Food Policy Programs Planner

City of Seattle; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 77,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work schedule

City of Seattle benefits

Job summary

The City of Seattle is hiring a Food Policy Programs Planner for the Fresh Bucks program. You will apply customer service expertise, systems analysis, and community partnerships to ensure benefits are accessible, equitable, and responsive to community needs.

You will also lead a Community Advisory Board advising on Sweetened Beverage Tax programs. Major duties include policy development, board processes, outreach, and training for partners while advancing racial equity and strong collaborations

Qualifications

• Five years of experience in planning and research related to public health, human services, or other work directly related to City planning and development activities.
• Four years of experience in planning and research related to public health, human services, or other work directly related to City planning and development activities, and a bachelor’s degree in planning, human services, or public administration.
• Three years of experience in planning and research related to public health, human services, or other work directly related to City planning and development activities, and a bachelor’s degree in planning, human services, or public administration.

Responsibilities

• Support CAB meetings, develop annual workplans, and formulate budget recommendations.
• Maintain a full roster of board members using the appointment process.
• Audit Fresh Bucks policies and results/impacts of 2026 waitlist enrollment.
• Develop policy recommendations to improve enrollment and engagement in Fresh Bucks.
• Develop a community outreach strategy to boost waitlist awareness and enrollment in priority communities.
• Assess customer service processes and barriers, proposing equitable improvements.
• Develop and deliver customer service training plans for Fresh Bucks retail partners.

Skills

Customer service

Systems analysis

Program operations

Community partnerships

Policy development

Education

Bachelor's degree in planning, public administration, or human services

Job description

The department

The Office of Sustainability & Environment (OSE) is hiring! Come be a part of a great team of folks dedicated to developing and implementing citywide environmental policies and programs that propel the City of Seattle toward a sustainable, equitable, and carbon-neutral future. Here at OSE, our mission is to ensure a clean and healthy environment for every resident of Seattle. We prioritize those currently and historically harmed by racial, economic, and environmental injustice and serve as cross-departmental and community partners, innovators, and drivers of cutting-edge city policy. If you are looking to support opportunities to increase racial, social, and environmental justice throughout Seattle's environmental work, look no further!

Diversity and inclusion

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that all people and communities should benefit from Seattle’s environmental progress. We center communities most impacted by environmental injustice, such as BIPOC communities, people with low incomes, and English language learners, to ensure they have opportunities to be part of the environmental movement and to be leaders within it. We hold values aligned with principles of racial, environmental, and economic justice — so that we are more inclusive, equitable, and transparent. All applicants are welcome, and we strongly encourage people with these identities or from other marginalized communities to apply.

The job

Fresh Bucks, our food access program, is recruiting applicants for a new Food Policy Programs Planner. In this job, you will use your customer service expertise, systems analysis, program operations, and community partnership cultivation skills to ensure benefits are easy to use, equitable, and responsive to community needs. You will also facilitate a community advisory board (CAB) that makes informed, actionable recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on programs and services funded by the Sweetened Beverage Tax. You will supervise at least one employee.

Major projects will include:

• Supporting CAB meetings, developing annual workplans, and developing budget recommendations
• Maintaining a full roster of board members using the appointment process
• Audit Fresh Bucks policies and results/impacts of 2026 waitlist enrollment
• Develop policy recommendations to improve how community members are enrolled in and engaged with the Fresh Bucks program
• Develop a community outreach strategy to boost waitlist awareness and enrollment within priority community groups and widen the network of community partners
• Assess customer service process flows and customer barriers, to develop recommendations to increase customer issue resolution
• Develop and execute customer service training plans for Fresh Bucks retail partners in tandem with the Retail Lead

To be successful, you are committed to:

• Applying a racial equity lens to guide and inform your work.
• Creating and continually improving the equity of programs and services, eliminating barriers for frontline communities
• Listening and communicating respectfully, accessibly, and clearly in all interactions
• Building and maintaining partnerships that enhance understanding
• Promoting and contributing to a collaborative team environment.

To be effective, you have:

• Made customer service better and improved the systems that support it
• Handled elevated customer service concerns with compassion, tact, and political savvy
• Managed people and programs, reaching organizational performance goals for both
• Designed and delivered training for customer-facing partners
• Gathered, analyzed, and translated technical findings into policy-relevant insights, and produced concise, polished briefings for a variety of audiences and knowledge levels
• Successfully created and delivered information for a broad range of partners
• Assessed program operations and process flows, finding and proposing simple, effective, equitable solutions aimed at continuous process improvements that strengthen program delivery
• Developed key performance indicators (KPIs) and analyzed trends to find opportunities for policy improvement and change implementation
• Developed and delivered a variety of effective communications (memos, presentations, reports, emails, briefings) for a diverse audiences
• Facilitated groups with differing goals, perspectives, and interests toward collective action, including work plans and budgetary recommendations
• Provided information, professional judgment, and guidance to help a board, commission, or similar group understand government policies, budgetary requirements, and restrictions
• Develop meeting agendas with board/group leaders and advisors, organizing topics to support thoughtful discussion, informed decisions, and alignment with group goals
• Built and supported strong relationships among board/group members, staff, leadership, elected officials, and external partners to connect their work with broader policy and program goals

In addition to the qualities mentioned above, you will need to possess the following required qualifications (or a combination of education, and/or training, and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the class):

Five years of experience in planning and research related to public health, human services, or other work directly related to City planning and development activities

OR

Four years of experience in planning and research related to public health, human services, or other work directly related to City planning and development activities, and a bachelor's degree in planning, human services, or public administration.

OR

Three years of experience in planning and research related to public health, human services, or other work directly related to City planning and development activities, and a bachelor's degree in planning, human services, or public administration.

This job is classified as a Planning & Development Specialist, Senior-BU, and is represented by a Collective Bargaining Agreement with PROTEC17-Professionals Unit. The salary range is $56.23 - $65.54. Personnel Rules will determine the salary placement of current regular City employees. New employees start at Step 1 in this 5-step salary schedule.

This position offers the flexibility of a hybrid work schedule. Individual schedules will be based on agreement between the employee and management. Monthly Board meetings and ad hoc community events are typically held outside of normal business hours.

The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package, including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits

Why Work for the City of Seattle?

At the City of Seattle, public service is more than a job; it’s a chance to shape the future and make a meaningful difference in the lives of everyone who works, lives, or plays in our city. With 12,000 employees across 40+ departments and 1,100 job titles, we are united by a common purpose: to create a Seattle that is vibrant and welcoming for all.

Whatever your role, you’ll help power a forward-looking city that leads by example — inclusive, innovative, equitable, and community-focused — while joining a diverse team committed to solving challenges and making a lasting impact together.

Join us in building a Seattle that thrives!

This position is open to applicants who meet the minimum qualifications. The Office of Sustainability & Environment values diverse perspectives and life experiences. Applicants will be considered regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, age, sexual orientation, medical condition, or pregnancy. The Office of Planning and Community Development encourages people of all backgrounds to apply, including people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, veterans, and those with diverse life experiences.

Accommodations:

Individuals with disabilities will be provided with reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application or interview process, perform essential job functions, and receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact [e-mail] with questions or to request accommodations.