Jobs, RFPs, & Internships

Download: Operations Manager Job Description (PDF)

ABOUT RIFPC

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is an independent statewide network with a mission to promote a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system. We cultivate partnerships, develop and implement high-impact projects, and advocate for good food policy. We center equity in our work, which touches all parts of the food chain – production, harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption/access, and waste management. We operate with a collaborative professional staff, over 200 engaged and diverse council members, and hundreds more stakeholders from across the Ocean State. More information about RIFPC can be found at www.rifoodcouncil.org.

RIFPC seeks a full-time Operations Manager – the primary objective of this position is to manage day-to-day operations of RIFPC and support the organization’s fi nancial and administrative success. The Offi ce Manager will be in regular communication with and support the work of the CFO by processing invoices and payments, developing and maintaining contracts with funders, partners, and vendors, and other organizational recordkeeping. This staff member will approach the role as an opportunity for continuous growth and improvement, and will exhibit professionalism, commitment, curiosity, and care for colleagues and community. This position is full-time (37.5 hours, with some required evening and weekend commitments) and hybrid, with regular remote and in-person engagement throughout Rhode Island.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Financial Management
  • Communicate and support the CFO with invoicing, including entering incoming invoices in online invoicing system bill.com and preparing and sending outgoing invoices to funders
  • Collect and organize vendor documentation (1099, etc)
  • Process incoming payments and staff expense reimbursements
  • Regularly communicate with the CFO and provide updates to leadership team on the above
  • Ensuring compliance with financial policies when performing duties described
• Grant Management
  • Perform key administrative functions related to incoming grants, including supporting grant tracking and reporting
  • Assist Executive Director in preparation for board meetings as requested
  • Assist Executive Director in staff and consultant recruitment, selection, onboarding, and close-out processes.
• Vendor and Contractor Management
  • Support development of Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
  • Support development of contract documents
  • Coordinate digital signatures
  • Support contract amendments/updates, as needed
  • Maintain vendor/contractor files
• Communication
  • Manage shared organizational email accounts
  • Regularly check and respond to postal mail
  • Support updates to the organization’s website and listservs (Google Groups)
  • Support development of regular newsletter
  • Update printed and promotional materials
• Meetings
  • Support the Executive Director and other Senior Staff with scheduling, coordination and agenda development for organization-wide and board meetings
  • Note taking as needed
• Human Resources
  • Update employee records in payroll system
  • Support hiring processes including marketing/outreach and management of applicant communications

REQUIREMENTS

• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• A team player, pleasant to work with
• Able to manage multiple tasks of varying levels of complexity and with varying deadlines
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and multitask
• Proven history of effective work and communication with vendors and contractors with diverse professional and cultural backgrounds
• 3+ years of relevant, progressively responsible experience in administration
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Proficiency in Quickbooks, Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace
• Interested in non-profit management and developing deeper understanding of food, health, environment, economy, advocacy or related non-profit work preferred
• Desire to become more deeply involved in RIFPC mission-related work and to take advantage of relevant professional development opportunities preferred
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent professional education & training preferred

The Operations Manager reports directly to the Executive Director. They are expected to attend regular in person events and meetings across the state, and to be based in Rhode Island with a home offi ce location. They work closely with other staff, Council members, partners, and board members.

RIFPC offers a flexible workplace with a collegial environment, the salary range for this position is $62,000-$72,000 plus benefi ts including retirement contributions, a health insurance reimbursement, and generous vacation and paid time off. Please send a cover letter and resume to info@rifoodcouncil.org with the subject line: Operations Manager. Applications received before December 5, 2025 will be given preference.

Qualified candidates will be contacted by phone and email. Employment history and/or background check including 3 references are required of final candidates. The RI Food Policy Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values the benefits of a diverse organization. We encourage applications from individuals who believe they possess the key competencies and can demonstrate ability to execute the responsibilities, even if they do not have every listed qualification/skill.

