Vice president of business operations - #174434

Position Title: Vice President (V.P.) Business Operations

Supported by: President & CEO

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt, Full-Time

Our Story:

Food Bank for the Heartland has connected our communities with food, resources, and hope since 1981. The fight against hunger is our ongoing, collaborative effort. We work with individuals, organizations, food manufacturers and distributors, grocery stores, the USDA, and Feeding America to procure food and purchase food to supplement donations. Through the collective power of our leadership, employees, partners, volunteers, and donors, we can reach more communities, serve more people, and address food insecurity more directly and effectively. As new needs arise, we are ready.

Our Philosophy: Every service we provide, program we offer, and decision we make is rooted in our core Mission, Vision, and Values.

In Short:

The Vice President of Business Operations’ seat at our table plays an impactful role in connecting and building relationships within all areas of our organization, including the Board of Directors, partners, donors, employees, volunteers, contractors, and neighbors. This role oversees the organization's administrative operations and has the unique opportunity to cultivate an innovative and mission-driven culture. This role is at the forefront of our innovation, as it oversees areas of finance, information technology (IT), facilities, federal grants management, data management, disaster planning, risk management, special projects, contract interpretation, and guidance. The VP of Business Operations collaborates with other Vice Presidents, leaders, and stakeholders to ensure the efficiency, effectiveness, and compliance of administrative functions that are strategically sound and aligned with the Food Bank for the Heartland mission, values, and goals. This is a role that will inspire you to think creatively and contribute to our mission in a meaningful way.

Your Mission:

