Senior Manager: Food Systems

Job Purpose

The Senior Manager leads AFT’s work to strengthen efforts aimed at building local and regional food economies, with a focus on federal policy, procurement, technical assistance, and infrastructure needs. This role supports bipartisan coalition building, policy education, applied research, and strategic communications, partnering closely with AFT’s national and state policy teams in support of a durable, bipartisan policy environment that helps grow local and regional food markets.

Position Summary

Reporting to the Vice president for Farmland Protection and Strategic Priorities, the Senior Manager leads a multi-year initiative supporting a coalition of organizations advancing federal policy that helps build durable local and regional food supply chains. The Senior Manager sets vision for and drives the coalition-building, communications, and research elements of this work, partnering with AFT’s national policy team on direct legislative and regulatory engagement. Expected activities include supporting, growing, and diversifying a broad coalition of food system and supply chain stakeholders, building alignment around a shared agenda, gathering data and research and mapping program impact, supporting communications, and identifying opportunities for collaboration and coordination across the coalition. The Senior Manager will direct a data-driven communications strategy that pairs geographic impact data with farmer and community stories. The role requires close collaboration with AFT’s policy, research, and communications functions, along with regular engagement with stakeholders, to support efforts to keep local and regional food market programs a legislative and administrative priority.

Duties and Responsibilities

Coalition Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Work with national agriculture and food organizations to build alignment around shared priorities that support local and regional food economies.
• Build a broad, bipartisan coalition of organizations interested in local and regional food economies, including farm to school and nutrition organizations, farmer and commodity groups, chefs, and other food and agriculture stakeholders.
• Build and maintain relationships with a wide network of partners to broaden support for shared goals.
• Facilitate regular convenings to support consensus-building around a shared local food systems agenda and priorities.
• Provide direct support to food system stakeholders, including developing key messages and filling data and impact gaps in priority geographies.

Policy Support & Government Relations

• Monitor the federal legislative and regulatory landscape affecting local and regional food policy and relevant federal programs, sharing updates with AFT’s policy team to help inform strategy.
• Partner with AFT’s policy team to identify and help organize site visits for policymakers and staff.
• Support AFT’s policy team’s outreach and engagement with congressional offices and federal agencies, aligning coalition activity with key legislative moments.

• Serve as a resource for state/regional staff on local and regional food policy matters

Research, Data & Impact Analysis

• Lead a comprehensive inventory and geographic mapping of impact data — including dollars invested, farmers served, and jobs created — across relevant federal programs, identifying data gaps and priority geographies.
• Develop state-by-state impact data and educational materials, including key messages, for policymakers and coalition members on the importance of local procurement for farmers, communities, and regional economies.

Communications & Storytelling

• Manage communications consultants and support a comprehensive communications plan focused on demonstrating the value of federal investment in local and regional food markets to farmers and families, rural communities, and local economies.
• Manage a robust story bank and build validators in priority geographies.

Project Management & Organizational Collaboration

• Manage the overall workplan, budget, and timeline for the initiative, adapting activities based on stakeholder feedback, funder expectations, and the evolving legislative landscape.
• Track progress against key milestones (3-, 6-, and 12-month) and report on outcomes to organizational leadership and funders.
• Collaborate closely with AFT’s policy, research, development, and communications teams to ensure alignment and consistency of message.
• Supervise and mentor project support staff, as assigned.