Partner Liaison Manager

Job Summary

This role will manage efforts to enhance community engagement and drive initiatives that address food and economic insecurity through strategic outreach cross-sector partnership and program oversight. It oversees capacity-building efforts for partner agencies including training grant management and peer learning while fostering an exceptional customer service culture. The position ensures compliance with internal and external regulations manages agency assessments and strengthens the retail recovery program. By leveraging data and cross-departmental partnerships the role ensures equitable service delivery across communities.

A Day in the Life

Community Outreach:

• Support and engage community partners and team members to build strategic relationships deepen understanding of local dynamics and foster advocacy for holistic initiatives addressing food insecurity economic insecurity and poverty.
• Use data in partnership with the business intelligence team partner agencies and community connections subject matter experts to identify communities needing increased service capacity.
• Ensure the response to inquiries from community contacts and prospective partners with accurate information and effective follow-up.
• Coordinate with Advocacy and Public Policy teams to engage local public officials and enhance community partnerships.
• Gather and present stories from the network to include in newsletters outreach and advocacy efforts.

• Engage as needed team members in representing the Regional Food Bank at community and civic events including holiday and special food box distributions.

Capacity Building and Training:

• Develop and implement capacity-building strategies goals and metrics in partnership with leadership.
• Manage training and technical assistance programs that improve partner effectiveness and enhance service delivery.
• Advocate for partner and community priorities by ensuring representation in planning and execution processes.
• Coordinate cross-department initiatives to align systems and workflows with partner expectations promoting best practices across areas such as grants food safety onboarding online ordering and intake.
• Create dashboards and reporting tools to provide leadership visibility into progress.
• Facilitate capacity-building grants and partner incentives.
• Plan and organize the Partner Agency Conference (PAC) in partnership with the Director of the Partner Network.

Partner Support:

• Oversee onboarding of new partners including application review site visits orientation and follow-up check-ins.
• Guide the development implementation and analysis of regularly scheduled agency reporting surveys.
• Oversee and assist with partner assignments for the Retail Recovery program and ensure accurate reporting of donor status and changes.
• Prepare and monitor correspondence with potential and existing partner organizations while ensuring accurate and prompt responses to inquiries and/or external requests.

Compliance:

• Monitor visit completions reporting requirements and resolution processes ensuring corrective actions are documented and completed.
• Maintain adherence to USDA distribution policies and foster excellent relationships with state and regional USDA team members.
• Ensure accurate documentation of partner files non-profit status and agreements in compliance with organizational and regulatory standards.
• Investigate and resolve neighbor and partner concerns to achieve mutually beneficial solutions.
• Work with Finance to resolve partner agency past-due invoices and maintain transparency.

Leadership Responsibilities:

Oversee 4 - 6 staff.

• Guide shape and inspire divisional vision employee engagement and effective participation in organizational planning and coordination.
• Work with staff to establish annual program work plans including goals priorities activities and performance metrics to achieve organization targets.
• Supervise develop motivate and evaluate staff.
• Partner with other Regional Food Bank departments to implement organizational priorities.
• Participate with executive leadership team in organizational development and strategic planning activities. Ensure that established goals are met or exceeded.
• Empower and train staff to work effectively and respectfully with the partner network.

Other Duties as Assigned

Duties and responsibilities may be added or changed at any time at the discretion of your supervisor formally or informally either verbally or in writing.

What You Need to Succeed

Competencies:

• Change Management. Champions change by implementing ideas that improve the department and enhance the effectiveness of the Food Bank. Partners with other business leaders to achieve change objectives and goals.
• Collaboration & Teamwork. Builds partnerships with others to reach common goals. Able to share credit with coworkers display enthusiasm and promote a friendly group working
• environment. Works closely with other departments as necessary supports group decisions and solicits opinions from coworkers.
• Communication. Presents information through verbal and written communication; reads and interprets complex information; listens well. Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey clear understanding of unique audiences.
• Customer Service. Creates and sustains an organizational culture which encourages others to provide the quality of service essential to high performance. Influences others toward a spirit of service and meaningful contributions to mission accomplishment.
• Manages Conflict. Uses a win-win approach to resolve controversy; stays objective and fair when dealing with sensitive situations; maintains constructive working relationships despite disagreement. Handles conflict effectively with a minimum amount of noise.
• Navigating Ambiguity. Anticipate impact to projects when strategic direction shifts. Works to achieve outcomes when the complete picture or scope is unknown. Takes calculated risks when limited information is available.
• Planning & Organization. Manages multiple projects determines project urgency in a meaningful and practical way uses goals to guide actions creates detailed action plans and organizes tasks.
• Strategic Agility. Anticipates future trends accurately. Has broad perspective to translate into vision and actionable plans.

