Executive Director, Local Food Distributor

Context

The Common Market is a nonprofit social enterprise working to build a more resilient and equitable food system. Through regional chapters, we connect family farmers to the people and institutions that need their food the most — schools, hospitals, universities, and community organizations.

Our Southeast Chapter, headquartered in Atlanta, serves Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina, partnering with dozens of regional producers and institutional buyers to advance health, wealth, and sustainability across the region.

As The Common Market enters its next phase of national growth, we seek a dynamic, entrepreneurial Executive Director to lead the Southeast Chapter — overseeing operations, sales, and community partnerships while representing the organization as a trusted regional leader in values-based procurement and local food distribution.

Role Description

As the senior leader of The Common Market Southeast, the Executive Director drives the region’s strategy, culture, and performance — ensuring excellence in operations, growth in sales and partnerships, and alignment with our national mission and values.

This leader brings together people, systems, and vision to ensure that the Southeast Chapter operates with both heart and discipline. They oversee a diverse team across warehouse operations, logistics, and partnerships; manage the Chapter’s P&L; and nurture relationships with farmers, institutional customers, and community partners.

A collaborative member of The Common Market’s national leadership team, the Executive Director ensures that the Southeast Chapter contributes powerfully to the organization’s impact nationwide — demonstrating what an equitable, regional food system can achieve.

Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a mission-driven business leader who combines operational excellence with strategic insight and deep community engagement. They are equally comfortable walking the warehouse floor, meeting with a hospital system’s foodservice director, or representing The Common Market at a statewide food policy summit.

They are a skilled manager and communicator who can inspire a team, build trusted relationships, and execute with discipline. They understand the complex intersections of food systems, supply chains, health, and equity — and they thrive on making them work better for all.

Snapshot of the Ideal Candidate

Operational Leader: Skilled in managing complex supply chains, warehouse operations, and logistics with a focus on food safety, quality, and efficiency.

Business Strategist: Understands financial performance, margin and sales team management, and growth; experienced in social enterprise or mission-driven business.

Relationship Builder: Builds authentic, trust-based relationships with farmers, institutional customers, and partners across sectors.

Collaborative Coach: Leads through partnership and empowerment; builds confidence and accountability across diverse teams.

Community Champion: Deeply committed to equity, sustainability, and strengthening regional food economies.

Results-Oriented Manager: Sets clear goals, tracks performance, and ensures that strategy translates into measurable outcomes.

Professional Foundation: 7–10+ years in operations, sales, or general management; experience managing P&L, leading teams of 10+ staff; background in food systems, logistics, or distribution preferred; nonprofit or social enterprise experience a plus.

Who This Role Is Not For

This role may not be the right fit for candidates who:

• Prefer strategy over execution.
  This is a hands-on leadership role that requires daily engagement with operational realities—warehouse performance, delivery challenges, staffing issues, and food safety compliance—not just high-level planning or vision setting.
• Have not led frontline teams in operational environments.
  Candidates whose leadership experience is primarily in policy, advocacy, fundraising, or program management—without direct responsibility for warehouse, logistics, or distribution teams—are unlikely to find this role aligned with their strengths.
• Are uncomfortable owning revenue outcomes.
  The Executive Director is accountable for regional financial performance. This role requires comfort setting revenue goals, making tradeoffs, supporting sales execution, and responding when targets are missed—not solely relationship management or external representation.
• Expect operations to be fully delegated.
  While this role leads through strong managers, it requires deep operational fluency and active oversight. Success depends on understanding systems, constraints, and risks well enough to intervene when needed.
• Seek a traditional nonprofit Executive Director role.
  This position operates at the intersection of mission and market. Candidates who prefer grant-driven models without commercial complexity, or who are uncomfortable balancing margin, pricing, and customer needs alongside impact goals, may find this role challenging.
• Are motivated primarily by autonomy rather than collaboration.
  The Executive Director works closely with national operations, sales, and development teams and within a peer cohort of Chapter leaders. Candidates seeking full regional independence without shared systems or accountability will likely be frustrated.

Position Description

Organizational Leadership

• Lead the Southeast Chapter’s team — including operations, sales, and customer service — with a focus on collaboration, accountability, and growth.
• Partner with the National Operations, Sales, and Development teams to align goals, systems, and processes across the organization.
• Champion a culture of safety, learning, and inclusion; ensure team members are engaged, supported, and developed.
• Serve as the public face of The Common Market Southeast, representing the organization to funders, policymakers, and community leaders.

Operations and Performance

• Ensure the efficient operation of the Atlanta warehouse and regional logistics network, maintaining compliance with all food safety, DOT, and operational standards.
• Oversee fulfillment, transportation, and inventory management to ensure on-time, high-quality delivery to customers.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with producers and food hubs across the Southeast to strengthen supply chains and expand product offerings.
• Drive continuous improvement in efficiency, accuracy, and safety through data and disciplined systems.

Sales, Partnerships, and Philanthropy

• Develop and execute regional sales strategies to achieve revenue goals and expand institutional partnerships (schools, hospitals, universities, and distributors).
• Partner with the national Sales and Development teams to cultivate philanthropic relationships that advance the Chapter’s mission and sustain local programmatic initiatives (e.g., food access programs, farm capacity-building, community partnerships).
• Serve as a trusted and persuasive ambassador for The Common Market’s mission, connecting philanthropic and market partners to opportunities for impact in the region.
• Support the Sales teams in cultivating and retaining key customers, ensuring satisfaction, retention, and long-term growth.

Financial Stewardship

• Manage the Chapter’s P&L, ensuring sustainable financial performance aligned with mission impact.
• Prepare and monitor annual budgets; forecast revenue and expenses; and ensure fiscal discipline and transparency.
• Collaborate with the national team on funding opportunities, grants, and programmatic partnerships.

Strategic and External Engagement

• Serve as a thought leader and advocate for regional food systems, representing The Common Market in coalitions and public forums.
• Partner with other Chapter Executive Directors to share learnings, build consistency, and strengthen the national network.
• Contribute to national strategy discussions, helping to shape The Common Market’s evolution as a national organization rooted in local relationships.

Requirements

• Qualifications
• Minimum 7–10 years of progressive leadership in operations, supply chain, food distribution, or mission-driven enterprise.
• Demonstrated success leading teams, managing budgets, and delivering measurable performance outcomes.
• Strong relationship management skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Financial acumen and comfort with P&L oversight, budgeting, and reporting.
• Familiarity with Salesforce, inventory management systems, and warehouse management software a plus.
• Deep commitment to food systems change, racial equity, and community wealth-building.
• Location & Travel
• Based in Atlanta, GA, with regular presence at the regional warehouse.
• Regional travel required (approximately 20–30%) across Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Benefits

• $130k annually
• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (SIMPLE IRA with 100% employer match)
• Life Insurance (100% Employer Paid Life, AD&D, Short Term and Long Term Disability)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Training & Development