Placed Based Food Systems Manager

The Food Foundation is an award winning charity with a vision of a sustainable food system which delivers health and well-being for all. We are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where every team member feels valued and empowered. We believe that embracing Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) is fundamental to our success and the positive impact we make. 

Job purpose
The Place-based Food Systems Manager will play a leading role in the development of The Food Foundation’s local policy and project work in 3 interconnected ways:

1.  Stimulating and supporting leadership in regions, cities, local authority areas and anchor institutions to take action to improve local access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food
2. Identifying the policy and food business levers which enable the emergence of more resilient local food systems which improve access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food in local communities
3. Advocating for national and local policy changes which enable local leadership and new food systems to become more rapidly established.

In the first instance, you will play a leading role in our place-based work in Kent and Birmingham, in particular focused on improving the health and sustainability of menus and business offerings through the promotion of beans, pulses and legumes. You will work closely with Birmingham City Council and The University of Kent, as well as local leaders, partners,
local authorities, policymakers and businesses. You will work closely with academic partners on UKRI funded research projects that support place-based interventions and local authorities in creating healthier more sustainable local food systems.

The successful candidate will also play a key role in our nationally focused policy and advocacy on healthy and sustainable diets, supporting a team working on public sector procurement, production (horticulture) and other food policy areas that intersect health, sustainability and climate. This will involve engagement with relevant DEFRA teams, as well as other NGOs
working in the sustainable diet space.

The role will work across both the Policy and Food Business Transformation teams at The Food Foundation, as well as on the health and sustainability policy asks across the organisation. The unique placement of the role, working on place based initiatives as well as with national policy and businesses, will help to bridge the gap and identify areas of synergy between national and local policy, and between national and local policymakers, as well as the role and opportunity
for food businesses in this area.This is a new role in an exciting new team at the Food Foundation, with scope to work with us in shaping the role’s priorities in the coming months.