Closing Date: Open Until Filled

This position is a Term position through June 30, 2026. Continued employment in this position is contingent upon renewal of the TERM.

In FY23, Montgomery County launched a newly created Office of Food Systems Resilience (OFSR), to streamline and coordinate the County’s efforts to address local food system challenges. The OFSR was created based on the recommendation of the Montgomery County COVID-19 Food Security Task Force and established by the County Council in July 2022 under Bill 20-22.

The Office of Food Resilience is charged with developing and maintaining a strategy for improving the efficiency, equity, sustainability, and resilience of the food systems in Montgomery County. Ensuring greater County government focus on food systems data collection, monitoring, and reporting (including food access and security data) is a priority of the OFSR.

Through fostering public-private partnerships with the community toward systems change, the OFSR will expand upon the County Government's investments in ensuring equitable and dignified access to nutritious, culturally diverse foods for all residents and harness the unique strengths of business, nonprofit and government partners to enhance the health of our people, our economy and our natural resources.

Rising food costs and persistent rates of hunger across our county, a reduction in federal and private funding for food assistance programs, and deep systemic inequities and supply chain fragility that existed well before the pandemic, all require interagency strategies that maximize local dollars and leverage additional external funding to be better prepared for future crises.

Core goals for this position include:

Engage public and private sector partners to share resource information, provide subject matter expertise, and solicit insight and feedback to inform County policies and programs;

Collect information on food system issues, conducting in-depth research and analyses on challenges and opportunities related to these issues, identifying best practices and models from other jurisdictions, and recommending systemic, resident-centered solutions;

Collaborate with a wide range of food system partners including food assistance providers, farms and food businesses, government agencies, community advocacy and philanthropic organizations, and more to equitably and effectively implement and maintain new strategies, as well as enhance existing structures; and

Develop an extensive knowledge base on issues related to food system resilience at all levels of government, and connect this expertise to inform county government budgetary, policy, and operational practices and decisions.

The Program Manager I position will be responsible for:

• Serving as a liaison between government and food system partners, including residents, businesses, and non-profit organizations. Coordinate external communications (including social media and newsletters), host and attend outreach events, and administer survey mechanisms and feedback loops to ensure policy development and implementation is directly informed by the insight and expertise of the community and increase public awareness of available resources.
• In partnership with the Director, manage interagency coordination mechanisms within County government, including a Food Systems Leadership Committee and a Food Systems Workgroup.
• Support of OFSR Strategic Planning and Policymaking initiatives, including:
• Engaging with partner agencies in a government planning process to establish long term priorities and strategies for building food system resilience, including increased local food production, greater processing and distribution infrastructure, and enhanced food-based economic opportunity.
• Creating a long-term county government framework for financial sustainability and strategic investment in food security programs and partnerships that center equity, efficiency, and effectiveness in enhancing resident access to nutritious and culturally diverse food.
• Developing a case management system for residents experiencing food insecurity.
• In coordination with the Office of Racial Equity and Social Justice, address the racial inequities and disparities present in all aspects of the food system.
• Engagement in support of other agencies’ initiatives that intersect with the food system such as food waste reduction, climate adaptation and mitigation, and housing and health equity.
• Successful implementation of existing county food-system initiatives, including the Food Security Plan, Strategic Plan to End Childhood Hunger, Strategic Plan to Expand Organics Composting and Compost Use, and the High Road Economic Development Plan.
• Building on resources developed through COVID-19 Response and Recovery efforts, establish a local best practices framework for food system community disaster response in partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
• Represent the County in engagement and coordination with statewide, regional, and national partners to share best practices, maximize external resources, and implement collaborative strategies for policymaking that strengthens equity and food system resilience both in our County and beyond our borders.

This position requires the ability to attend meetings or perform work at locations outside the office, if necessary.

Experience: Three (3) years of professional experience in public policy and/or community engagement, preferably with a focus on food systems, public health, and/or sustainability.

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in a related field.

Equivalency: An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

No Preferred Criteria:

All applicants will be reviewed by OHR for minimum qualifications. Applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated "Qualified," placed on the Eligible List, and may be considered for interview. 

Selection for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the areas of:

• At least two years of full-time experience working in a related field
• Demonstrated knowledge of food systems policy issues at a local, state, and/or federal level
• Prior experience in public policy design strongly preferred
• Policy analysis and interpretation
• Program evaluation
• Process improvement
• Development of presentations for a variety of audiences
• Collaboration with Regional, State, and/or local business partners including nonprofits
• Community Outreach and Engagement
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills including exceptional listening skills