Food Recovery Program Lead

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County; Watsonville (CA); On-site; USD 71,000 - 81,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Job summary

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County seeks a Food Rescue Manager to provide strategic leadership and growth for its Retail Recovery Alliance. You will drive edible food recovery initiatives, strengthen partnerships with donors and agencies, and ensure regulatory compliance across the program.

The role is grant-funded and requires independent leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on reducing waste while increasing community impact. Reports to the COO.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (business admin, supply chain, etc.).
• 3–5 years in food banking, nonprofit management, supply chain, or related fields.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic planning and program development for the Food Recovery Program.
• Cultivate donor relationships with retailers, wholesalers, and other food donors.
• Oversee partner agency engagement and capacity building.
• Ensure compliance with SB 1383, Feeding America, and regulatory standards.
• Establish KPIs and dashboards to track program impact and growth.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Donor relationship management

Stakeholder engagement

Data analysis

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Tools

CRM systems

Reporting tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County seeks a Food Rescue Manager to provide strategic leadership and growth for its Retail Recovery Alliance. You will drive edible food recovery initiatives, strengthen partnerships with donors and agencies, and ensure regulatory compliance across the program.

The role is grant-funded and requires independent leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on reducing waste while increasing community impact. Reports to the COO.