Description

Mothers' Milk Bank Northeast is a nonprofit human donor milk bank, providing the critical medical resource of screened and pasteurized donor milk to hospitalized medically fragile babies. We seek an experienced leader to oversee our operations, ensuring that the core competencies of receiving and storing donor milk, pasteurizing milk, microbiological testing (at a third-party lab), IT and data operations, human resources and team culture, and facilities oversight and management all run smoothly and effectively. This requires strict adherence to safety regulations, developing and maintaining systems to track supply and demand, and building a workplace culture that is both positive and committed to excellence. 

Our milk bank is experiencing rapid expansion in demand for our services, and we seek a leader who is excited to help us plan for strategic growth and be ready to roll up their sleeves as a key player in the execution of that plan, working closely with our board of directors and our whole staff team. The ideal candidate has a background in healthcare, lab sciences, public health, or food safety and is looking to work for a purpose-driven nonprofit. Exceptional staff management skills, meticulous attention to detail, data management, exemplary communication skills, experience in facility management, and a commitment to excellence are requirements of the role.  

Responsibilities: 

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Office, the Chief Operating Officer has the following responsibilities:

Pasteurization Laboratory Oversight:

• Supervision of all lab staff and/or supervisor(s) of lab staff, ensuring proper training, continuous quality improvement, positive teamwork, and adherence to all regulations.
• Oversee and track raw milk intake and safe storage, pasteurization lab operations, documentation and management of product, dispensation of product to clients, ensuring proper documentation and safety procedures are consistently in place. 
• Ensure adherence to all relevant regulations including Good Manufacturing Practices, FDA, Food Safety Program requirements, and Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) accreditation guidelines. Act as liaison to oversight bodies.
• Accountable for fiscal and production goals and managing to minimize waste, be responsive to client demand, and focus on continuous quality improvement. 
  Develop and maintain inventory and demand forecasting systems to promote steady operations able to respond to client demands.
• Assessment of current equipment and technology uses and implementation of new equipment and tech to promote better efficiency, better work experiences for staff, and complete compliance with health and safety regulations.

Partnerships, External Relations, Education, and Growth

• Stay abreast of current best practices in nonprofit milk banking and work with CEO to incorporate improvements into milk bank.
• Represent the milk bank, as requested, to promote understandings of human milk banking to wide range of stakeholders both at the milk bank, in meetings and conferences, and to the board of directors.

Physical Facility Management

• Manage physical facility ensuring adherence to safety, best hygiene practices, physical layout of operations, and incorporation of new technologies and equipment to improve practices.
• Manage physical cold storage units to promote access, organization, and accuracy.
• Identify new equipment needs and balance return on investment with budgetary realities
• Work with property managers and external vendors to resolve any facility or equipment issues that arise.
• Manage all inventory and supplies, ensuring we have all the necessary resources on hand and the work environment is optimally maintained.
• Work with other parties (both internal and external) to develop new facility layouts for improved and/or expanded operations and lead implementation once approved.
• Ensure FT business hours on-site coverage for emerging needs of physical operations
• Ensure coverage for off hours emergency issues

People and Culture

• Lead organizational efforts to promote a positive and inclusive workplace.
• Ensure milk bank employee policies are adhered to and regularly review for necessary updates (with expert HR advice when needed).
• Provide for all staff a strong day-to-day leadership presence and support an open-door policy among all staff.

Information Technology and Data

• Liaison with IT consultants and ensure that IT needs of the organization are fully met and security protocols are managed.
• Ensure that documentation and data systems are established and maintained enabling the effective use of data driven decision making.
• Develop dashboards and reports for a wide range of internal and external stakeholders providing visibility into operations and developing proposals for future quality improvement and growth.

General Administration

• Close collaboration with all other team leaders and staff throughout the organization, ensuring that operations are aligned with and supportive to all other divisions and programs at the milk bank.
• Shared leadership commitment to high staff morale, accountability and positive work culture.
• Develop and share regular data reports to manage milk supply, operational efficiency and safety, and forecast.
• Participate in setting budget projections, adhere to approved budget, Manage budget, track expenses, maintain records, and assess current and future expenditures to ensure balance of necessary tools with fiscal responsibility.
• Optimize the purchasing program to ensure we have high quality supplies at the best possible rate.

Other duties as required.

Requirements

Core Competencies:

• Strategic thinking: Ability to think strategically, anticipate future consequences and trends, and incorporate them into actionable organizational plans.
• Capacity building: Ability to effectively build organization and staff capacity, developing a top-notch workforce and the processes to ensure smooth and sustainable operations.
• Talent development: Ability to inspire and manage teams, foster accountability, and develop leaders by recognizing individual strengths and empowering staff to succeed.
• Management under uncertainty: Ability to take initiative and lead with energy and confidence, embracing challenges, and guiding teams through ambiguity.
• Decision making: Ability to make sound decisions and consistently deliver measurable outcomes by balancing strategic goals with budget realities, applying strong financial and operational judgment, and leveraging problem-solving and project management skills.
  

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree required + minimum of 10 years professional experience overall, with a minimum of 5 years senior leadership experience including extensive supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience in regulatory compliance and safety management required.
• Demonstrated data management and analysis.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Computer skills including MS Office Suite and familiarity with databases. Knowledge of Salesforce a plus.
• Strong collaboration and communication abilities.
• Preventive Controls Qualified Individual (PCQI), ServSafe, and Food Safety Manager certifications required, can be fulfilled upon hiring.
• Good sense of humor and flexibility a huge plus.