About Food Foundation
We believe everyone in the UK deserves access to an affordable, healthy and sustainable diet. We have various projects to reach different groups to improve children's diets, increasing uptake of plant rich diets, influence food policy and inspire change in food and retail businesses & how investment works. We are a small charity that has grown thanks to our success in responding to government announcements, quickly gathering interest and advocating in dynamic ways to create change in the food system.
- Our small enthusiastic and dedicated team makes us agile
- Our search for evidence-based solutions makes us impactful
- Our skill in shaping powerful coalitions and harnessing citizens' voices makes collaborative
- Our drive to identify new opportunities for action, and test new levers for change makes us innovative.
About the role
The Place-based Food Systems Manager will play a leading role in the development of The Food Foundation's local policy and project work in 3 interconnected ways:
- Stimulating and supporting leadership in regions, cities, local authority areas and anchor institutions to take action to improve local access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food
- Identifying the policy and food business levers which enable the emergence of more resilient local food systems which improve access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food in local communities
- Advocating for national and local policy changes which enable local leadership and new food systems to become more rapidly established.
In the first instance, you will play a leading role in our place-based work in Kent and Birmingham, in particular focused on improving the health and sustainability of menus and business offerings through the promotion of beans, pulses and legumes. You will work closely with Birmingham City Council and The University of Kent, as well as local leaders, partners, local authorities, policymakers and businesses. You will work closely with academic partners on UKRI funded research projects that support place-based interventions and local authorities in creating healthier more sustainable local food systems.
The successful candidate will also play a key role in our nationally focused policy and advocacy on healthy and sustainable diets, supporting a team working on public sector procurement, production (horticulture) and other food policy areas that intersect health, sustainability and climate. This will involve engagement with relevant DEFRA teams, as well as other NGOS working in the sustainable diet space.
