The Next Generation of Food Bank Leadership
Millions of Americans are one job loss, missed paycheck, or medical emergency away from hunger. Layer on global warming, a growing world population, food access inequality, and food instability due to geopolitical conflicts and you can see that today’s food bank leaders are facing some of the world’s toughest problems. These challenges require unique leadership competencies from individuals who can accommodate organizational and community needs that change quickly and sometimes dramatically.
In our executive search consultant roles at Bridge Partners, we have the privilege of helping food bank organizations hire leaders who are best prepared for the hardships that lie ahead. As the food bank sector evolves in order to meet the needs of their communities, leaders of these organizations should possess a key set of skills. This article will not be able to encompass everything, but what we are hoping to share are some common themes and learnings from three decades of leading inclusive search processes and placements for food banks. When we can better understand where and how help is needed, we can improve our ability to help place the right individuals for the right food bank roles.
Food Bank Leadership Competencies
One of the most important competencies food bank leaders should possess is a strong connection to the mission and a mindset that they are working to put the food bank out of business. Leaders should be working to find ways to “shorten the line” of people in need and eventually eliminate the line altogether. Having lived experience of knowing what it is like to be hungry and having compassion for those who are in need, can also enable food bank leaders to have even greater insight and more impact in their role.
Second, food bank leaders are collaborators and understand how important it is to partner with other community anchor institutions such as housing authorities, public health institutions, various government entities, the business community, community foundations, and other nonprofit organizations. When an individual or family is hungry, there are often other life challenges happening simultaneously. Working closely with community partners can help food bank leaders identify and work to end root causes of hunger and food insecurity. Having the ability to be a relationship builder and a connector with all food bank stakeholders allows food bank leaders to put the necessary resources behind innovative ideas and programs needed to focus on improving health outcomes and solving the root causes of poverty.
With global warming and climate change being real issues, more and more food banks across the country are dealing with weather related disasters and emergencies. COVID, and as a result the pandemic, caused the demand and need for food banks to surge to levels never seen before. Leading through times of challenge, high growth, and uncertainty is another required competency for food bank leaders. This is nothing new but all of these factors together have brought about the need for leaders to help their organizations adjust to the “new workplace environment” of navigating hybrid work. This can be challenging because some food bank team members are working remotely and others are not. How do you keep a team inspired and working together when some are at home and others are working the front lines? Food bank leaders must exhibit strong team building, cross departmental collaboration, and internal communication skills across the entire organization. A strong leader will be able to build and nurture an organizational culture grounded in shared vision, vibrant teamwork, and accountability.
Last, understanding the geographic region and the people within it is another important competency for food bank leaders. Food is tied to culture and ethnicity. US Census projections report that by 2045 minorities will become the majority in America. As the US population becomes even more culturally diverse, leaders must ensure that they are distributing and making available culturally relevant food for the populations they serve.
What’s Needed from Future Food Bank Leaders
As food banks continue to evolve and change, future leaders will also need to consider broadening their competencies in order to effectively lead their organizations and serve community needs.
First, retiring food bank leaders – especially CEOs – have strong foundations in the food banking world and before moving on, should make succession planning with their organization a key priority. While this is an opportunity for a food bank to promote internally or bring in new leadership, the organization and community will be even better served if the food bank’s board of directors already has a well-thought through succession plan in place. It’s not a new issue, but it’s one that continues to cause disruption for organizations. Getting ahead of that can serve everyone well.
Second, aside from the challenges mentioned above, another front and center issue that food bank leaders should be prepared to champion is social justice and racial equity. As great community collaborators, food bank leaders have the ability to bring all food bank stakeholders to the table. With a clear commitment to improving outcomes as related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) both within the organization and the community, food bank leaders can ensure employees, volunteers, partner agencies, donors, other food banks, and the community is fully being served. Bringing together and listening to all of these voices can help leaders identify and solve systemic problems that have created hunger in our country.
That also includes leaders who can uncover and effectively address food inequity while also ensuring its organization is providing culturally relevant food. For some food bank leaders, it took the pandemic to better understand what its community wants to prepare and eat that’s representative of who they are. That was the case for Good Shepherd, Maine’s largest food bank. Now, in addition to offering a wider variety of culturally relevant food to its community, Good Shepherd leaders are working hard to partner with ethnic grocers so people are able shop within their communities and access ingredients needed to make the foods familiar to them.
Third, we’re also seeing how the next generation of food bank leaders are working to address the root causes of hunger and step up their workforce development programs. These programs prepare people for higher level, better paying jobs that allow them to move toward economic stability. The food banks of the future are the ones that are providing training and workforce development services that create long term solutions to the root causes of hunger.
Last, we’re seeing the importance for food bank leaders to strategically use data when it comes to making informed decisions about programs for their community. In our technology driven world, a food bank leader has to ensure its infrastructure, technology, processes, and systems are scalable and able to keep pace with a challenging and changing environment. That also includes having the right skills when it comes to prioritizing data collection and identifying metrics to make decisions regarding programs, partnerships, fundraising, and initiatives.
Food Bank Leaders Have Critical Roles to Play
Food bank leaders are facing incredible challenges right now and have to continuously be prepared for whatever the future will bring. The right fit is someone with a strong commitment to a food bank’s mission, who has the ability to create collaborative partnerships, can successfully navigate today’s workplace environment, and has a solid understanding of the geographic location they’re serving. Likewise, a food bank leader of today will be data-driven, strive to serve people more holistically, and is dedicated to addressing the root causes of hunger and structural and systemic inequities. We look forward to placing these impactful leaders in roles that will make immediate and lasting differences for communities around the U.S.
Check out how we’re actively doing this by visiting www.bridgepartnersllc.com.
About the Authors
Janet Albert leads the US non-profit practice for Bridge Partners and works on senior-level search assignments for foundation, government and non-profit organizations, across all functions, including Executive Directors/CEOs and their leadership teams. She has been in executive search for over 20 years and before joining Bridge Partners in 2010, Janet was a Senior Director in the executive search practice of The Bridgespan Group, a non-profit consulting firm that helps nonprofit leaders to develop strategies and build organizations that inspire and accelerate social change.
Toya Lawson partners with nonprofit and for-profit (multiple sectors) clients, with a particular expertise in conducting finance and accounting officer searches. She also works across the C-Suite of nonprofit organizations to help her clients identify strong diverse talent. She has 20 years of experience working in retained and contingent search, corporate human resources and talent acquisition environments. Before joining Bridge Partners, Toya was a Managing Director at a Philadelphia-based boutique retained search firm that focused on the placement of senior level accounting and finance professionals.