Head of Agricultural Food Rescue

Head of Agricultural Food Rescue 

Organization: Sharing Excess

Employment Type: Full Time, exempt · Remote, frequent travel expected

Team: Food Rescue Operations

Reports To:  Chief Program Officer

About Sharing Excess

Sharing Excess is one of the fastest-growing food rescue organizations in America, built on a simple but powerful mission: save food and feed communities. What started as a grassroots student movement now operates nationwide, moving over 2 million pounds of food every week — 100+ million pounds annually — to thousands of community partners.

Our work is bold, fast, and deeply human. We move quickly, innovate constantly, and operate with the mindset of a high-growth startup. We seek individuals who deliver with excellence, raise the bar, and above all, care deeply about making the world a better place.

Role Highlight

The Head of Agricultural Food Rescue is a mission-critical leader responsible for building, overseeing, and scaling Sharing Excess's Agricultural Food Rescue (Direct Link) program: a rapidly expanding initiative focused on rescuing food directly from farms, agricultural producers, and importers at the source. These rescues routinely involve volumes ranging into many millions of pounds, requiring sophisticated logistics, deep partner relationships, and exceptional operational coordination.

In this role, you will design and lead a national strategy for direct-from-farm food rescue, forging partnerships with growers, co-ops, and regional agricultural networks, and ensuring that rescued produce moves efficiently from the field to communities in need. You will work closely with the Chief Program Officer and collaborate cross-functionally with distribution, logistics, analytics, and community engagement teams to build one of the most impactful and innovative direct-source food rescue programs in the country.

This role demands a systems builder, a skilled relationship manager, and someone who thrives at the intersection of agriculture, logistics, and social impact.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Chief Program Officer

Direct Reports: Food Sourcing Managers, Direct Link Coordinators, Direct Link Administrators

Key Relationships: COO, CEO/Founder, Finance, Head of Food Systems Advocacy, Food Donors, Farm Partners & Community Partners

Responsibilities Include

Program Strategy & National Leadership

• Design and execute a national Agricultural Food Rescue strategy for large-scale, farm-direct food rescue operations, including rescues spanning many millions of pounds.
• Develop scalable systems and playbooks for identifying, activating, and sustaining farm-level partnerships across diverse agricultural regions.
• Partner with the Chief Program Officer to align Agricultural Food Rescue programming with broader organizational goals and growth plans.
• Lead expansion of Agricultural Food Rescue operations into new geographies and agricultural markets.

Farm & Agricultural Partner Development

• Build and maintain a national network of farm, co-op, importers, and agricultural producer partners who donate surplus and unsaleable produce directly to Sharing Excess.
• Negotiate and manage donation agreements, logistics arrangements, and long-term partnerships with growers, packing houses, and agricultural cooperatives.
• Serve as Sharing Excess's primary relationship steward with the agricultural sector, representing the organization at farm expos, grower convenings, and industry events.
• Develop onboarding processes for new farm partners to ensure seamless integration into SE's rescue operations.

High-Volume Logistics & Operational Oversight

• Oversee the end-to-end logistics of large-scale farm-direct rescues, including coordinating transportation, cold chain management, sorting, and distribution to community partners.
• Develop and refine standard operating procedures (SOPs) for high-volume Direct Link rescues, ensuring consistency, food safety compliance, and operational excellence.
• Collaborate with the distribution team to optimize routing and capacity planning for farm-origin rescues.
• Identify and mitigate operational risks associated with large, time-sensitive agricultural rescue events.

Team Leadership & Development

• Directly supervise Food Sourcing Managers and Coordinators and support teams executing farm rescues across the country.
• Foster a collaborative, mission-driven team culture emphasizing accountability, innovation, and professional growth.
• Lead recruitment, onboarding, and training for program staff in coordination with HR.
• Build capacity within the team to manage increasingly complex and high-volume rescue events independently.

Data-Driven Strategy & Reporting

• Track and analyze program KPIs including volume rescued, cost-per-pound, partner retention, and distribution reach.
• Use data to identify inefficiencies, optimize workflows, and guide strategic decisions at both the program and organizational levels.
• Provide regular reporting to senior leadership on Direct Link program performance, trends, and growth opportunities.
• Partner with the Operations Analyst to ensure data infrastructure supports high-volume rescue tracking and impact measurement.

Budget & Resource Management

• Develop and manage operational budgets for Direct Link programming, ensuring cost-effective allocation of transportation, staffing, and equipment resources.
• Provide input on capital investments needed to support program scaling, including vehicles, cold storage, and technology.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiency without compromising rescue volume or quality.

Community & Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with community partners to ensure rescued farm produce is distributed equitably and efficiently to communities with greatest need.
• Build regional coalitions connecting the agricultural sector to food access organizations.
• Represent Sharing Excess at community events, government and policy forums, and regional food system convenings.

You'll Have

• Bachelor's degree in Agriculture, Business, Operations, Nonprofit Management, or a related field; Master's preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in operations leadership, supply chain management, or large-scale program oversight — experience in the agricultural sector, food industry, or food rescue strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing high-volume, complex logistics operations, including time-sensitive, large-scale events.
• Proven track record building and sustaining partnerships with agricultural producers, cooperatives, or food industry stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with experience using data to drive operational decisions.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Ability and willingness to travel frequently to farm sites, partner locations, and regional operations.
• Deep passion for food security, sustainability, and reducing agricultural food waste.

You'll Be Successful If

• You are energized by large-scale, complex operations and find meaning in moving millions of pounds of food from farms to families.
• You lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose — and empower your teams to do the same.
• You build authentic, lasting relationships with farmers, partners, and colleagues rooted in mutual respect and shared mission.
• You make decisions grounded in data, context, and a long-term view of impact.
• You adapt quickly when conditions shift — because farm rescues rarely go exactly as planned.
• You are deeply committed to reducing agricultural food waste and ensuring that food surplus becomes community abundance.

Salary Range

Competitive, commensurate with experience — estimated $100,000–$110,000 based on experience and location. Full benefits package included. 

Benefits & Perks

• Unlimited PTO to rest and recharge
• Fully covered medical, dental & vision benefits after 90 days
• Flexible hybrid work structure
• Paid Family Leave
• Cell phone & internet reimbursement
• Professional development support
• Occasional team retreats & gatherings
• Sharing Excess merch (it's good, we promise)

Equal Opportunity Statement

Sharing Excess is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and welcomes applicants from all backgrounds. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other protected status. This applies to all employment practices including recruiting, hiring, promotion, compensation, and training.