Food Partnerships

**Location**:(Hybrid) Quest Outreach Society, 2020 Dundas Street, East Vancouver

**Hours**: 15-20 hours/week
**Contract Length**: 6 months (with potential for renewal)
**Compensation**: $55 -$65/hour (commensurate with experience) + incentive structure tied to acquisition targets
**Start Date**: Summer 2025

**About Quest**: Quest Outreach Society exists to disrupt cycles of food insecurity through access to healthy and affordable food. By bridging the gap between food banks and grocery stores, Quest provides a shopping experience for those in need based on principles of dignity, access and sustainability.

**The Opportunity**

Quest is seeking a strategic, persuasive, and highly personable **Food Partnerships & Acquisition Consultant** to join our team on a part-time contract basis. This role is ideal for someone with deep knowledge of BC’s food industry, supply chain relationships, and sales or partnership development.

As Quest’s lead consultant responsible for donor engagement and food donation acquisition, you’ll play a pivotal role in securing and sustaining meaningful partnerships that drive consistent, high-quality food donations. This role is externally focused and relationship-intensive — ideal for someone who thrives on outreach, storytelling and tangible impact.

You will manage and nurture Quest’s existing food donor portfolio while actively identifying new partnership opportunities based on high-need food categories as identified by Quest Management. You’ll lead donor communications, manage recognition efforts, and promote special food campaigns with partners such as the annual Holiday Hamper campaign and Repack program.

Once a food donation is secured, Quest’s logistics team takes over scheduling and distribution, allowing you to focus on growth, engagement and strategic acquisition.

**Key Responsibilities**

**Food Donor Acquisition & Stewardship**
- Act as Quest’s lead external representative responsible for acquiring new food donations while working to maintain relationships with Quest’s existing food donors through consistent, meaningful communication.
- Manage donor communications to track outreach, touchpoints and engagement.
- Use Quest’s internal database and other management tools to maintain detailed records of donor activity, conversations and preferences.
- Proactively identify and pursue new food donors across the supply chain: manufacturers, processors, distributors, retailers, farms, transport/logistics companies and other food service providers.
- Prioritize outreach based on high-demand food categories, informed by Quest’s leadership and client communities.
- Build and work with persuasive outreach materials tailored to each potential partner.
- Represent Quest at partner meetings, facility tours, sector events and trade-related networking opportunities.
- Promote Quest campaigns like the Holiday Hamper campaign, Repack program and seasonal or emergency food drives.
- Highlight opportunities for corporate engagement, volunteer days and private partner events.
- Develop and implement recognition strategies for recurring, new and high-impact donors.
- Ensure a smooth partner experience from the first touchpoint to acquisition hand-off with Quest’s food logistics team.
- Collaborate with the Executive Director and Quest leadership to deepen partner relationships and surface opportunities for additional support.

**Qualifications & Skills**

**Education & Experience**
- Post-secondary education in food systems, sales, marketing, communications, fundraising or a related field preferred.
- Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in partnerships, sales, food logistics, food industry relations or business development.
- Existing relationships in the BC food industry and knowledge of the agri-food sector considered a strong asset.

**Core Competencies**
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills — highly persuasive, confident and community-oriented.
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through.
- Self-directed with the ability to manage multiple priorities and outreach streams.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook); CRM experience an asset.
- Knowledge of food safety regulations and donor compliance is preferred.
- Valid Class 5 driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle is helpful.

**How We Work**
- 15-20 hours/week with flexible scheduling.
- Hybrid role with a mix of remote work, local travel and occasional on-site presence.
- Occasional evening or weekend hours may be required for tours, donor events or recognition activities.
- A Quest-issued phone and computer must be used for all partner-related communications to support centralized tracking and stewardship.
- Your cover letter and/or letter of introduction outlining why you are interested in the role.
- Your resume.

**Application deadline**: 12 PM (Noon), **Friday, July 11, 2025.**

**Thank you for your interest in working with Quest**

**Job Types**: Part-tim