Executive Director, Food Industry Technician Program, Inc.

Job Title: Executive Director, Food Industry Technician Program, Inc.

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Type: Full-Time Exempt

Reports To: CEO, Food Production Solutions Association

About the Food Industry Technician Program:

The Food Industry Technician Development Program (FIT, Inc) is an independent company that trains workers for careers as technicians within food production equipment manufacturers or food processing companies. It is solely owned by the Food Production Solutions Association (FPSA). The 12-week FIT training program is conducted in partnership with Lincoln Technical Institute at its Indianapolis, IN campus. Successful graduates participate in hiring events hosted by FIT. Firms seeking to hire graduates from the FIT program are required to be a member of the FPSA.

FIT, Inc. was developed with support and funding from the Food Production Solution Association and the FPSA has controlling ownership of FIT, Inc. The new FIT Executive Director will be hired as an FPSA employee and will be able to receive all benefits available to FPSA staff.

Position Summary:

The FIT program is poised for growth. With a proven curriculum and high satisfaction from hiring firms, FIT graduates men and women who begin well-paying jobs with career growth options in the large and evolving US food production industry. It is the only program of its kind in the country that features hands-on training on over 40 types of equipment at its Indianapolis campus.

FIT, Inc is seeking an experienced and visionary Executive Director, who will lead efforts to grow the program. The new Executive Director will have latitude to consider all aspects of the current business model and bring vision and creativity to the development of an expansion strategy.

The FIT Inc. Executive Director oversees and manages all aspects of the Food Industry Technician (“FIT”) Program. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Determining strategies for the continued financial health and expansion of the program.
• Hiring, directing, and managing all FIT Inc. staff, contractors, and instructors.
• Liaison and contracting with the Lincoln Tech educational provider.
• Curriculum development, training syllabus, and programming activities.
• Operational Activities: student and sponsor recruitment, hosting hiring events; student interviews; employer visits, program reporting, etc.
• Marketing Activities: program promotion, serving as the program spokesperson, FIT website, and social media maintenance, advertising, etc.
• Financial Activities: developing budgets, accounting, auditing, financial reporting, maintaining contractual relations with Lincoln Tech, etc.,
• Expansion of Program: Use of additional campuses/locations, donation of equipment, creation of additional training programs, etc.,
• Developing service agreements and maintaining liaison with FPSA and its resources.

Essential Job Functions:

Strategic Vision:

• Develop a forward plan for FIT program expansion and profitability.
• Examine the FIT and Lincoln Tech relationship to determine if it needs modification that will allow for program expansion and profitability.
• Coordinate FIT educational focus, industry skill needs, and marketing synergy with FPSA to ensure FIT compliments FPSA strategic direction.
• Create and provide performance metrics/documents/materials that will periodically be reported
  to the FPSA and FIT Boards.

Curriculum:

• Stewardship and further development of the FIT, Inc curriculum. Implement a program of continuous feedback and renewal to ensure emphasis on skills needed by hiring firms, technically advanced instruction, and continued recognition in the marketplace.
• Investigate and adopt new learning models and technologies as applicable.

Marketing, Student Intake, and Job Fair

• Manage all marketing of the program in trade press, within Lincoln Tech, and at relevant trade shows. Coordinate with the FPSA marketing department.
• Examine marketing and student intake processes to improve flow, quality, and retention of students.
• Ensure job fairs receive a high number of hiring companies. Optimize pricing model.

Budget & Reporting

• Develop and manage budgets for the FIT program.
• Create and execute a roadmap that results in all accounting, financial, tax, and business reporting being performed with FIT resources. Ensure records are kept, and Federal, state, and local filing requirements are met.

• Hold quarterly reviews with the FIT Board.

Staffing

• Hire and manage all FIT staff and contractors.

Qualifications:

The ideal candidate for this position will have:

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field such as education, instructional design or engineering. An MBA is a plus.
• Experience in a senior position successfully leading and/or directing technical training and development program or a small business similar to FIT.
• Prior profit and loss responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience in development of training programs, materials, and syllabi.
• A creative, entrepreneurial mindset. Able to envision different models for training delivery, partnerships, or different markets to enable the program to grow.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

This position is based in Indianapolis, IN with occasional travel required to the FPSA headquarters in McLean, Virginia, and trade shows in various parts of the country, and Lincoln Tech campuses in various parts of the country.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to conduct significant hours of work at a computer with reasonable accommodation(s) is required.

Reasonable Accommodation:

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

Location & Work Environment:

This position has a hybrid home and campus work location. There is office space available with the FIT program at the Lincoln Tech Campus in Indianapolis, Indiana but remote work is also possible.

Compensation & Benefits:

Compensation for this position is $220,000 plus performance bonus

FPSA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Matching 401k plan
• AD&D and life insurance

EEO Statement

FPSA is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth and pregnancy-related conditions), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws and ordinances. FPSA's management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs and general treatment during employment.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by the individual(s) assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required. Management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties and to assign other duties as necessary. In addition, reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.