Food Business Incubation Manager

CitySeed provides wraparound support services for early-stage food businesses, designed to break down barriers and facilitate economic opportunity in Greater New Haven. Driven by our commitment to an inclusive and vibrant local food system and entrepreneurial community, CitySeed services respond to the needs of aspiring or early-stage food truck operators, restaurateurs, caterers, and food product line developers. Incubation services include: 1) shared-use commercial kitchen access, 2) food business training and education; 3) access to local ingredients; 4) market access opportunities; 5) personalized business advising; and 6) promotion and exposure. The Food Business Incubation Manager develops and coordinates these support services under the supervision of the Director of Food Business Development.

Responsibilities

Incubator Kitchens

• Serve as primary point of contact for food business owners seeking access to CitySeed-operated, shared-used commercial incubator kitchens
• Provide day-to-day kitchens management, including oversight of safety, sanitation, and compliance
• Maintain relationship with New Haven Health Department to ensure adherence to all city and state requirements, coordinate licensing and inspections of CitySeed kitchens, and support licensing and permitting of potential kitchen users
• Facilitate intake and onboarding of new kitchen users, including correspondence, onboarding, and use agreements
• Manage The Food Corridor platform to schedule kitchen access
• Maintain kitchen operations manual and develop new processes and systems as needed
• Monitor and log kitchen sanitation, equipment servicing, and supply stocks
• Monitor and revise kitchen operation MOUs with property owners/leasees as needed

Food Business Training and Education

• Support development and coordinate implementation of training and education programs that facilitate the growth and development of incubating food businesses
• Support program development and coordinate logistics of CitySeed’s Food Business Accelerator (with Collab) and similar training programs
• Coordinate regular ServSafe training workshops for CitySeed staff and partners
• Develop concepts, identify faculty, collaborate with partners, and coordinate logistics for other educational workshops focused on priorities identified by incubating food businesses and to advance organizational goals
• Identify, recruit, and support specialized faculty to teach training and workshop sessions
• Facilitate program participants’ connection with other CitySeed programs, services, and sales outlets

Market Access and Promotion

• Produce the CitySeed Incubates monthly newsletter
• Support development and coordinate implementation of CitySeed-sponsored food business vending events
• Guide incubating businesses in Farmers Market vending
• Identify, collate, and communicate new and ongoing food businesses vending opportunities statewide
• Build relationships with retailers and markets for ventures to sell their products
• Maintain public-facing directory of incubating food businesses for community use
• Monitor social media of incubating food businesses and amplify successes on CitySeed socials
• Write periodic profiles and success stories for CitySeed print and electronic communications

Advising and Resources

• Provide one-on-one advising sessions to incubating businesses and other food entrepreneurs seeking support
• Create and maintain the CitySeed Incubates email list and other communications tools
• Monitor, compile, and communicate food business development resources and opportunities, such as loans and grants, vending opportunities, training sessions, and workshops that compliment CitySeed educational offerings
• Recruit and engage mentor food businesses to support and guide incubating food businesses
• Recruit, develop, and coordinate meetings of the CitySeed Incubates Advisory Board

Partnerships

• Represent CitySeed in related community-based committees and working groups
• Recruit a robust pipeline of food businesses and ventures through outreach and partnership development
• Maintain collaborative relationships with Greater New Haven community organizations and businesses – especially entrepreneurial ecosystem partners – in order to stay abreast of other program offerings and identify potential collaborations
• Build relationships with other regional and national food business incubators

Data Management

• Track and analyze program data, measure and assess impact, and design and recommend data-informed program improvements
• Conduct surveys and develop data collection tools
• Prepare monthly and annual reports of food business incubation program data, trends, and outcomes

Building Renovation Planning

• Support planning for renovation of CitySeed headquarters into a shared-use commercial kitchen facility
• During planning, provide guidance on commercial kitchen operations, including coordination with planning consultants to identify equipment needs, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and develop operating frameworks
• Collect and analyze food entrepreneur input to guide building design and program plans

Other

• Support grants development and reporting
• Develop flyers, forms, and other communication and data collection tools
• Represent CitySeed at community events, meetings, and conferences
• Attend and participate in meetings and trainings as required, or as mutually agreed with supervisor
• Perform additional administrative, kitchen, and outreach duties as needed

Below are the qualifications required for success in this role. We recognize that experience and expertise come in many forms. If you have different experiences that you think make you a good fit, please apply so we can learn more about you.

Required Qualifications

• Experience supporting early-stage entrepreneurs or small businesses and/or owning or operating a small business
• Knowledge of business planning and business finance
• Strong written communications skills including: creating pitch decks, writing proposals, and crafting outreach materials
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, including communicating clearly and effectively with diverse constituencies, and building and establishing new relationships
• Experience managing complex projects that require organization, attention to detail, and meeting deadlines
• Ability to take initiative, prioritize activities, and work independently and collaboratively
• Passion for community food systems work and commitment to racial and economic justice

Preferred Qualifications

• ServSafe Food Managers Certification (required for the role; can be obtained upon hire)
• Food sector experience such kitchen management, food manufacturing, and commercial kitchen permitting and licensing
• Understanding of Spanish and/or Arabic
• Familiarity with New Haven’s food system and food businesses
• Website and design skills (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, or similar)

Details

• Full-time, hybrid, with some evenings and weekends
• Salary $50-55,000 depending on experience
• Benefits include vacation and holidays, parental leave, 401k matching plan and a flexible work schedule