Director of Food Sourcing

The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is currently hiring a full-time, salaried, and benefited Director of Food Sourcing at our Miramar location.

ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK
Established in 1977, the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank is a critical component to the welfare of San Diego County, providing nutritious food to people in need, advocating for the hungry and educating the public about hunger-related issues. For more information about the organization, please visit

Our Mission:
The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank and our North County Food Bank Chapter provide nutritious food to people in need, advocate for the hungry, and educate the public about hunger-related issues.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The San Diego Food Bank feeds approximately 400,000 people every month in partnership with 450 nonprofit community partners.
• We are the fourth largest independent food bank in the country.
• We distributed 52 million pounds of food in fiscal year 2024-2025; almost 45% of that food being fresh produce.
• We have a 99% rating on Charity Navigator.

We are committed to innovation and sustainability to reduce our impact on the environment. We have 1,400 solar panels, we are LEED v4 Gold Certified, we have a 3,600 sq. ft composting and recycling center that houses our recycling and composting machine, and received the 2020 Business Waste Reduction & Recycling award?

POSITION PURPOSE
The Director of Food Sourcing leads and oversees all food sourcing activities at the San Diego Food Bank, ensuring a diverse, nutritious, and reliable inventory of both purchased and donated food to meet community needs. This position is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive sourcing strategies, building relationships with suppliers and donors, optimizing procurement processes, and ensuring compliance with food safety and grant requirements. The role directly supervises Food Rescue and Supply Chain Coordinators and collaborates across departments to align sourcing efforts with organizational goals and community impact.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
The duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to this position. All duties are expected to be performed in accordance with existing company policy and procedure. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Strategic Sourcing & Procurement

• Develop and implement a holistic food sourcing strategy encompassing purchased, donated, rescued, and grant-funded food, aligned with the Food Bank’s mission and strategic priorities.
• Represent Food Sourcing on the Leadership Team, participating in annual strategic planning, quarterly strategic progress, and monthly meetings.
• Set annual food sourcing goals aligned with nutrition standards, community demand, budget, and grant deliverables.
• Lead negotiating efforts and analyze sourcing trends, pricing, and partner behavior to inform strategic decisions, maintain high nutritional value, and improve cost-effectiveness.
• Collaborate with Finance to manage food purchasing budgets, grant allocations, and food valuations.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the effectiveness, efficiency, and impact of sourcing activities.
• Establish annual and ad-hoc purchasing budgets in collaboration with Finance and Programs.
• Lead ongoing reporting of sourcing performance, trends, and budget utilization in coordination with Programs and Finance teams.

Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise and support the Food Sourcing team, who conducts food purchasing, food drives, food rescue coordination, and related grant implementation.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and mission-aligned sourcing.
• Provide guidance, development, and support to staff to maximize team performance and engagement.
• Update food sourcing related SOPs and training materials to improve processes within the team and cross-departmentally.

Donor and Vendor Relations

• Cultivate and manage relationships with food donors, vendors, growers, cooperatives, manufacturers, retailers, and distributors in coordination with the Community Engagement Manager.
• Plan and oversee high-volume food drive coordination (e.g., National Letter Carriers).
• Expand local and regional partnerships to support sustainable sourcing and nutrition goals.
• Coordinate closely with the Development team and the Community Engagement Manager on strategic food donations, grants, and cultivation of high-value donor relationships.

Cross Department Collaboration

• Work closely with Warehouse, Inventory, Transportation, and Programs teams to forecast needs, align supply with demand, and ensure smooth operational flow.
• Collaborate with Nutrition and Programs teams to ensure food quality and culturally responsive choices and actively participate in the Food Bank’s Nutrition Policy Committee.
• Serve as a key contributor to disaster preparedness and response planning related to food supply chain.

Compliance & Reporting

• Ensure all sourcing practices meet food safety standards, regulatory compliance, and grant requirements.
• Partner with Finance, Development, and Data teams to maintain accurate records, dashboards, and reports.
• Act as SB1383 Liaison with City, County and State officials, ensuring legislative compliance and good standing with local authorities.
• Be an active member of external groups pertaining to food sourcing and food recovery for the Food Bank.
• Support audits, monitoring visits, and grant documentation needs.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate is a strategic, collaborative leader with strong experience in food sourcing, procurement, or supply chain management—ideally within a nonprofit or mission-driven organization. They are skilled in vendor and donor engagement, budget oversight, and using data to inform decision-making. This individual values nutrition equity, community partnerships, and continuous improvement, and thrives in a fast-paced environment with evolving community needs.

EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
A typical way of obtaining the necessary education, training, and experience for this position includes:

• Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain, Business Agriculture, Nutrition, or a related field.
• Minimum 7+ years of experience in food procurement, supply chain, or logistics, with at least 5 years in a supervisory or leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets, contracts, and strategic sourcing.
• Nonprofit or food bank experience, a plus.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & ABILITIES
Knowledge of:

• Food supply chains, procurement best practices, and food rescue operations
• Commodity markets, pricing trends, and regional agriculture
• Food safety regulations, cGMP, and SB1383 requirements
• Budget development and financial controls
• ERP/inventory platforms (e.g., Primarius)
• Nonprofit operations, grant compliance, and donor stewardship

Ability to:

• Lead cross-functional teams and mentor staff
• Build and maintain vendor and donor relationships
• Translate data into strategic decisions
• Prioritize competing tasks and deadlines in a dynamic environment
• Develop and maintain budgets and forecasts
• Communicate effectively across organizational levels
• Represent the organization with professionalism and mission alignment

LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Valid CA driver’s license

COMPENSATION

• This is a full-time, Exempt /benefited position.
• A market level competitive salary is between $105,000 - $125,000 based on experience.
• The compensation package includes a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package including: 403(b) plan with 200% employer matching; excellent health care coverage with free employee medical, dental and vision plans; company paid term life insurance; and a generous accrual of paid vacation and sick leave.

WORK SCHEDULE

• Typical schedule is Monday - Friday 7:00am- 3:30pm
• Occasional overtime, late nights, or weekend shifts, based on business needs.
• Working from the North County location in Vista roughly 2 times per month preferred.

HOW TO APPLY

• Interested and qualified candidates should apply below.
• Submissions missing a resume will not be considered for the position.
• Background check and drug test are required for the position before employment starts.