• Executive Leadership Team: Serve as a member of the Food Bank’s Executive Team and support efforts toward achieving the Food Bank’s core mission, vision, values, and goals. These efforts include but are not limited to:
  • Serve as interim/acting president/CEO in the absence of the President/CEO.
  • Responsible for achieving the organization’s overall goals and financial objectives. Ensure that evaluation systems, including benchmarks, are in place for these goals and objectives. Monitor progress, ensure adherence, and evaluate performance. Develop, implement, and monitor systems and procedures necessary for the smooth operations of overall strategic initiatives.
  • Stay informed of developments in the oversight departments and organizationally in non-profit management and governance, Feeding America membership support, and the Foodbank's specific business; use this information to help the organization operate using initiatives and innovation.
  • Provide support to the President, Board of Directors, Executive team, and selected others in oversight areas.
  • Work with various individuals to develop and maintain strategic perspectives on organizational direction, programs and services, decision-making, and ensuring the Food Bank's overall health and vitality.
  • In partnership with the Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team, and Senior Leadership Team, formulate and administer policies to ensure the integrity of the Food Bank.
  • Act as an internal consultant to bring attention, awareness, and solutions to organizational priorities.
  • Promote a high-performance culture and continuous improvement that values learning and a commitment to high quality.
  • Provide support and liaison to other Food Banks, Industry Partners, the Board of Directors, and Feeding America, where relevant and appropriate.
  • Develop progressive steps toward organizational and programmatic consistency and sustainability with the leadership team(s). Oversee research, analytics, trends, and program evaluation in support of the organization's strategic plan and annual goals.
  • In partnership with the leadership team, help develop the annual budget, long-term budgetary planning, and cost management to align with the organization's strategic goals.
  • Oversee the planning and execution of the organization’s disaster response operation in conjunction with the leadership team.
  • In partnership with the Board of Directors, Executive Leadership Team, and Senior Leadership Team, establish the organization's annual strategic direction and goals and assess metrics to ensure they are met and exceeded. Effectively communicate work plans and priorities derived from the strategic plan and annual goal and assist with coordinating accountability, objectives, and associated budgets.
• Fostering Innovation in Finance: You will be the driving force behind the high-impact strategy to enhance collaboration and communication throughout the Food Bank for the Heartland by facilitating access to financial data and simplifying financial procedures. With cross-collaboration with the Finance Team led by the Finance Controller, this role will focus on creating organizational partnership growth by aligning finance strategy to organizational strategy, prioritizing high-value goals and activities, accelerating and automating reporting and financial close, managing internal and external stakeholder experience and expectations, with a focus on high-value and high-need services.
  • This role will be a change leader focusing on forward-looking insights and recommendations around non-profit finance, leading to effective decision-making.
  • This role will develop, drive, and lead non-profit-specific trends that drive market disruption or merging focus areas, and innovation will be considered to drive growth.
  • Monitor and review the performance of investment accounts in partnership with the Financial Controller.
  • The primary focus will empower finance to partner with the FBFH community to scan for change signals, model different scenarios, align financial and operational objectives with organizational strategy, monitor strategy execution, and manage end-to-end processes. Leading a dynamic funding process that transcends financial oversight to influence strategic decisions through developing investment assessment criteria grounded not only in the economics of the business but also in other critical factors such as market attractiveness, urgency, competitiveness, feasibility, and strategic fit.
  • Oversees annual budgeting and planning process; administers and reviews all financial plans and budgets; monitors progress changes and keeps the Board of Directors, Executive Teams, and Senior Leadership Teams abreast of the organization's financial status.
  • Provide oversight of the financial audit in partnership with the Financial Controller.
  • Partner closely with the Financial Controller and team to lead the financial forecasting process, budget consolidation, and reporting to the President/CEO and the Board of Directors.
  • Acts as the staff resource for the Board of Directors finance committee, effectively communicating and presenting critical financial matters to the Board of Directors in partnership with the Finance Controller. Participates in board and committee meetings as required.
  • Reviews actual performance against budget performance. Presents budget deviations and overall financial performance for management and the Board of Directors Finance Committee.
• Information Technology: Provide strategic direction and leadership to the Information Technology department at FBFH. In this role, you will partner with the IT Manager to define the IT strategy and vision for FBFH to support the organization's needs, mission, and strategic goals. This includes:
  • Working with other leaders to define and drive initiatives supporting the strategy and vision, utilizing information technology.
  • Seek and implement ways to increase organizational productivity and effectiveness through IT measures.
  • Collaborate with Vendors and other Food Banks to leverage IT capabilities.
  • Drive organizational, technology, and process changes in how data/information is operationalized within the organization to support the creation of applications, analytics, reports, and dashboards.
  • Support and lead a high-performing information technology team responsible for simultaneously overseeing and managing IT projects, methodologies, and control techniques for multiple projects.
  • Develop, manage, and maintain an IT partnership strategy and framework, ensuring cohesive and complementary coverage for infrastructure, data, and application development and support needs and the ability to leverage key assets, resources, and learnings from contractors, vendors, and organizations such as Feeding America and the Food Banking Operations and Technology Council.
• Facilities Maintenance: Direct and oversee the safety and security of personnel, buildings, products, and equipment to ensure the long-term integrity of the facility and building structure and systems. Develop and lead strategic planning, tactical development, routine maintenance programs, and budget creation and adherence.
  • Support and lead a high-performing facilities team responsible for ensuring all AIB standards are maintained, implemented, updated, and secure. Maintain all operational buildings. Oversee internal and external audits relative to the grounds of an entire building. Develop and manage contracts and bidding procedures. Accountable for building infrastructure.
  • Management of building security.
  • In connection with the facilities administrator, develop and monitor facilities' budget, analysis, and forecasting.
• Organizational Strategy: A crucial part of this role will involve evaluating and analyzing our organization’s existing strategic initiatives and strengths in marketplace positioning to identify areas of improvement and competitive advantages. This position's cultivated analytical skills will assess the organization’s readiness and preparedness to undergo transformative changes while evaluating the building blocks necessary to create a sustainable long-term strategic growth plan. The VPBO will lead proven approaches and models to facilitate successful expansion into strategic initiatives by:
  • Leading organization-wide strategic planning and implementation.
  • Support directors in developing strategic sessions, tactics, and metrics to align with organizational goals.
  • Support leaders in budget alignment to strategic initiatives, strategies, and tactics.
• Grant Management Development & Administration: Develop consistent and resourceful grant management systems post-grant award, including overseeing the project and activities that must be securely implemented and executed to meet the grant funding goals. As the subject matter experts, this role is critical in understanding grant agreements, precisely the terms and conditions for utilizing the funds, such as reporting obligations, project timelines, and deliverables.
  • Grant Administration and Compliance: Establish and deliver a robust administrative system to support t the effective implementation of funded projects. This includes financial management, cost and expenditure monitoring and allocation, progress reporting, procurement, and adherence to grantor guidelines and compliance with relevant organizational policy and federal, state, and local law, regulations, and accounting standards to maintain transparency and accountability.
  • Grant monitoring and evaluation: Establish and develop systems of regulatory monitoring allowing Food Bank for the Heartland to assess the progress of the funded projects against predetermined targets. Grant evaluation on goal completion of the projected grant. Utilize funds efficiently and make necessary adjustments if challenges arise. Establish and confirm accurate and timely reporting to the grantors and the grantee organization to measure the impact of the grant and ensure accountability.
  • Grant closeouts, audits, and ongoing relationships: Establish practice and procedures for grant period ends to ensure proper closeout procedures, including final reporting, audits, financial reconciliation, and providing the grantor with required documentation.
• Data Management: This role will be the driving force behind developing the data management strategy in collecting, organizing, protecting, and storing organizational data to be analyzed for business decisions.
  • Data Management strategies include data integration, data modeling, data storage, data catalogs, data processing, data governance, data lifecycle management, data pipelines, data security, and data architecture.
  • Guide, support, and develop dashboards as needed for the organization.
• Risk Management, Disaster Planning, and Special Projects. This role will manage and evolve Food Bank for the Heartlands’ risk management, disaster planning efforts, and special projects.
  • Disaster Planning: Collaborate, influence, and create the structure for disaster planning and comprehensive emergency management, including mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.
  • Risk Management: Collaborate, Influence, and create integrated plans cross-departmentally to continue processes that will identify, analyze, evaluate, and treat loss exposures and monitor risk control and financial resources to mitigate the adverse effects of loss.
  • Special Projects: Develop and execute special projects to help execute company projects that may fall outside the scope of regular duties. Projects' specific responsibilities and purposes vary depending on Food Bank for the Heartland's strategic initiatives. Leading these special projects will include developing and implementing project teams and plans, managing budgets, and mitigating risks.
• Contract Engagement & Compliance: Partner with Feeding America to lead, respond, and collaborate regarding Feeding America Partner Food Bank Agreement, practice, and compliance. This role is the Feeding America Partner Agreement's lead contact at FBFH, acting as a resource to all departments regarding contract compliance procedures and organizational strategies to ensure FBFH complies with Feeding America Partner Agreement requirements.

