s mission is to provide nourishing food to our neighbors in need through vibrant community partnerships and passionate public support. With an annual operating budget of $7.9 million and 49 employees, the organization serves 25 counties and eight cities. In 2016, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank distributed 25.3 million pounds of food through distribution centers in Charlottesville, Lynchburg, Winchester and Verona and a network of partner agencies – food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

Headquartered in Verona, in Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank operates with the vision that everyone has enough to eat, and the core beliefs that hunger is unacceptable, that everyone deserves access to enough food, that food sustains life and nourishes health, and that we are called to serve neighbors in need without judgement.

The Director of Agency Relations and Programs is a vital member of a dynamic senior leadership staff. The next Director will build on a legacy of progressive and thoughtful leadership in support of this exceptional organization’s mission, vision, and core beliefs.

Position of Director of Agency Relations and Programs

The Director leads a team of eight employees in identifying, building, and fostering community partner relationships including program planning and development, implementation, and evaluation. The Director reports to the Chief Executive Officer and has responsibility and oversight for all functions of the Department including capacity building, agency relationships, community development, compliance, hiring and managing staff and the implementation of its policies and operational programs. The key areas of responsibility are:

Building Capacity and Effectiveness of Partner Agencies

The Food Bank partners with 212 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters that form the backbone of our region’s charitable food assistance network. The Director will lead the team’s effort to strengthen and support partner agencies as they improve access to food, particularly nutritious food, throughout the Food Bank’s 25-county service area.

Creating and Sustaining High-Impact Programs

In addition to its network of partner agencies, the Food Bank operates a number of nutrition programs designed to reach vulnerable populations, especially children and seniors. The Director will lead the re-imagination of programming to meet urgent community needs, including nutrition education that cannot be met through agency-based food distribution alone.

Providing Collaborative Leadership

The Food Bank depends on community partners to distribute food in response to community need. The Director will honor these partnerships while working collaboratively within the organization to set and achieve integrative goals. Along with providing strong internal guidance and mentoring for team members, the Director will lead by example in forging strong and dynamic collaborations in the community.

Maintaining Operational Excellence

The Director will lead with a strong commitment to organizational mission, vision, core beliefs and values. H/she will remain current on best practices and gather, analyze and report on program results in order to continuously improve the delivery of services to clients. H/she will support a high-performing organization through planning and sound management of resources, and through personnel supervision and development.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will have the following combination of skills, experience and attributes:

An astute manager, who empowers staff
A visionary leader, who builds relationships with multiple stakeholders, while prioritizing complex issues and making difficult decisions
A strategic thinker and active listener, who values the creative process, who can lead by ideas, and who is committed to collaboration as a means of articulating and implementing a plan
A public spokesperson and effective communicator, who is prepared to develop and maintain substantial relationships for the Food Bank
A team player who will effectively communicate and demonstrate our organizational mission
An achiever with knowledge and an appreciation for cultural and socio-economic diversity and demonstrated passion to help those in need

Other Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree is preferred.

Candidates must be willing to complete a background check prior to employment.

Compensation and Benefits

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is an equal opportunity employer and offers a competitive salary and benefit package. Salary will be based on education and experience.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume and list of references to nbowman@brafb.org or mail to:

Nancy L. Bowman, Director of Human Resources

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
P.O. Box 937
Verona, VA 24482-0937

Questions can additionally be directed to Nancy L. Bowman, at nbowman@brafb.org or 540-213-8423.

The position will be open until filled. Applications received by October 20, 2017 will be considered as part of the initial review process. Begin date is approximately February, 2018.

EOE

The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank is committed to equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, veteran status, marital status, political affiliation, genetics or disability. We prohibit discrimination in all aspects of our policies, practices, operations and programs.