Thurston County Food Bank – Executive Director

For over 50 years, the Thurston County Food Bank (TCFB) has been driven by a singular mission – Eliminate Hunger Within Our Community, in the Spirit of Neighbor Helping Neighbors. Since its humble beginnings as a volunteer-led group of community members working out of a borrowed basement, TCFB now owns and operates two food pantries and a 25,000 square foot warehouse providing fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable foods to four counties.

TCFB is searching for a dynamic and innovative leader to step in as the next Executive Director. This person will help drive the mission forward and make TCFB's goal a reality.

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The Organization

Founded in 1972, the Thurston County Food Bank has developed into a vital resource within our community, operating from three strategic locations throughout Thurston County. These include the downtown Olympia Client Services Center, a 12,000 sq. ft. warehouse established in 1942; a second Client Services Center in Lacey, which opened in 2021 and features a 1,750 sq. ft. Farm Stand, a 5,500 sq. ft. food bank, and a 10,000 sq. ft. garden space; and the expansive 25,000 sq. ft. Tumwater Warehouse Regional Distribution Center.

Our dedicated team comprises ~30 paid staff members, bolstered by approximately 5,000 volunteers each year who contribute over 60,000 hours of service. Together, we are committed to providing essential resources to our clients, offering a selection of basic food items such as fresh produce, deli sandwiches, dairy products, prepared salads, shelf-stable canned goods, and frozen protein items. Our shopping model empowers clients to choose the food that best fits their needs, with additional options available for baby food, formula, and specialized diets.

TCFB is proud to distribute United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Foods through two distinct programs—one tailored for older adults and the other available to all low-income households. Our outreach initiatives, including the “FORKs” (For Kids) backpack meal program, reflect our commitment to the well-being of our community's children. Moreover, our Nutrition Education program promotes healthy eating through policy, environmental, and systemic changes within the Food Bank and local schools.

Our Client Services staff play a crucial role, assisting clients with applications for the Basic Food Program and providing essential information and referrals to other agencies. The Mobile Food Bank extends our reach to low-income senior housing, ensuring that those with limited mobility or transportation options have access to necessary resources. TCFB collaborates with 19 satellite/mobile food banks, partnering with other service providers and the faith community to enhance our impact. We also offer limited home delivery for those who are unable to travel.

The success of TCFB relies heavily on the generosity of our community. Our budget for FY 2025 includes approximately $4.7 million from donors, contracts, and grants and in-kind food, services, and volunteer hours amounting to an additional $13.2 million. Community food drives keep our shelves stocked, while our dedicated volunteers ensure that our services remain accessible to those in need. Thanks to this incredible community support, administrative costs constitute a minor portion of our budget, allowing us to focus our resources where they matter most. Together, we can continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

Core Philosophies

• Eliminating access barriers
• Prioritizing health
• Prioritizing children
• Rescuing good food from going to waste
• Partnership and collaboration

The Position/Your Role

The Executive Director (ED) of the Thurston County Food Bank plays a vital role in guiding the organization to achieving its mission and financial goals and deepening the organization's roots and relationships in the communities we serve. Reporting to the Board of Directors, the ED is responsible for providing comprehensive leadership and direction to all Food Bank services, programs, and resources. As the principal advisor to the Board, the ED establishes annual goals and objectives, as well as short and long-range plans, ensuring that operations are efficient, timely, and cost-effective.

A key aspect of this role is to serve as a representative of the Thurston County Food Bank, building and strengthening relationships with community stakeholders, including local, state, and federal agencies, media outlets, citizen interest groups, and private businesses. This collaborative approach not only enhances the Food Bank's visibility but also fosters community support and engagement.

The ED leads a dedicated management team, acting as the top-level executive responsible for interpreting and executing the strategic objectives set by the Board in a way that includes and empowers staff. By serving as the primary liaison between the Board and Food Bank employees, the ED helps cultivate a culture of collaboration and transparency throughout the organization.

While not an exhaustive list, the ED's representative duties encompass coaching, mentoring, and developing management team members; strengthening lines of communication and transparency among all staff; fostering relationships with external stakeholders; managing public and media relations; monitoring program performance; overseeing budgeting and financial management; enhancing donor relations and fundraising efforts; and advocating for government and legislative support. Additionally, the ED plays an essential role in actively promoting the activities of TCFB and engaging in long-range strategic planning.

Together, through this collaborative and proactive leadership, we can ensure that the Thurston County Food Bank continues to make a positive impact on our community.

Priority Activities for the new ED

To foster a thriving working environment, it's essential to cultivate and honor the robust relationships within our organization and the broader community. This includes being present and engaging with staff, Board members, civic leaders, partner organizations, and nonprofit and faith community leaders across City, County, and State levels.

