Vice President, Engagement

The Food Bank For New York City is investing in additional development positions to strengthen its capacity to tap into this increased interest and generosity, in order to meet the growing need for its critically important services.

The Vice President, Community Engagement will oversee Marketing, Public Relations, and Content Development for the organization. The Vice President will manage Food Bank's volunteer services department including the engagement, management, and retention of over 25,000 volunteers that contribute over 96,000 hours annually. The Vice President will lead the government affairs/public policy team.

The successful candidate will be a collaborative team member responsible for developing and launching a comprehensive engagement strategy that will elevate Food Bank For New York City's public profile in ways that are both measurable and commensurate with Food Bank’s role as city’s largest hunger relief organization. Managing a staff of ten at various stages of their professional development, the Vice President should have experience as the kind of mentor and coach who will encourage and foster their professional development.

Food Bank For New York City has been working to end food poverty in the city's five boroughs for over 36 years. As the city’s largest hunger-relief organization, it employs a multifaceted approach centered on helping low-income New Yorkers overcome their circumstances and achieve greater independence. In the months since the pandemic reached NYC, Food Bank has seen the demand for its services more than double and the gap in services and support for families in need continues to grow.

Food Bank's work begins and ends with its mission which it only achieves through partnering with its citywide member network. Before COVID, this growing network of nearly 1,000 charities and schools helped provide food for 62.5 million meals each year. Today, Food Bank and its partners are on track to distribute over 110MM pounds of food to New Yorkers in need; and sustained, strategic fundraising growth will be critical to meeting this need for years to come.

Food Bank respects every gift of time, talent, and treasure to its mission by committing to a practice of transparency and excellence in stewardship. Food Bank embraces being a non-traditional anti-poverty organization because it recognizes that strategic, innovative approaches are necessary to end hunger.

Food Bank knows that a strong, talented staff is central to its success and invests in the development and retention of its team. Learn more in Food Bank For New York City's most recent annual report.

The Vice President, Community Engagement will report to the Chief Development Officer. The Vice President will directly supervise the Director of Marketing and Communications, Director of Content, Director of Government Relations, and Director of Volunteer Engagement and oversee a team of ten.

The Vice President, Community Engagement will

• Lead a seasoned team of professionals to accomplish the following in support of Food Bank’s mission;
• Work with the Director of Marketing and Communications and the Director of Content and Special Projects to design and lead innovative multi-platform marketing and public relations strategies (including in-house video content) that build community awareness and engagement;
• Serve as an advisor to the President and Chief Development Officer regarding best practices and opportunities in communication, marketing, public relations, and volunteer engagement and retention;
• Anticipate future growth opportunities by analyzing the NYC market and drive new marketing strategies, create new Food Bank assets, and leverage relationships and partnerships to elevate the Food Bank brand and establish Food Bank For New York City as the leader in the anti-poverty space;
• Build a multifaceted thought leadership program that positions key Food Bank leaders across multiple channels, including traditional media outlets, social media platforms, speaking engagements, webinars, salons, and podcasts;
• Implement strategies that build upon the organization's brand as a vital community partner;
• Foster a culture of gratitude across the organization and within its diverse constituent groups and sustain support for Food Bank’s core programs and services;
• Build productive partnerships with the media, community leaders, government partners, and other nonprofits whose work complements that of Food Bank;
• Uncover and interpret relevant cultural and social trends and synthesize research understanding into actionable opportunities;
• Develop and implement strategies to engage celebrities, social media influencers, and advocates in elevating Food Bank’s brand;
• Ensure that the Food Bank website and other content clearly and consistently reflect the vision of Food Bank;
• Work with the Director of Volunteer Engagement to thoughtfully leverage the input and goodwill of volunteers;
• Leverage the work of Food Bank’s Corporate Giving team to create meaningful engagement for corporate partners through the Food Bank to Go, Mobile Pantry, and other Food Bank properties;
• Ensure that procedures and best practices for the management and stewardship of volunteer groups support the work of the organization;
• Contribute to the execution of Food Bank's policy goals and objectives across a wide range of projects and policy issues;
• Position Food Bank policy strategically with policymakers, partners, and related stakeholders;
• Mobilize partners and community members to advocate for policy changes relevant to Food Bank's mission and vision;
• Commitment to the Mission and Values of Food Bank For New York City