Agency Programs & Partnerships Manager

Overview

The Agency Programs & Partnerships Manager provides strategic leadership for a multidisciplinary team that manages Food Lifeline’s relationships with partner agencies and oversees key programmatic, contractual, and operational functions that support food access across our network in western Washington.

This role is responsible for managing program development and implementation, overseeing partner agreements and contract compliance, managing complex cross-departmental projects, and supervising a team of professionals who support agency relations, distribution coordination, and technical program operations. The Manager plays a critical role in strengthening systems, documentation, and processes that ensure consistency, equity, and continuity across the team and agency network.

This position requires a strong leader with demonstrated experience guiding teams through change, building sustainable programs, and translating strategy into clear, actionable work.

Opportunity type:
Job

Category:
Programs / Agency Relations / Clients

• People Leadership & Team Management
  • Provide direct supervision to a team of Agency Relations, Distribution, and Technical staff.
  • Lead with a coaching-oriented management style that emphasizes clarity, accountability, growth, and psychological safety.
  • Set clear performance expectations, conduct regular check-ins, provide feedback, and support professional development.
  • Ensure appropriate cross-training, coverage planning, and succession planning to maintain continuity during transitions.
  • Foster a collaborative, inclusive team culture aligned with Food Lifeline’s mission and values.

• Program Development & Oversight
  • Lead the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of agency facing programs and services.
  • Identify gaps, opportunities, and inefficiencies in current programs and recommend improvements that enhance partner experience and community impact.
  • Apply an equity lens to program design and decision-making, prioritizing underserved and historically marginalized communities.
  • Partner with internal teams to pilot new initiatives, evaluate outcomes, and scale successful efforts.

• Contract Management & Written Communications
  • Oversee the development, review, and maintenance of partner agreements, MOUs, and related documentation.
  • Ensure agency compliance with contractual, regulatory, and program requirements, including corrective action processes when needed.
  • Draft, edit, and maintain clear written materials including SOPs, guidance documents, training resources, and partner communications.
  • Ensure documentation is accessible, accurate, and supports institutional knowledge retention.

• Project & Change Management
  • Lead and manage complex, cross-functional projects from scope through completion, including timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder coordination.
  • Balance multiple concurrent priorities while maintaining high-quality outcomes.
  • Support the team through organizational and operational change by providing structure, communication, and clear decision-making.
  • Track progress, identify risks, and adjust plans as needed to meet program and organizational goals.

• Cross-Departmental & External Collaboration
  • Serve as a key liaison between Agency Programs and other departments including Operations, Inventory, Transportation, Food Safety, Procurement, Finance, and Development.
  • Represent Food Lifeline in meetings with partner agencies, coalitions, funders, and community stakeholders as needed.
  • Support grant development and reporting by providing programmatic data, narratives, and subject-matter expertise.

• Secondary Functions
  • Work cross functionally and collaborate cross departmentally
  • Cover work schedules and shifts as needed.
  • Conduct one-off and ongoing research projects to support organizational goals and strategy as assigned.
  • Other duties as assigned by supervisor.

This position:

• Performs regular and recurring work situations with occasional variances from the norm.
• Has a moderate to high level of work complexity.
• Operates from established and well-known procedures.
• Performs work under minimal-moderate supervision.
• Decisions are made within prescribed…