Organization: LaSoupe

About the position:

The Partner relations manager is accountable for the communication, logistics, and strategy for all partner relationships associated with the Rescue, Share, and Bucket Brigade programs. They report to the Chief Operating Officer and manage 1 staff member to assist with logistics and partner relations. They represent La Soupe as an ambassador of our mission of feeding neighbors experiencing food insecurity and keeping food out of landfills. This role is responsible for developing and executing strategies to onboard new potential partners as well as strengthening relationships with existing partners. This is a cross-functional role working with leadership to maximize La Soupe’s public perception, and environmental and social impact.

Core Responsibilities

● Acts as the primary point of contact and ambassador to all share partners and rescue partners, managing their onboarding, scheduling, ongoing communications, feedback surveys, and compliance with La Soupe standards.

● Leads strategy around who and how food is given to share partners (non-profit agencies feeding individuals struggling with food insecurity) through external meetings with food insecurity stakeholders, utilizing food insecurity data, collaboration with internal leadership

● Leads strategy around soliciting, stewarding and maintaining relationships with food rescue partners, including manufacturers, warehouses, grocery stores, farms, schools, restaurants, and all others donating food to La Soupe.

● Builds production plans based on partner schedules, and collaborates with Dock Manager and Executive chef to maintain and improve on tracking of inbound and outbound products.

● Accountable for relationship building, supply/ demand balancing, and scheduling/ coordination of all Rescue, Share, Bucket Brigade, compost, animal feed partners, and recycling partnerships to meet production goals

● Works with the Executive Chef, Shipping and Receiving team, and Volunteer team to coordinate distribution of transformed and direct donate food to partners keeping in mind cultural preferences, size and storage capacity.

● Works with Special Events Coordinator, Food as Medicine Director, Inspire Director, and Education Director to increase awareness of all La Soupe programs.

● Works with partners to ensure safe handling of our foods, continuously improving relationships, and updates orders and schedules to optimize distributions.

● Works with Volunteer Manager and volunteers to ensure smooth distribution of food through Food Rescue US

● Stays up-to-date with industry trends, the state of food insecurity and needs across Cincinnati, and competitor activities to identify priority partnerships and opportunities for partnership

● Identifies new Share and Rescue Partners, Bucket Brigade chefs, Composters, Farmers and Recycling Programs

JOB DESCRIPTION

● Ensures the completion of an annual survey (or other feedback process) for all partnerships for data needs, feedback, and continuous improvement. Ensures that feedback from individuals who eat our food is communicated and incorporated into Transform and distribution processes

● Ensures partnership agreements are in place for all partnerships

● Ensures appropriate application and waitlist processes are in place and used for Share partners

● Ensures all details of the organizations we work with are properly documented in internal systems.

● Creates documentation and ensures safe food handling practices of Rescue and Share Partners.

● Checks-in on current partners with emails, phone calls, and visits. Maintains open communication with every partner and ensures that our food and delivery is best fitting their needs.

● Creates, tracks and shares partner metrics and goals. Collaborate with the inventory manager on daily schedules, and forecasts for new partner additions.

● Communicates with the Transform and Shipping and Receiving teams to know when it is time to bring on more partners, or stop adding partners (Share, Rescue or Bucket Brigade).

● Builds positive relationships and trust by offering tastings and out-of-house education through department collaboration as needed.

● Participates in occasional off-site/off-hours events with a professional appearance and demeanor

● Owns and creates daily production sheets for the Rescue/ Transform/ Share / Bucket Brigade programs

● Owns and creates weekly meal prep sheets for kitchen, FaM and Dock

● Collaborates with Volunteer team to track and schedule all volunteer deliveries through Food Rescue US.

● Assists in placement of large food rescues/shares with appropriate agencies

● Works in conjunction with events, and education to support opportunities in the Walnut Hills community.

● Manages 1 staff member and other potential team members in the execution of this work

● Reads, understands and follows guidelines as established in the Employee Handbook

Key Performance Indicators:

● Feedback is collected annually at minimum from all partners. If a partner gives feedback about their order, the order is changed in a timely manner

● All regular partners have documented partnership agreements signed annually

● The amount of food the kitchen is producing is being donated to the community

● Share partners and rescue partners are increased based on yearly goals

Professional Skills:

● Experiences team player and team leader

● Experiences with google suite, excel, some data analysis, and various software usage

● Self motivator, sees big picture, can recognize priorities of tasks

● Warm and friendly, highly flexible, desire to help others

● Drivers License, no major infractions in past 5 years

● Creative problem solver - Must work well under pressure

● EXTREMELY detail oriented, organized and computer savvy

● Can work within and lead team to manage expectations

Compensation: Commensurate with experience

BENEFITS

● Paid Holidays, Free Lunch

● Access to company sponsored healthcare

● PTO after 90 days of employment

● Get to work with best crew in the city while helping communities

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sort, and lift. The employee frequently is required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl, sit. The employee may regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving mechanical parts; fumes or airborne particles; outside weather conditions; extreme cold and extreme heat. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to loud.

To apply, please send a cover letter and resume to Emmy Schroder, Chief Operating Officer at emmy@lasoupe.org

Find more information here.