Chief Program Officer

Position Specification

Chief Program Officer

Hot Bread Kitchen

New York City (in-person; hybrid when possible)

ABOUT HOT BREAD KITCHEN

Hot Bread Kitchen’s mission is to create economic opportunity through culinary skills training, high-quality job placement, food entrepreneurship programs, small business incubation, and an ecosystem of support, utilizing New York City’s vibrant food industry as a catalyst for change.

THE OPPORTUNITY

A member of the executive team, the Chief Program Officer (“CPO”) is a senior executive tasked with overseeing the strategic and day-to-day direction of Hot Bread Kitchen’s programs. The CPO leads all program innovation, design, implementation and impact measurement, while providing motivational and inspirational leadership to all organizational staff, with a focus on the program team. A leader with a steady, objective presence and a commitment to continuous improvement, the ideal candidate thrives on analyzing complex information and ensuring processes are optimized for accuracy and efficiency, while also taking ownership, being results-driven, and delivering impact.

As a senior executive, the CPO is a lead participant in the organization’s strategic planning and decision-making and helps to ensure that program strategy and delivery advance the overall mission and direction of the agency. The CPO reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and oversees a team that is currently comprised of 40 staff members delivering: (1) workforce development; (2) small business development; (3) community and member engagement; and (4) program evaluation, training, and innovation. The CPO will also engage the Board of Directors under the direction of the CEO, providing reports at Board meetings and serving as the staff liaison to the Program Committee, and will engage with advisory boards in various capacities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Leadership and Program Strategy

• Act as a thought partner to the CEO on all aspects of organizational strategy and day-to-day operations, including but not limited to the organization’s programs.
• As a member of the executive team, provide holistic strategic and operational oversight to the organization and its employees.
• In partnership with all senior leadership, play a lead role in the overall development, strategic planning, service delivery, and management of Hot Bread Kitchen’s programs.
• Directly supervise key program areas, working closely with senior program staff to build their skills and confidence so that they can develop and deliver impactful, relevant, and innovative programming.
• Establish annual program and staff goals and objectives and track results against these goals as well as accountability protocols, ensuring that the expectations of funders, partners, constituents, clients, and other stakeholders are consistently met.
• Oversee effective program operations, including maintaining up to date program policies, protocols, and processes that ensure equity and safety during service delivery.
• Ensure sufficient risk mitigation within, and adequate staffing of, all programs, across all sites and hours of operations; lead, or appropriately delegate, the response to any program-related emergencies.
• Alongside the executive and senior team, serve as an internal and external spokesperson and bridge-builder on Hot Bread Kitchen’s programs and systems change work.

Evaluation, Impact Analysis, and Innovation:

• Consistently explore opportunities for program expansion and innovation by staying abreast of key workforce and small business development trends and issues.
• Identify and incubate new program opportunities driven by program data and through external trends and issues.
• Ensure timely data collection and reporting so that all staff have one source of data
• Analyze, assess, and continuously improve programs based on data collected and implement corrective measures if needed.
• Oversee artificial intelligence innovation at the organization.

Training and Staff Management:

• Determine staffing plans to achieve program goals and objectives and participate in hiring decisions for new program staff, ensuring alignment with Hot Bread Kitchen’s core competencies and values
• Identify skills gaps and needs and ensure training opportunities that will develop program staff capacity to deliver impactful programming.
• Organize program staff offsites to develop team cohesion and connection with another and the work.

Fundraising and Fiscal Management:

• Partner with the Chief Strategy and Advancement Officer, supporting fundraising efforts, including grant concept development, writing, reporting, and meetings with funders, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Partner with the Chief Operating Officer and members of the program senior team to prepare an annual program budget and manage effectively within this budget.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Has a deep passion for Hot Bread Kitchen's mission and vision to advance economic mobility for women utilizing New York City's vibrant food industry.
• At least 8 years of senior management experience overseeing a team or department, preferably from a nonprofit organization, with the ability to lead program and data metrics functions.
• Excellence in organizational management with the ability to coach senior-level staff to manage and develop high-performance teams and implement program strategies.
• Analytic and decisive decision maker with the ability to prioritize and communicate to staff key objectives and tactics necessary to achieve organizational goals.
• Unwavering commitment to quality programs and data-driven program evaluation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; a persuasive and passionate communicator with excellent public speaking skills.
• Action-oriented, entrepreneurial, flexible, and innovative approach to operational management.
• Deep curiosity, humility, relationship-builder, integrity, positive attitude, mission-driven, and self-directed.
• A commitment to the values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging and passion for social justice and the organization’s greater mission.
• Knowledge of the food industry, workforce development, and/or small business entrepreneurship a strong plus.

ORGANIZATION VALUES

Hot Bread Kitchen is driven by a feeling of commitment to support members, teammates, and partners. The culture of equity comes from the many cooks in the kitchen and the diversity of perspectives each person brings. They believe that respect goes a long way in making people feel welcome, accepted, and celebrated. They seek out opportunities for connection and become a stronger team by being in community and prioritizing candor over consensus. The pace of the work and velocity of change can be quick; their entrepreneurialism helps them take optimistic risks and pursue inventive solutions.

LOCATION: 75 9th Ave., Suite 0610, New York, NY 10011; This role is in-person with some flexibility for hybrid when possible.

OTHER: Requires occasional travel (3-4 times per year) and regular availability for evening events.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Commensurate with experience. The salary range for this position will be $170,000- $180,000 annually. In addition, Hot Bread Kitchen offers a generous benefits package including comprehensive medical, dental, & vision insurance, generous PTO, 401K, and much more.

APPLY: To apply, please submit a resume and thoughtful cover letter highlighting your commitment to the mission, skills, and experience as a program leader using this link: https://bit.ly/hotbreadkitchen_cpo.