Vice President, Fresh Foods

FMI- The Food Industry Association; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k)

11 paid holidays

Paid leave benefits

Transportation allowance

Volunteer opportunities

Job summary

A leading industry association in Arlington, Virginia is seeking a Vice President of Fresh Foods. This hybrid role entails leading initiatives in the fresh foods category and managing key relationships with industry stakeholders. The ideal candidate will have over 15 years of management experience in food retail or FMCG and a Bachelor's degree in a related field. The position offers a comprehensive benefits package and the chance to impact the food retail industry significantly.

Qualifications

• Minimum 15 years of professional management experience.
• At least five years of management experience in food retail or FMCG.
• Ability to travel domestically for stakeholder visits.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage FMI’s Fresh Foods community.
• Lead Fresh Foods initiatives focused on education and collaboration.
• Manage relationships with industry partners and stakeholders.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Analytical thinking

Project management

Negotiation skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

AI platforms (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT)

Job description

FMI – The Food Industry Association: We’re Hiring a Vice President of Fresh Foods

(Hybrid Role – 2 days in our Arlington, Virginia office each week)

Are you a food industry leader who is purpose-driven and strategic? Do you have deep expertise in the fresh foods arena? Do you want to lead efforts to shape the future of fresh foods in the ever-changing and dynamic food retail industry? Then, this may be the role for you. Keep reading!

Quick Snapshot:

In this role, you’ll lead, develop, manage, and coordinate FMI’s activities and initiatives across fresh food categories, including meat, poultry, seafood, produce, deli, bakery, fresh-prepared foods, and in-store foodservice. You’ll build and manage influential industry councils, identify emerging trends, technology and regulatory issues, and drive collaboration, education, research, and revenue-generating programs that advance FMI’s mission and deliver measurable value to members.

What You’ll Do in This Role:

• Develop, manage, and recruit FMI’s Fresh Foods community across retailers, manufacturers, growers, suppliers, and industry service providers.
• Lead Fresh Foods initiatives focused on strategic education, business‑to‑business meetings, networking, and industry collaboration.
• Identify and address current and emerging issues, consumer trends, technological innovations, and relevant best practices impacting the Fresh Foods community.
• Coordinate and manage relationships with key industry associations, partners and stakeholders and identify and build relationships with future partners.
• Manage and support multiple leadership councils and forums such as the Fresh Foods Leadership Council, Seafood Strategy Leadership Council, etc.
• Develop, manage, and execute programs and forums for various FMI initiatives and integrate Fresh Foods initiatives into broader FMI priorities.
• Identify new value‑creation and revenue‑generation opportunities to better meet the association's goals and objectives.
• Lead the development and execution of the Fresh Foods strategic plan and annual operating budget.
• Provide support to all FMI key departments and other FMI functions to ensure the overall mission of the association is realized.
• Serve as a visible industry representative and spokesperson, including public speaking, media engagement, and contributions to trade publications.

Education and Skills You’ll Need to Be Successful:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing, or a food/consumer products‑related field (preferred).
• Minimum 15 years of professional management experience, including project management and business planning.
• At least five years of management experience in food retail or the fast‑moving consumer goods industry.
• Computer literacy with a strong understanding of AI platforms (e.g., Gemini, ChatGPT, etc.), and Microsoft Office 365 products.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and facilitation skills designed to develop and establish relationships with a wide range of people, customers and organizations and bring them to a consensus.
• Strong analytical, critical, and strategic thinking, and problem‑solving skills.
• Must be an opportunity spotter, idea generator, concept creator, and revenue developer.
• Must be confident, communicative, and reliable. Ability to inspire, lead and execute.
• Exceptional prioritization, communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to represent the association professionally to members, industry partners, and FMI staff.
• Ability to plan, prioritize and execute multiple tasks with attention to detail.
• Must be highly adaptable and able to respond to business circumstances as they arise.
• Must be able to travel domestically to visit FMI stakeholders as well as attend industry conferences and events.

Why FMI?

We are the champions for the food industry and the issues that make a difference to our members in the food industry. Our work touches the lives of over 120 million households in the U.S. and representing a $1 trillion industry with over 6 million employees. By joining our team, you will become part of a diverse, engaging, and supportive environment where your contributions directly impact the future of the food retail industry.

Our Benefits:

We offer a generous benefits package that includes health benefits, 401(k), 11 paid holidays, paid leave benefits, a transportation allowance, a summer hours program allowing you to work only four hours on Fridays during the summer, plenty of additional remote work opportunities including two weeks at the end of August, the week of Thanksgiving and two weeks at the end of December, volunteer opportunities (if you want to give back to your community), the chance to join our employee wellness group and much more!

Apply Now:

If you’re ready to lead industry‑wide fresh foods initiatives and drive collaboration that delivers real impact, apply today.

Learn more about FMI by visiting our website at www.fmi.org