Position Overview

The Program Associate will contribute to the development and execution of initiatives to advance a more nourishing, equitable, and regenerative food system, with a primary focus on The Rockefeller Foundation’s Food is Medicine strategy in the United States. The Program Associate will also contribute to its Regenerative School Meals and U.S. Good Food Purchasing strategies. Reporting to the Director, Food Initiative, the Program Associate will support project management, grantmaking, and partnership cultivation. This will require working with the Food team and other Foundation staff, as well as a broader community of grantees, experts, and partners globally.

Pay Range: $69,812- $77,841. This represents the present low and high end of the Foundation’s pay range for this position. Actual pay will vary based on various factors, including but not limited to experience.

Work Schedule: This role is on a hybrid work schedule and required to be in the office on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Grantmaking and Strategy Support

• Support the Director in managing grantee and contractor relationships for legacy Good Food Purchasing and new Food is Medicine portfolios in the U.S. 

• Prepare grantmaking documents, assist in grant and contract oversight, and manage administrative and communications functions to ensure seamless relationships and high-quality strategy delivery.

• Contribute to strategy development connecting Food is Medicine and School Meals to local and sustainable food, through research, stakeholder mapping, and grant support.

• Collaborate with grantees on strategic alignment, convenings, site visits, and ongoing monitoring.

• Conduct and synthesize research on food policy, sustainable food production, nutrition and health, and other food systems topics.

Project Management and Operational Support

• Track grantee impact metrics, draft portfolio highlights, and support internal reporting for leadership and the Board.

• Organize and manage grantee convenings that advance U.S. Food team strategic priorities, with a focus on Food is Medicine.

• Research and develop external reports and briefs on issues including Food is Medicine, school nutrition, regenerative agriculture, regional food systems, and other topics as needed.

• Prepare meeting briefs and coordinate follow-up for the Director and Vice President.

• Assist with special projects, including team retreats, as assigned.

Education, Experience, and Skills

• Generally expected to have 3- 5 years of experience in the domestic food system, preferably in philanthropy, food policy, or at food/nutrition/ag-related NGO.

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and meet deadlines.

• Skilled at navigating complex stakeholders relationships and collaborating across disciplines.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills; ability to distill complex ideas into clear, compelling messages.

• Experience supporting or working within community-based organizations, preferred.

• Knowledge of U.S. food systems issues such as sustainable agriculture, regional value chains, healthy food access, and nutrition. 

• Experience with state or federal food and agriculture policy and/or Medicaid and public health policy is a plus.

• Experience with systems measurement and learning is a plus.

• Thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment. 

• Approaches work with humor, flexibility, empathy, and optimism.

Qualifications and Competencies

• Data Oriented: Consistently achieves results, by approaching work informed by data. 

• Decision Quality: Makes good and timely decisions that keep the organization moving forward. 

• Communicates Effectively: Develops and delivers multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences. 

• Strategic Learning: Actively learns through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder. 

• Values Differences: Recognizes the value of different perspectives, commits to being self-aware and respectful, and seeks to learn from new and different voices.