Director, MS Delta Programs

PHA Mission:

Advancing equitable access to nutritious food for all in America to lead healthy lives.

Organizational Background:

Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) is the premier national nonprofit ensuring good food for all in America, no matter their zip code. Founded in 2010, alongside Former First Lady MichelleObama’s Let’s Move! campaign, PHA leverages the collective power of the private sector, nonprofits, and government to break down the systemic barriers to affordable, nutritious food --so that everyone can lead healthy lives. We believe that good food powers good health.

PHA made a commitment to add 100 million servings of fruits, vegetables, and legumes to the marketplace, and we have made significant progress towards that goal, providing 45 million servingsto-date through evidence-based programs.

Position Summary:

PHA is seeking an accomplished professional to lead a dynamic, locally-based team in the Mississippi Delta. The Director, MS Delta Programs will manage and execute activities in the region according to grant-centered goals working with an inclusive network of community stakeholders. The ideal candidate will foster a collaborative and goal-oriented environment that builds team and community trust, empowers local stakeholders, enhances the programs’ workflow and creates a positive stream of communication between the community and PHA.

PHA’s MS Delta Programs are a diverse portfoliowith a unifying theme to connect families to the local food and farmers that grow it to support healthy eating habits. This includes work through healthy food retail, the pea project in partnership with Alcorn State University, Rootswell that promotes partners and nutrition education, network weaving with the Delta Food Policy and Action Network,and PHA’s directservice program Good Food at Home.

In this role, you will build positive working relationships with staff, contractors, and local and regional partners to strategically design and implement a wide range of programming with the goal of improving the local food system in the Mississippi Delta.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the implementation and management of Mississippi Delta programs and activities in alignment with organizational priorities and grant deliverables;
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community stakeholders, including local organizations, retailers, farmers, schools and universities, institutions, and residents;
• Coordinate initiatives to healthy food access, local food systems, agriculture, and community engagement across the region;
• Manage local staff, contractors, consultants, and community partners to support effective program operations and collaboration;
• Develop and manage program budgets and support the administration of contracts, invoices, and partnership agreements related to Mississippi Delta initiatives;
• Work collaboratively with internal PHA team to support program planning, implementation, reporting, communication, evaluation, and operational activities;
• Represent Partnership for a Healthier Americain community meetings, partner convenings, and public events across the Mississippi Delta;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Significant knowledge of the MS Delta food ecosystem, based in or around Coahoma County, MS;
• Ability to live and work in the Mississippi Delta;
• Minimum of 6 years leading in the fields of community development, public health, or food systems development;
• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Policy, Public Health, Community Development or related fields;
• Experience in community organizing: stakeholder engagement, community-informed strategy development, collaboration, and managing partnerships;
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to effectively communicate complex information and concepts to diverse audiences while embracing and using the local vernacular;
• Financial management and budgeting experience;
• Proficiency in data analysis, report writing, and presentation skills.

Reporting Structure:

The Director, MS Delta Programs reports to and works collaboratively with the SVP of Programs and supervises a local team.

Partnership for a Healthier America has a competitive benefits package that includes health insurance, dental insurance, 401K with an employer match, paid vacation and sick leave, paid time off during the last week of the calendar year,11 paid Federal holidays, and the abilityto work remotely full time.