Senior Associate, Healthy Food Commerce

About Wholesome Wave

Wholesome Wave’s mission is to enable underserved consumers to make healthier food choices by increasing affordable access to fresh, local and regional food. We are building networks of community-based programs and partners to affect lasting economic and policy change and build vibrant, equitable, local and regional food systems.

At Wholesome Wave, we believe that everyone should be able to put the same healthy, fresh fruits and vegetables on their tables, regardless of their income. Food, as a single subject, has an incredible impact on environmental, social, economic and human health. We see an undeniable truth, that if we fix food, we will see improved health, stronger local and regional economies, and higher revenues for small and mid-sized farm businesses.

Wholesome Wave currently has programs in 33 states and DC, at nearly 600 farmers markets across the country benefitting more than 5,700 farmers.

For more information, please visit www.wholesomewave.org

Reporting to the Senior Manager of Wholesome Wave’s Healthy Food Commerce division, this full-time position plays a key role in developing and implementing innovative programming across the food supply chain.  The Senior Associate will support the Senior Manager in working with community based organizations, retail partners, supply chain players (farmers, distributors, etc), and researchers to develop, assess, and iterate programs that build strong supply chains that connect local farmers with low-income consumers and improve affordable access to healthy food for underserved communities.  This position will be instrumental in developing and testing new approaches at Wholesome Wave including nutrition incentive programming in retail grocery outlets and technical assistance to food service enterprises, retailers, and other businesses that serve low-income consumers to build their local food supply chains.

The Senior Associate contributes to all aspects of the Healthy Food Commerce team’s work and is expected to quickly move from a supporting role to owning and leading key components of projects. The Senior Associate will:

•       Support the establishment and execution of projects that bring nutrition incentive programming into retail grocery settings:

o   Identify and cultivate partners (community based organizations, retailers, distributors, farmers) and formalize partnerships.

o   Design and implement program protocols including in-store experience for consumers and retailers and program impact and process evaluation.

o   Develop and test supply chains for increasing presence of local food in retail partners’ stores.

•       Support the research for and design of practices and tools for local supply chain development technical assistance:

o   Research and model produce supply chains for retailers, institutions, and other food outlets serving low-income communities.

o   Work closely with supply chain partners, food service businesses, and retailers to test and evaluate models for providing local food sourcing technical assistance through on-the-ground projects.

o   Develop, deliver, and iterate tools and trainings to streamline technical assistance provision.

•       Support the management of the data collection and reporting systems for retail and supply chain projects.

•       Serve as a key relationship holder within the Healthy Food Commerce team with external stakeholders.

•       Prepare appropriate materials to present and communicate progress to WW leadership, partners, and stakeholders.

•       Work with Wholesome Wave colleagues, partners, and stakeholders to address opportunities to integrate programmatic efforts.

•       As needed, conduct industry research (e.g., market trends in local food purchasing and food distribution, developments in the food systems arena, analysis of business models and competitive dynamics, etc).

•       Support the work of the team and the Senior Manager with various tasks as needed.

•       Plan, organize, and execute logistics and travel coordination for on-the-ground projects.

•       When traveling represent the public face of Wholesome Wave.

•       Coordinate and efficiently integrate with team members across the organization collaborating on projects.

•       Coordinate key meetings, develop agendas, prepare materials and take minutes/notes when necessary.

•       Participate in organization wide events and meetings as required.

•       2 or more years project delivery experience.

•       Experience with, and skillful at, developing and implementing complex projects involving multiple players with differing priorities.

•       Familiarity with the retail grocery industry and local and conventional food supply chains (ideally for produce).  Prior experience in these industries a plus.

•       Proficient and comfortable networking, building relationships, and steering/navigating external relationships.

•       Strong writing and document production skills, including producing powerpoints, fact sheets, case studies, and toolkits.

•       Familiarity with food justice and nutrition incentive fields a plus.

•       Sincere passion for driving change in the food system through supporting market-driven approaches.

•       Proficient using Microsoft Office.

•       Analytical, strategic, and systems thinker with strong problem solving skills.

•       Comfort interacting with a diverse range of stakeholders.

•       Detail-oriented, with ability to initiate, monitor, and diligently follow up on all aspects of projects.

•       Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.

•       Comfort with uncertainty and ambiguity, and flexibility to work in a rapidly changing environment.

•       Non-competitive, team-oriented player.

•       Quick and pro-active learner.

•       Good time management skills and ability to prioritize in a fast paced environment with competing demands.

•       Polite and professional manner and appearance.

•       A willingness to roll up one's sleeves and contribute as needed to advance the program to include anything from taking minutes for a meeting or booking travel to leading calls and facilitating meetings independently.

•       This position is full-time, salaried, and temporary for a period of 1 year following hire date (with extension expected pending future funding).

•       Valid drivers license required.  Car preferred.

•       Periodic travel required (one to three times per month depending on month).

•       Competitive benefits include health insurance and ancillary insurance.

•       Salary based on qualifications and experience.

Please send resume and cover letter addressed to Darrow Isaacman-VanWertz by 5pm EDT, Wednesday, June 24, 2015 to: opportunities@wholesomewave.org (please include Healthy Food Commerce Senior Associate in the subject line).

WHOLESOME WAVE is firmly committed to equal employment and advancement opportunities for all present employees as well as for applicants without regard to race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age, lawful source of income, mental retardation, mental disability or physical disability, including, but not limited to, blindness or deafness, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other category protected by federal, state or local law.