Agency Relations Compliance Manager

Job Title Description: Agency Relations Compliance Manager

Classification: Exempt

Reports To: Director of Agency Relations

Date Updated: August 2024

Position Summary

Northern Illinois Food Bank’s mission is to provide nutritious food and resources for our neighbors, with dignity, equity, and convenience, through partnerships and innovation. Working collaboratively with a community of donors, volunteers and community organizations, the Food Bank provides food across 13 northern Illinois counties each week. Our team members are committed to embodying neighbor-centric values in partnerships with our network, in all activities. The position provides partnership and guidance for our member agencies and regulatory compliance of the Food Bank programs.

Responsibilities

• Oversee member agency compliance including but is not limited to maintaining and updating:
  • Agency Membership contracts
  • Member Agency Policy, Procedure and Best Practices Manual
  • The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP/EFP) contracts
  • Agency monitoring
  • Member Agency Monthly Service Reports
  • Other federal and private grants
  • Direct Connect Program Policy
  • Service Insights Policy
• Collaborate with Food Procurement Team to identify food purchases using grant funding
• Collaborate with Director of Government Grants on Finance Team to ensure all grant requirements are in compliance.
• Provide training and guidance to Agency Relations Area Managers to ensure member agency compliance with: Feeding America; IRS codes; IDHS, local county Health Departments and other relevant sanctioning body’s operating guidelines, regulations, and rules. Must become thoroughly knowledgeable with Feeding America contract requirements.
• Manage the School Based Pantry (SBFP) and Campus Based Pantry (CBFP) program
• Assist with the development of the Agency Portal of the Network Resource Platform including but not limited to:
• Ensuring all agency contact information is updated in the Network Resource Platform (NRP)
• Ensuring all contracts are in the NRP
• All agency monitors and monitor outcomes are updated in NRP
• Provide leadership in food safety for the Food Bank as it relates to best practices and compliance for member agencies and Food Bank distribution programs. Collaborate with operations to regularly review and update guidelines and standard operating procedures.
• Oversee audit of Agency Relations programs by Feeding America and state government units and ensure we are adequately prepared for any audit.
• Maintain member agency files (electronic and hard copy), monthly service reports and ERP system agency master data. Review the work of colleagues when necessary to identify compliance issues and provide advice for training.
• Maintain regular compliance reports for the Food Bank and member agency compliance reporting related to Feeding America NAR reporting, EFP, and compliance KPI’s. Share reports with Director of Agency Relations and other stakeholders.
• Keep abreast of regulatory developments within or outside the Food Bank as well as evolving best practices in compliance control.
• Work collaboratively to transform data and information into insights and recommendations that improve services for neighbors. Special attention to issues of diversity, equity and inclusion.

Required Education and Experience

• Four-year degree in related area or equivalent experience
• Three to five years leadership experience
• Proficient in Microsoft and Google Office Suites
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong organization skills with emphasis on record keeping and compliance
• Strong customer focus
• Proven success in managing and motivating others

Preferred Education and Experience

• Familiarity with the concepts of inventory management
• Food Service Certification for the State of Illinois (will provide training and opportunity for certification if needed)
• Salesforce or other CRM experience

Competencies

• Strategic Thinking
• Strong Organizational Skills
• Strong Problem Solving/Analysis
• Results Driven
• Collaboration Skills
• Leadership
• Conflict Management

Supervisory Responsibility
This position has direct reports and is required to mentor and develop other junior team members. This position may also develop support volunteers.

Work Environment
This job operates approximately 80% in a professional office environment. The remainder of the time is in the field, on site at our member agencies helping maintain best practices. This role uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to frequently communicate with member agencies, community members, internal and external customers, and team members over the phone, through email, and in person. They should be able to move inside and outside on uneven surfaces, climb and descend stairs, identify, and count inventory, and fill out monitor forms. This would require the ability to move files and supplies to and from agency sites, open filing cabinets and bend or stand on a step ladder as necessary.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This position occasionally requires night and weekend work.

Position Location and Travel
This position is based out of our West Suburban Center (Geneva) Location with a requirement of up to 20% local travel.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI)

Northern Illinois Food Bank will embrace opportunities to stand in solidarity with our community and center the voices of those most impacted by systematic injustices. We affirm our commitment to anti-racism, to gender equity, to allyship, and to fairness as we work towards a hunger-free future and to create a better and more just world.

COVID Vaccination Policy

At Northern Illinois Food Bank, we take the health and safety of our employees, neighbors, and their loved ones very seriously. We have concluded that the best way to ensure the safety of these individuals is to require that all our employees be fully vaccinated for COVID-19. Please know that to become employed by NIFB (if otherwise eligible), you must provide satisfactory proof of vaccination. You will not be required to provide this proof unless and until you receive a formal job offer from NIFB. Please also know that NIFB will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals who cannot receive the COVID-19 vaccination because of a disability or a sincerely held religious belief, practice, observance, or pregnancy.

Background Check

All applicants who are offered employment with the Northern Illinois Food Bank will be subject to a background investigation. Offers of employment are contingent on the successful completion of a background investigation and drug test conducted in accordance with Northern Illinois Food Bank policy and state law.

Equal Opportunity Employment

Equal employment has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at Northern Illinois Food Bank where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, creed, color, marital status, sex, religion, national origin, class origin, nationality, age, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected class.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Salary Information

Department: 40

Pay Grade: 15