Leadership Competencies:

• Accountability. Knows the link between position and overall goals. Accepts responsibility for outcomes of work.
• Coaching. Guide and develop others to reach their full potential. It involves employing specific skills and techniques to encourage learning goal attainment and personal growth in team members.
• Continuous Improvement. Identifies alternatives to tasks or processes and suggests improvement. Studies best practices that can be applied to improve work tasks and processes. Seeks feedback from colleagues supervisors and customers.
• Cultural Aptitude. Interact effectively with people and groups from diverse cultural backgrounds. Respecting and adjusting to different cultural norms beliefs values and practices.
• Human Capital. Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods. Builds and manages workforce based on organizational goals budget considerations and staffing needs. Ensures employees are appropriately recruited selected appraised and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems. Manages a multi-sector workforce and a variety of work situations.
• Qualitative/Quantitative Data. Dissects data to make comparisons and draw conclusions. Interprets pertinent data from a variety of sources. Identifies cause and effect relationships and trends to solve complex problems.
• Reciprocal Relations. Relates to people in an open friendly and professional way. Fosters open clear communications among all levels. Is aware of others behavior.

Required Qualifications

How you have spent your time:

• Earning a bachelors degree or gaining at least 4 years of relevant experience in the field or equivalent combination of education training and experience.
• Working in a leadership role for at least 3 years.
• Managing a diverse workforce.

Other Requirements:

• Valid drivers license with a driving record that meets organizational standards.
• Proficiency in common office applications and database software (e.g. Microsoft Office CRM systems).
• Ability to learn and adjust to new technologies.
• Ability to complete a background check motor vehicle record review drug screening and physical assessment as required for the role.
• Commitment to advancing the mission of ending hunger.

Safety Sensitive Designation:

This position is classified as Safety Sensitive under Oklahoma law. Employees in safety-sensitive roles perform duties where even a momentary lapse in concentration could result in injury to themselves others or cause environmental harm. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is not permitted to hire applicants who hold a medical marijuana card for safety-sensitive positions in compliance with state law.

Preferred Qualifications

How you have spent your time:

• Working in a nonprofit environment or community-focused organization focused on service delivery community organizing business development or a closely related field for at least 5 years.
• Working in leadership roles within community focused teams for at least 5 years.
• Proven project management skills with demonstrated organization and attention to detail.
• Expertise in client-centered service delivery models.

Physical Demands

Maintain a stationary position for extended periods while performing work in an office field location or vehicle setting. Operate vehicles safely by monitoring surroundings reading signage and maintaining awareness of road conditions. Coordinate movements to manage vehicle controls and respond promptly to changes in traffic or environment. Perform tasks that involve coordination of multiple limbs and fine motor activities such as handling grasping and maintaining steadiness for moving objects. Move objects weighing up to 20 pounds occasionally and up to 10 pounds frequently using appropriate moving techniques or mechanical aids as needed. Transition between stationery and other positions as needed during the workday. Access work areas and vehicles in a manner that aids job tasks which may involve adjusting body position in limited spaces. Respond promptly to environmental cues and maintain focus during complex tasks. Auditory attention to recognize signals alarms and spoken instructions that serve as key safety and maintenance indicators. Exchange information clearly in person or via devices in dynamic environments including those with background noise. Maintain concentration and alertness for extended periods to ensure safety and task accuracy. Follow safety protocols including wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when required by Environmental Health and Safety policies.

Work Environment

Occasional exposure to outdoor conditions including temperature changes and humidity (e.g. summer heat winter cold rain sleet snow). Possible exposure to dust chemicals gases fumes smoke noise and vibrations. Work typically performed in a combination of environments: office field locations and while traveling in a car or fleet vehicle. Work may occur in industrial environments (indoor or outdoor) with potential hazards and noise. May involve occasional travel (up to 25%) for meetings training or assignments for up to one week per month typically allowing return home nightly. Availability for rotating on-call schedule occasional unscheduled callouts and extended workdays or workweeks. Schedule may include occasional overtime weekend or holiday hours.

A Few Things We Value

We look for employees who demonstrate our core values with courage:

Heart

Approaching our mission with compassion grit and commitment.

Empowerment

Advocating for equitable opportunities that elevate others.

Stewardship

Utilizing the resources entrusted to us responsibly and efficiently.

Collaboration

Prioritizing teamwork as we listen support and compromise to achieve our mission.

EEO & Accommodation Statement

Diversity creates a healthier atmosphere: Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma is an Equal Employment Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex age national origin protected veteran status disability status sexual orientation gender identity or expression marital status genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state laws it is the policy of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma to provide reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application process and employment. If reasonable accommodation is needed please contact Human Resources at