Company description

CitySeed provides wraparound support services for early-stage food businesses, designed to break down barriers and facilitate economic opportunity in Greater New Haven. Driven by our

commitment to an inclusive and vibrant local food system and entrepreneurial community, CitySeed services respond to the needs of aspiring or early-stage food truck operators, restaurateurs, caterers, and food manufacturers.

Job description

The Food Business Manager develops and coordinates these support services under the supervision of the Director of Food Business.
Responsibilities

• Serve as primary point of contact for food business owners seeking access to CitySeed-operated, shared-used commercial incubator kitchens
• Compliance and standard operations management
• Provide day-to-day kitchen oversight of safety, sanitation, and maintain relationships with city and state agencies to ensure adherence to all city and state requirements,
• Coordinate licensing and inspections of CitySeed kitchens
• Support licensing and permitting of potential kitchen users
• Facilitate intake and onboarding of new kitchen users
• Manage The Food Corridor platform to schedule kitchen access
• Maintain kitchen operations manual and develop new processes and systems as needed
• Monitor and log kitchen sanitation, equipment servicing, and supply stocks
• Monitor and revise kitchen operation MOUs

Food Business Training and Education

• Support development and coordinate implementation of training and education programs that facilitate the growth and development of incubating food businesses
• Support program development and coordinate logistics of CitySeed’s Food Business Accelerator (partners) and similar training programs
• Coordinate regular Food Safety training workshops
• Develop concepts, identify faculty, collaborate with partners, and coordinate logistics for other educational workshops focused on priorities identified by incubating food businesses and to advance organizational goals
• Identify, recruit, and support specialized faculty to teach training and workshop sessions
• Facilitate program participants’ connection with other CitySeed programs, services, and sales outlets

Market Access and Promotion

• Support development and coordinate implementation of CitySeed-sponsored food business vending events such as Friday Food Market
• Guide incubating businesses in Farmers Market vending
• Identify, collate, and communicate new and ongoing food businesses vending opportunities statewide
• Build relationships with retailers and markets for ventures to sell their CPG Food products or food services
• Maintain public-facing directory of incubating food businesses for community and business use
• Produce the CitySeed Food Business Incubator monthly newsletter
• Monitor social media of incubating food businesses and amplify successes on CitySeed socials(working closely with marketing manager)
• Write periodic profiles and success stories for CitySeed print and electronic communications

Advising and Resources

• Provide one-on-one advising sessions to incubating businesses and other food entrepreneurs seeking support
• Create and maintain the CitySeed Food Business Incubator email list
• Monitor, compile, and communicate food business development resources and opportunities, such as loans and grants, vending opportunities, training sessions
• Recruit and engage mentor food businesses to support and guide incubating food businesses
• Recruit, develop, and coordinate meetings of the CitySeed Food Business Incubator Advisory Board

Partnerships

• Represent CitySeed in related community-based committees and working groups
• Recruit a robust pipeline of food businesses and ventures through outreach and partnership development
• Maintain collaborative relationships with Greater New Haven community organizations and businesses
• Build relationships with other regional and national food business incubators

Data Management

• Track and analyze program data, measure and assess impact, and design and recommend data-informed program improvements
• Conduct surveys and develop data collection tools
• Prepare monthly and annual reports of food business incubation program data, trends, and outcomes
• Support planning for renovation of CitySeed headquarters into a shared-use commercial kitchen facility
• During planning, provide guidance on commercial kitchen operations, including coordination with planning consultants to identify equipment needs, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and develop operating frameworks
• Collect and analyze food entrepreneur input to guide building design and program plans

Other

• Support grants development and reporting implementation
• Develop flyers, forms, and other communication and data collection tools
• Represent CitySeed at community events, meetings, and conferences
• Perform additional administrative, kitchen, and outreach duties as needed

Required Qualifications

• Experience supporting early-stage entrepreneurs or small businesses and/or owning or operating a small business
• Knowledge of business planning and business finance
• Strong written communications skills including: creating pitch decks, writing proposals, and crafting outreach materials
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, including communicating clearly and effectively with diverse constituencies, and building and establishing new relationships
• Experience managing complex projects that require organization, attention to detail, and meeting deadlines
• Ability to take initiative, prioritize activities, and work independently and collaboratively
• Passion for community food systems work and commitment to racial and economic justice

Preferred Qualifications

• Food Safety Managers Certification (required for the role; can be obtained upon hire)
• Food sector experience such kitchen management, food manufacturing, and commercial
  kitchen permitting and licensing
• Understanding of Spanish and/or Arabic
• Familiarity with New Haven’s food system and food businesses

Details

Full-time, hybrid, with some evenings and weekends
Salary $50-55,000 depending on experience
Benefits include vacation and holidays, parental leave, 401k matching plan and a flexible work schedule.

Compensation

this position is: salaried, varies DOE, $50,000.00 - $55,000.00

Application instructions

Deadline

February 12, 2026