Other duties entrusted within your scope of practice.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Commitment to the FBFH mission and values
• Strong computer and technology skills around Microsoft Office and general technology.
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills focusing on relationship-building, listening, and support.
• Consistent organizational skills with a passion for thriving in a fast-paced, multi-tasking environment.
• Ability to consistently commit to trustworthiness, dependability, and reliability.
• Ability to cultivate a culture of collaboration along with a supportive and safe environment.
• Skilled at defining organizational goals, supporting departmental goals, and being accountable to those goals.
• Ability to support the Board of Directors, President & CEO, other Executive Team members, and Senior Leadership team.
• Ability to think strategically and be a visionary leader.
• Ability to define needed internal controls and policies to safeguard FBFH, reduce liability, and manage risk.
• Be fiscally responsible and accountable to the budget.
• Ability and skill to serve as an ambassador of FBFH with the ability to speak to your area of expertise.
• Ability to protect and enhance the FBFH brand with the goal of FBFH maintaining a positive public image.

Your Story:

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field is required. Master’s degree preferred.
• A minimum of five (5) years of non-profit demonstrated experience generating outcomes in financial results.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of senior-level leadership managing cross-functional teams.
• A minimum of two (2) years of experience working within or supervising Information Technology.
• A minimum of five (5) years of experience with strategic development/planning, communication management, project management, and/or nonprofit business administration.
• Lived experience with the impacts of systemic racism or marginalization is a plus.

About The Team:

Everyone at Food Bank for the Heartland, from our administrative staff and warehouse employees to our team members working in partnership in the various community locations, shares a common vision: to help eliminate hunger in our service area—one initiative, program, and thoughtful decision at a time. Our culture is committed to welcoming you to our table, supporting your passion and drive, and focusing on diversity, growth, and community involvement.

This role is vital to the Food Bank for the Heartlands’ Executive Leadership Team, Data Management Team, Information Technology Team, Finance Team, and Facilities Team.

We provide an environment to help you succeed.

Food Bank for the Heartland is an equal opportunity employer, and we’re excited to work with talented and empathetic people of all identities. As required by law and in line with our commitment to diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity, FBFH does not discriminate based on someone’s identity in any aspect of hiring or employment. Our code of conduct provides a beacon for the kind of company we strive to be, and we celebrate our differences. FBFH will consider all qualified applicants.

FBFH is committed to inclusions. As part of this commitment, FBFH welcomes applications from individuals with disabilities and will work to provide reasonable accommodation. If reasonable accommodations are needed to participate in the job application or interview process, don't hesitate to get in touch with *****@foodbankheartland.org

Support your well-being.

We offer medical, retirement, supplemental, and leave benefits. We also have resources, such as our Employee Assistance Program, to support your mental health.