Gaining a thorough understanding of the Food Bank's programs, services, and operations will enable the ED to develop a credible voice to advocate on behalf of the organization. Establishing TCFB as a key leader within the local network of nonprofit service providers will also empower us to collaboratively address the root causes of economic instability and food insecurity within the community.

By being present and accessible to and collaborating closely with senior leadership, develop and implement practices that minimize barriers, enhance opportunities for interaction and cross-departmental collaboration, and ultimately strengthen teamwork and internal growth, build trust and confidence, and enhance knowledge sharing across the Food Bank's three locations.

Meeting with peer organizations, funders, donors, and contract holders to establish and foster productive and mutually beneficial relationships.

As we look toward the future, creating a comprehensive technology, infrastructure, and staffing plan that will ensure that TCFB can scale effectively as the organization grows. It is also vital to review and revise existing HR and other policies through an equity lens, aligning with best practices.

As the ED guides the organization through the implementation of the current strategic plan, it will be important to create a forward-looking strategy that anticipates the growth of Thurston County and its impact on the demand for Food Bank services.

TCFB continuously explores new methods of service delivery and assesses the potential for expanding hours, home delivery, expanding/relocating current facilities, adding locations, expanding the satellite program, and implementing new technology to meet growing community needs.

Evaluate the efficiency and impact of current programs and determine whether changes are needed to ensure that they align with TCFB's mission and that they leverage resources in a cost-effective and responsible manner.

What you bring

Candidates will be evaluated on the full range of their lived and learned experiences, professional backgrounds, volunteer experiences, and direct and transferable skills. We encourage individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply, as your unique experiences can bring valuable perspectives to our team. We look forward to reviewing your applications and discovering the strengths you can contribute to our mission.

Thurston County Food Bank is eager to find candidates who possess a compelling combination of demonstrated experience and skills in some or all of the following areas:

Experience serving in various leadership roles including Executive Director, CEO, Deputy Director, COO, CAO, CFO, CDO, and similar positions, or senior staff roles within organizations, divisions, or departments of comparable size.

Possess a comprehensive understanding of all aspects of running non-profit organizations, including program development and administration, communications and marketing, human resources and staff professional development, as well as budgeting and financial management.

Exposure to social sector or nonprofit services, business operations, public sector operations, or human services—gained through board, volunteer, or staff service, particularly in Thurston County and the communities we serve.

High emotional and social intelligence, combined with the ability to build and cultivate internal and external relationships to enhance organizational capacity and capabilities. By fostering these connections, we can significantly extend our reach and positive impact.

Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, General Business Administration, Social Services, or a related field, along with eight years of progressively responsible management-level experience. We also welcome applicants who have an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Competencies

• Being visible and present for all staff in all locations, and being an approachable, accessible leader
• Providing services to all in a dignified and respectful manner
• Fostering trust and mutual respect in an open and inclusive culture
• Skilled in listening deeply with careful discernment of others' requests, priorities, suggestions, and expectations
• Compassion, honesty, integrity, reliability, and empathy
• Fostering staff development and professional growth, and lifting others up
• Express yourself clearly in a positive and constructive manner
• Inclusive and timely decision making
• Able to remain open minded and avoid defensiveness
• Budgeting and financial management
• Advocacy with local, county, state and federal policy makers
• Working with people from all social strata and at all levels of the socioeconomic spectrum
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Persuasive and engaging storytelling

Compensation & Benefits

The annual salary range for this position is $150,000 - $170,000.

TCFB is committed to supporting all employees through a competitive salary and benefits, a commitment to equity and inclusion, and training and professional development. Benefits include:

• Medical, dental and vision coverage
• Simple IRA retirement plan with a 3% employer match
• Long-term disability and life insurance
• Paid holidays
• Generous PTO policy for vacation and sick days

To be considered

The position is open until filled, with a priority deadline of XX, 2025. Candidate materials are reviewed on an on-going basis and initial interviews will begin by MONTH. Cover letters (two pages or less) addressed to the Board of Directors and a resume can be submitted to Valtas at: LINK TO BE ADDED.

You may direct questions to Ed Rogan at ed@valtasgroup.com or 206.697.8428, or Chris Cannon at chris@valtasgroup.com or 971.666.2621.

The Thurston County Food Bank recognizes that hunger is a symptom of poverty, and that poverty is rooted in social inequities. Our philosophy of providing services in the spirit of neighbor helping neighbor is tied to our commitment to supporting families so that they can be successful. The Food Bank is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels of the organization. Human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent that our staff, volunteers, and customers invest in our organization represents a significant part of our culture, our reputation, and our success.

TCFB is an equal opportunity employer. No person will be denied employment for reasons of differentiation regarding race, religion, gender, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, and national origin. TCFB will recruit, hire, train, and promote to all levels without regard to race, religion, gender, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, and national origin.