BUILD THE FUTURE OF REGIONAL FOOD SYSTEMS

 

Operations Manager
FarmFED Cooperative | Mt. Pulaski, IL

www.farmfedcoop.com 
 

Application Deadline: January 16, 2026
Email Resume, Cover Letter, and 3 Professional References to: farmfedjobs@gmail.com

Interviews: Through January, 2026

Start Date: February, 2026
 

FarrmFED Cooperative is an equal opportunity employer.

 

THE OPPORTUNITY

FarmFED is a start-up cooperative. We are looking for the right person to take us to the next level of processing locally, regeneratively grown food. Our mission is to connect Central Illinois consumers and producers for their mutual benefit, by cooperatively expanding processing infrastructure and market access for local farmers and other producers, and by providing our community with year-round access to locally produced, fresh, nutritious food. The Operations Manager will be the key to accomplishing this goal.

FarmFED has the model: local farmers growing quality produce, processing it right here in Central Illinois, and getting it into schools, hospitals, back to farmers, and onto grocery store shelves. We secured funding, equipment, and farmer partnerships. Now we need the person who will turn this promising pilot into a thriving enterprise.

 

As our first Operations Manager, you'll be the architect of our growth. You'll take a working proof-of-concept and scale it into something much bigger. You'll build the systems, train the teams, forge the partnerships, and create the operational infrastructure to support a robust local food supply chain that serves farmers and eaters across Central Illinois.

 

This is entrepreneurship within a cooperative structure. You'll have the autonomy to make decisions, the mandate to innovate, and the support of a committed Board of Directors, experienced consultants, and a network of university researchers and agricultural extension agents. You'll also have the satisfaction of knowing that your work directly supports farmers staying on their land, school lunches that taste good and nourish mind and body, and communities building wealth through buying local, nutritious food.

Mt. Pulaski is located 30 minutes from Springfield and 20 minutes from Lincoln in a region with a wide range of small farms producing high quality food.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

Create Processing Operations That Scale (70%)
You'll take our current manual processes and transform them into efficient, food-safe operations that can grow with demand. This means:

• Building your team: Hiring, training, and managing processing staff who share your commitment to quality and food safety

• Designing the systems: Creating workflow efficiencies, implementing HACCP protocols, and ensuring every product meets institutional standards

• Managing supply chains: Coordinating with farms on harvest timing, quality specs, and delivery schedules – then getting product to schools and stores on time

• Driving expansion: With your help, FarmFed will grow forward in equipment, space, and processes.

• You'll serve as the primary connection between our Board's strategic vision and the daily reality of food production, making sure we're building something sustainable and scalable.

 

Oversee Infrastructure & Administration (20%)
The details matter when you're building food infrastructure:

• Equipment strategy: Advise the board on what to buy, when to upgrade, and how to maintain our growing inventory

• Systems management: Keep refrigeration, freezers, and processing equipment running reliably

• Records and compliance: Maintain documentation that satisfies food safety regulations, financial requirements, and grant reporting

• Supply chain logistics: Manage inventory of packaging materials, cleaning supplies, and everything else that keeps operations running

 

Research & Evaluate Shared Kitchen Concept (10%)
The FarmFED commercial kitchen could be shared with other producers, but would that be beneficial to FarmFED’s mission?

• Research and assess the pros and cons of having a shared kitchen

• Develop deep working knowledge of applicable laws and regulations

• Evaluate logistical challenges of scheduling and enforcing food safety policies and procedures

 

WHO YOU ARE
 

You Have Education, or Experience, or Both in These Areas:

• Education: Bachelor's or graduate degree in Food Science, Agricultural Engineering, Culinary Arts, or a related field; and/or

• Experience: 3+ years management experience in food processing or food system operations

• Knowledge: Familiar with the local food and regenerative farming landscape

• Leadership: Proven ability to manage diverse teams, foster open communication and accountability with staff, and work independently while supporting organizational objectives

• Food Safety: Current Food Manager License is required

 

If you don’t fit squarely into one of these categories but still think you’d be a good fit, we want to hear from you.

 

You Have the Drive:

• Entrepreneurial mindset: You see problems as opportunities, and you're energized by building something new

• Systems thinker: You can zoom out to see the big picture of how FarmFED fits into the larger food landscape, then zoom in to fix the bottleneck on the processing line

• Mission alignment: You value local food systems, sustainable agriculture, and economic development that keeps wealth in communities

• Relationship builder: You can talk equally well with a tomato farmer, a school nutrition director, a foundation program officer, and a food safety inspector

 

You'll Thrive If You're Someone Who:

• Gets excited about operational challenges (How do we process 500 lbs of tomatoes more efficiently?)

• Wants to see tangible results (Those tomatoes ending up in a kid's lunch, on a hospital tray, or in a grocery bag!)

• Values collaboration but can make decisions independently

• Understands that great food systems require both passion and precision

• Wants to build something that will outlast you and benefit your community for generations

 

WHAT WE OFFER

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Compensation: $60,000-$65,000 annually (based on experience)

Benefits: Details of health insurance stipend and paid time off will be negotiated with final candidate

Location: Mt. Pulaski, IL (30 minutes from Springfield, 20 minutes from Lincoln)

Start Date: February, 2026

The Intangibles
 

• Autonomy: You'll have real decision-making authority and the support of the board.

• Impact: Every day, you'll see how your work supports farmers and feeds families. 

• Innovation: You'll help build infrastructure that doesn't exist anywhere else in the region. 

• Growth: As FarmFED grows, your role will grow – more products, more customers, more farmers, more impact.

• Community: You'll work with passionate farmers, dedicated educators, university researchers, and community leaders who all want this to succeed.

 

HOW TO APPLY
Send your resume, a cover letter, and three professional references to farmfedjobs@gmail.com as soon as possible.

 

Applications will be reviewed by real people, not an AI bot so your cover letter is important. In your cover letter, tell us:

1. What excites you about this opportunity, specifically

2. An example of when you built something new or significantly improved operations

3. Why local food systems matter to you

4. We are open to uniquely qualified candidates with experience that is relevant but may be outside the box. Please be specific about how many years of unique, relevant experience you have.

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Posted 12/21/2025