Download: Facilitation & Education Manager Job Description (PDF)

ABOUT RIFPC

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is an independent statewide network with a mission to promote a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system. We cultivate partnerships, develop and implement high-impact projects, and advocate for good food policy. We center equity in our work, which touches all parts of the food chain – production, harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption/access, and waste management. We operate with a collaborative professional staff, over 200 engaged and diverse council members, and hundreds more stakeholders from across the Ocean State. More information about RIFPC can be found at www.rifoodcouncil.org.

RIFPC seeks a full-time Facilitation & Education Manager. The primary objective of this position is to facilitate member engagement in education, capacity building, and advocacy activities. As the ‘backbone network’ for food systems work in the state of RI, member engagement and capacity to advocate are essential to the organization’s ability to continue to achieve our strategic objectives. This staff member will be a key player in ensuring RIFPC is successful in moving the local food system toward justice and resilience, approaching the role as an opportunity for continuous growth and improvement, and will exhibit professionalism, commitment, curiosity, and care for colleagues and community. This position is full-time (37.5 hours, with some required evening and weekend commitments) and hybrid, with regular remote and in-person engagement throughout RI.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Coordinate and facilitate 2-3 Work Groups composed of volunteer Council members seeking improvements in the state food policy environment
• Facilitate Work Group members in developing advocacy materials – such as one-page policy priority briefs and template testimony
• Support Work Group member outreach to potential coalition partners
• Support partners in convening & facilitating quarterly meetings of an alliance to develop policy, link local food producers and food security agencies, and support community-based agencies in ensuring food access in RI
• Support Associate Director for Network in convening local food security partners and health providers in development of statewide Produce Prescription initiative
• Support Associate Director for Network in developing and executing annual participatory process to update Council Commitment to Equity, Community Agreements, etc.
• Coordinate and facilitate public educational programming
• Collaborate with staff on program related communications – such as content for website, e-newsletter, and social media channels
• Assist with RIFPC events including the Policy Retreat, Annual Retreat, Farm Visit for Legislators, and Good Food Policy Day at the State House
• Attend weekly virtual staff meetings and monthly in-person staff meetings
• Assist with grant applications and grant reporting requirements as requested
• Contribute to presentations to the Board and external audiences as requested

REQUIREMENTS

• Two or more years of professional facilitation experience with proven ability to:
  • Facilitate equitable decision-making, inclusive dialogue and collaboration between diverse participants; skillfully balance process and results
  • Manage discussions and ensure that they do not deviate from primary objectives
  • Ask open-ended questions and clarify areas of confusion, doubt, or concern
  • Use actual and virtual whiteboards to capture ideas, create flow diagrams and connect multiple ideas to clarify a topic
  • Summarize and classify ideas into clear themes and categories
  • Guide the Work Groups to reach a common conclusion and decide on next steps
  • Consistently and efficiently follow-through with post-meeting actions
• Two or more years of educational program coordination, with experience in:
  • Planning multi-part virtual and in-person educational programs
  • Executing in-person and virtual events including scheduling, speaker recruitment, reminders, moderation, and pre/post event communication
  • Capacity-building curriculum provision for adults
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills
• Ability to establish rapport and trust with many different types of people
• Ability to absorb new information quickly and identify opportunities for positive change
• Alignment with RIFPC’s mission and values
• Experience using a lens of justice, equity, and inclusion in past work
• Computer literacy (e.g. Microsoft Office suite, Google Drive, Basecamp)
• Existing connections with RI community-based organizations preferred
• Bachelor’s degree and certification in facilitation preferred

The Facilitation & Education Manager reports directly to the Associate Director for Network. They are expected to attend regular in-person events and meetings in RI, be based in RI with a home office location, and work closely with staff, Council, and board members.
RIFPC offers a flexible workplace with a collegial environment, the salary range for this position is $62,000-$72,000 plus benefits including retirement contributions, a health insurance reimbursement, and generous vacation and paid time off. Please send a cover letter and resume to info@rifoodcouncil.org with the subject line: Facilitation & Education Manager. Applications received before December 5, 2025 will be given preference.

Qualified candidates will be contacted by phone and email. Employment history and/or background check including 3 references and a writing sample are required of final candidates. The RI Food Policy Council is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values the benefits of a diverse organization. We encourage applications from individuals who believe they possess the key competencies and can demonstrate ability to execute the responsibilities, even if they do not have every listed qualification/skill.

