Get to know Hunger Solutions New York:
Hunger Solutions New York, Inc., founded in 1985 and based in Albany, is a statewide nonprofit organization that strives to alleviate hunger in New York by promoting awareness of hunger, public policies that contribute to ending hunger, and participation in federal nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP, WIC, the Summer Food Service Program, Summer EBT, the School Breakfast Program and National School Lunch Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
Summary of position:
The Chief Program Officer (CPO) is a key member of the Executive Leadership Team responsible for the strategic leadership, management, and continuous improvement of Hunger Solutions New York’s statewide programs and initiatives to alleviate hunger.
The CPO provides vision and direction for all programmatic federally funded nutrition work, ensuring that services are innovative, data-driven, and aligned with the organization’s strategic initiatives. The CPO oversees federally funded nutrition program design, implementation, evaluation, compliance, and impact while fostering a collaborative culture centered on cross-departmental cooperation and collaboration, excellence, and measurable results. The CPO will have programmatic oversight of Nutrition Navigators Technical Assistance (NNTA) contract and will act as a liaison between the Nutrition Navigators Direct Service contracts, WIC, CACFP, School Meals, Summer Meals, Summer EBT and programmatically related grant work to ensure policy priorities are in lockstep across all programs. The CPO will compile a cross-contract workplan / deliverable tracking tool to guarantee that HSNY meets all contract requirements. The CPO will work with the Director of Public Affairs to ensure policy and trends inform all nutrition work and are applied uniformly across all programs. The CPO will work closely with the Director of Communications to ensure program outcomes, data, and stories inform HSNY’s public communications, and that all public-facing materials meet contract requirements and consistently reflect the organization’s messaging and branding across all programs.
Key responsibilities:
Responsibilities of the position include:
- Serve as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and help shape organizational strategy and priorities.
- Translate federally funded nutrition programs’ strategic priorities into actionable program goals and measurable outcomes. Create a cross-program/project tracking mechanism for monitoring all major deliverables in one place.
- From an overarching administrative perspective, promote cross-departmental collaboration among Public Affairs, Direct Services, Child Nutrition, Communications, Operations and Finance departments. Facilitate inter-departmental meetings between program teams and other departments.
- Ensure all federally funded nutrition programs achieve measurable outcomes and contractual deliverables, including working with Public Affairs to ensure all policy efforts are aligned across all programs and with Communications to ensure that program outcomes inform public communications and all public-facing materials reflect HSNY’s messaging and branding.
- Ensure programs remain responsive to changing community needs and public policy.
- Work with Directors to ensure grant deliverables and applications/reports are on track.
- Ensure timely reporting to funders and government agencies.
- In collaboration with other officers, monitor contract budgets.
- Proactively identify new initiatives or opportunities for partnership and sustainable program funding.
- Assist in grant proposal development and reporting.
- Ensure programs inform policy priorities and vice versa.
- Support implementation of statewide nutrition initiatives uniformly across all contracts.
- Translate program outcomes into policy recommendations.
- Advance equitable access to federal nutrition programs.
- Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging throughout program design and implementation.
- Participate in Board committee meetings and strategic discussions.
Qualifications:
The Chief Program Officer should possess the following qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Public Health, Social Work, Nonprofit Management, Public Policy, or related field required. Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA), Public Policy (MPP), Public Health (MPH), Social Work (MSW), or related field is preferred.
- Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible nonprofit leadership experience.
- Minimum of 5 years managing multiple teams and senior leaders.
- Minimum of 10 years working in the nonprofit sector; food insecurity preferred.
- Demonstrated experience with federal nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP, WIC, school meals, CACFP, and summer nutrition programs.
- Experience managing government-funded contracts and grants.
- Proven success developing partnerships across public, nonprofit, and private sectors.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Experience using data to drive organizational decision-making.
- Knowledge of New York State government and public benefit systems.
- Experience working in advocacy or public policy organizations.
- Familiarity with collective impact initiatives and systems-level change.
- The CPO must reside in the state of New York and be able to commute to and work in office 2-3 days per week.
Candidates that do not currently reside in New York State or have a strong demonstrated alignment to mission will not be considered for this opportunity.
Culture:
Hunger Solutions New York is an Equal Opportunity Employer dedicated to creating a culture that is rewarding to employees and provides each team member with the ability to continually grow and learn. Hunger Solutions New York is a champion of and promotes diversity, equity and inclusion among all stakeholders. Hunger Solutions New York recognizes the need for work/life balance and provides a flexible working environment for all employees. Office culture is casual and professional.
Compensation and benefits:
Hunger Solutions New York is committed to its employees and thusly provides a competitive compensation package. Salary is commensurate with experience, but is expected to be $100K – $130K annually. Hunger Solutions New York offers fully paid benefit premiums including health, dental, life, short- and long-term disability, and a retirement plan that offers a 6% match (different vesting periods apply to each benefit and will be discussed as part of the interview process). A Health Reimbursement Account (HRA) may be available depending upon the health insurance package chosen. Additionally, Hunger Solutions New York offers a generous amount of time off to each employee.
Please no inquiries from outside staffing agencies.
