Director of Operations

 

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Director of Operations REPORTS TO: Co-Presidents STATUS: Full-Time, Exempt LOCATION: Norwalk, CT SALARY RANGE: $75,000-$90,000

 

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

Reporting directly to the Co-Presidents, this senior leadership position oversees all operations of the organization and directs, administers, and coordinates its operations activities. The Director of Operations will lead a small staff of direct reports and be expected to create an environment of strong team spirit, with timely and effective communications, a sense of urgency, and high motivation as they work to manage the production and delivery of weekend meals for children in low-income households, as well as Mobile Food Pantry distributions in the communities Filling in the Blanks serves.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Outreach/Customer Service:

• Maintain regular communications for coordination of meal delivery schedule with enrolled sites.
• Manage database and district calendars for all sites, updating regularly.
• Conduct annual site visits; address areas of concern where needed.
• Responsible for program expansion, adding children with existing sites and/or adding new sites.

Warehouse/Packing:

• Create and manage the development of the production plan for bag assembly.
• Ensure that staff and volunteers are appropriately trained for the activities they perform.
• Recruit, schedule, and oversee volunteers for packing shifts, including individual, school, community, and corporate group packing events.
• Set monthly goal for packing and ensure conformance with production schedules.
• Manage warehouse inventory levels weekly against demand; track data in the Filling in the Blanks dashboard.
• Oversee the warehouse facility and equipment, including delivery vehicles, and manage related maintenance, repairs, and service contracts.

Food Procurement & Distribution:

• Manage and plan for the ordering and purchasing of all food inventory.
• Negotiate and manage vendor contracts, and form new partnerships with vendors as products become available.
• Plan and manage the weekly and daily delivery schedule for all sites.
• Track delivery data using the Filling in the Blanks dashboard and Salesforce.
• Identify ongoing opportunities for improvement that enable Filling in the Blanks to develop to its optimum potential and decrease the cost of bag production.
• Manage food forecasting and the operations budget of approximately $4 M.

Mobile Food Pantry:

• Plan and manage the Mobile Food Pantry program across all locations, including scheduling, food sourcing, staffing, and volunteer coordination.
• Coordinate with host sites and community partners on distribution dates, logistics, and outreach.
• Track Mobile Food Pantry data, including households, registration and individuals served.

Special Projects:

• Responsible for executing any special donations received (i.e., special food routed to a particular site).
• Manage the Holiday Spirit of the Season program.

Other:

• Recommend operational improvements to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and continued growth.
• Collaborate with the Co-Presidents and leadership team to develop strategies that support Filling in the Blanks' mission, goals, and priorities.
• Develop, implement, and update operations policies and procedures, including warehouse, food safety, delivery, and volunteer protocols.
• Supervise and serve as a resource for the daily operations and activities of the organization, including managing and oversight of operations staff.
• Hire, train, and evaluate operations staff, including conducting annual performance reviews.
• Continually ensure high safety and sanitation standards at all times, including food safety practices, staff and volunteer safety training, and Occupational Safety and Health Administration injury and illness recordkeeping.
• Provide operations, delivery, and impact data to the Development team for grant applications and reports, and prepare operations updates for leadership and the Board of Directors.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

 

EXPERIENCE:

• At least five years of operations experience in logistics, supply chain, food distribution, manufacturing, nonprofit operations, or a similar field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• At least three years of supervisory experience managing staff and volunteers.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for site visits and off site events.

 

EDUCATION:

A Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience.

 

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES:

• Excellent people management and a demonstrated commitment to high professional ethical standards.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and handle multiple projects simultaneously and delegate assignments to others.
• Highly proficient computer skills, including Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel), Salesforce, data dashboards, record keeping, and routine database activity.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Detail oriented.
• Ability to make quick decisions, problem solve to achieve overall satisfaction while ensuring compliance with policy and financial standards.

 

BENEFITS:

This is a 40-hour per week exempt position. Work hours are generally Monday through Friday, with Saturday hours as needed to support packing events and Mobile Food Pantry distributions. The salary range is dependent on relevant qualifications and experience. The benefit package includes health and dental insurance, paid time off, 12 paid holidays plus a floating holiday, a paid office closure from Christmas through New Year's Day. Any offer is subject to a successful background check.

ABOUT FILLING IN THE BLANKS:

Filling in the Blanks was founded by mothers and community activists, Shawnee Knight and Tina Kramer, who created the nonprofit as a way to marry their loves of community, children, food and charity. In 2013, Knight and Kramer created Filling in the Blanks which has now expanded to 225 schools throughout Fairfield, Westchester, and Putnam Counties, operates Mobile Food Pantries in 4 communities, and has delivered over 6 million weekend meals to children in low-income households. To learn more about Filling in the Blanks, visit https://www.fillingintheblanks.org/

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER:

Filling in the Blanks is an equal opportunity employer. All employees will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

 

 

 

 

TO APPLY:

Interested candidates are invited to submit a cover letter and resume by to: info@fillingintheblanks.org with "Director of Operations" in the subject line. The anticipated start date is November 1, 2026.