Download: Compost Data & Policy Research Intern Job Description (PDF)

ABOUT RIFPC

The Rhode Island Food Policy Council (RIFPC) is an independent statewide network with a mission to promote a more equitable, accessible, economically vibrant, and environmentally sustainable food system. We cultivate partnerships, develop and implement high-impact projects, and advocate for good food policy. We center equity in our work, which touches all parts of the food chain – production, harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption/access, and waste management. We operate with a collaborative professional staff, over 200 engaged and diverse council members, and hundreds more stakeholders from across the Ocean State. More information about RIFPC can be found at www.rifoodcouncil.org.

The RI Food Policy Council seeks a part-time paid Compost Data & Policy Research Intern. The primary objective of the person in this role is to conduct and support research related to composting & statewide policy. The primary project includes designing and implementing a survey for food scrap haulers and processors to understand the total amount of food scraps that are being currently diverted from landfills in the state. Data on this topic either does not exist at the state level or is based on many different assumptions. This research will help inform and measure the progress of policy and funding interventions moving forward. Additional research projects may be assigned based on overall workload.

The ideal candidate for this position will be:

• Interested in survey design and data gathering, specifically how we can design a survey that balances ease of use for those who surveyed with gathering necessary data. As well as the methods for reaching out to and getting back surveys from the needed participants.
• An accountable teammate. Someone who manages time well, is highly organized, and can be counted on to work either independently or cooperatively. A helpful-in-nature person who enjoys “owning” projects, but understands the importance of checking in and being responsive to the team.
• A good listener and an excellent communicator. Someone who is comfortable reaching out via phone and email to collect data, and who can write up ideas and information in a compelling, accessible manner.

The intern reports directly to the Program Director – Food, Climate & Environment. They will review existing survey instruments and feedback from key stakeholders to identify recommended changes. They will then solicit additional feedback, assist with finalizing the survey, and implement the survey with a goal of gathering input from 100% of food haulers and processors in the state. The intern attends weekly virtual and monthly in-person staff meetings, and communicates with interested board and Council as requested. Depending on progress, Intern may also be asked to support additional projects such as investigating the details of municipal solid waste contracts or supporting the 2026 Compost Conference to be held on March 11th at Rhode Island College, as time permits/is necessary.

This is a part-time position working 10-15 hours per week at $17.50 per hour. Most work will be conducted remotely and some hours are flexible. There will be virtual meetings during the week, including weekly interaction with the Program Director – Food, Climate & Environment. In-person meetings and events may occur at a rate of 1-2 per month. The start and end dates are flexible, initiating in January 2026 and continuing through mid-May 2026.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Design and gather survey data on:
  • How many pounds/tons of source separated food scraps are being collected in RI
  • Total pounds/tons of source separated food scraps collected in RI that are being processed in RI
  • What percentage of food scraps collected that are processed via different methods (Anaerobic Digestion, Compost, other)
  • Total cubic yards of compost being produced
  • Other pertinent data to be determined
• Support additional research and events

Qualifications

• Survey design and data collection experience
• Research experience, including internet searches, document analysis, and key stakeholder interviews
• Excellent active listening, verbal and written communication skills
• Experience using Google Drive, Excel, MS Office Suite, Zoom, Basecamp, and other common professional platforms/programs
• Comfort working and communicating with a broad range of demographically, experientially, and cognitively diverse people
• Interest in sustainability and policy
• High school diploma/GED, undergraduate/graduate coursework/degree preferred
• At least 17 years of age
• A US Citizen, U.S. National, or Permanent Resident
• Willingness to undergo a National Criminal History Background Check

Please Note: We encourage applications from individuals who believe they possess the key competencies for the role and can demonstrate ability to execute the outlined responsibilities, even if they do not have every listed qualification/skill.

Applicants please send a cover letter and resume to isaac@rifoodcouncil.org with “Compost Data & Policy Research Intern” in the subject line.

We request that you do not use AI tools in preparing your application. We do not use AI or computer screening for applicants and ask that you offer us the same respect.