Chief Finance & Operations Office

HOT BREAD KITCHEN

CHIEF FINANCE & OPERATIONS OFFICER

https://hotbreadkitchen.org/

 

The Organization: Since 2008, Hot Bread Kitchen has empowered New Yorkers who face barriers to economic opportunity to build transformative careers in the city’s vibrant food industry. Through job skills training, customized job placement, food entrepreneurship programs, and wraparound supports, we open pathways to economic mobility for people across all five boroughs. The food industry—one of New York City’s largest and most dynamic sectors—offers immense potential for career growth and business ownership, and Hot Bread Kitchen ensures that our members can access all of these opportunities.

 

Investing in breadwinners. Transforming lives.

 

Hot Bread Kitchen has grown exponentially over the past four years. With headquarters in Chelsea Market, programs in four boroughs, and a team of 70, we now support a community of Breadwinners that has grown to nearly 3,000 strong, including 800 food entrepreneurs. We support members as they find careers and build agency, self-determination, and community. Our high quality employer partners, now 300+ strong, hire our talented graduates and partner with us collaboratively to support our mission. Through our programs and a holistic ecosystem of support, our members transform their lives and careers to achieve transformative economic mobility.

 

We reach New Yorkers directly while also working to break down the barriers that hold them back, by providing:

 

• Transformative Economic Opportunity Skill-building and resources to prepare individuals for careers rich with opportunity and small business ownership

• Partnership-based Ecosystem of Support Collaborative partnerships that extend our impact and help people go even farther

• Social Capital and a Community of Peers Current program participants and alumni make connections to build their careers, and are lifelong members of Hot Bread Kitchen

• Equitable Food Jobs Quality jobs in NYC’s vibrant food industry that provide living wages, stable hours, advancement opportunities, safety and a sense of purpose and dignity

• More detail on our impact can be found here, and and overview of the 2025-2027 Strategic Plan can be found here.

 

The Role

 

Location: New York, NY (Chelsea Market) Hybrid position with the flexibility to work remotely. Regular in-person attendance is required weekly for departmental needs and events, averaging 3-4 times per week.

 

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

 

Overview:

 

Hot Bread Kitchen seeks a strategic, action-oriented and mission-driven Chief Financial & Operations Officer (CFOO) to continue to strengthen the organization’s financial health, operational efficiency, and internal infrastructure as the it scales both operations and impact.

 

This position will report to the Chief Executive Officer and work closely with other members of the Executive Team and outsourced functions, taking an active role in planning for, and executing, Hot Bread Kitchen’s future growth.

 

The CFOO is responsible for leading the finance, operations/facilities, risk management, information technology and human resources functions, ensuring Hot Bread Kitchen has the resources, culture, systems, processes, and strategic foresight to effectively manage its growth and deepen its impact across New York City.

 

Key Responsibilities:

 

Organizational & Strategic Leadership:

 

• Act as a close partner to the CEO, and a cross-functional collaborator, proactive problem solver, team builder and strategist, supporting organizational planning and risk management.

• Model long-term strategic plans and implement disciplined organizational change, based on data that include actionable steps to ensure timely execution.

• Lead and support efforts to ensure that infrastructure and processes effectively underpin organizational growth, maintaining operational excellence, and balancing speed with sound judgment.

• In collaboration with the Executive Team, help identify areas of focus, and metrics for success. Make informed decisions based on data and strategic context.

• Mentor and empower a group of experienced professionals, entrusting and amplifying their work.

• Partner with the CEO and Executive Team to continue to develop an organizational environment and culture of respect, collaboration, entrepreneurialism and results-driven mutual accountability, reflecting Hot Bread Kitchen’s values, mission and vision.

 

Finance:

 

• Oversee outsourced and internal finance teams. Supervise budgeting, forecasting, and compliance.

• Oversee and improve, as needed, a robust system of financial policies, procedures, and standards.

• Develop and manage the annual budget, with revenue sourcing mainly from private funders, in collaboration with key internal and outsourced partners.

• Oversee financial modeling to inform decision-making, long-term planning and sustainability.

• Ensure budgets for a large volume of private and public funding proposals are completed accurately and timely, and that donor and government grant reporting is compliant.

• Oversee the preparation of regular financial reports. Ensure financial data is presented succinctly, and to support strategic analysis and decision-making.

• Maintain and optimize financial systems, to ensure reporting efficiency.

• Ensure annual audit and IRS 990 preparation and compliance with GAAP and nonprofit regulations.

• Lead financial modelling to support decision-making for myriad opportunities for new programs and growth including, potentially, social enterprise models.

 

Risk Management, Legal and Compliance:

 

• Identify, mitigate and manage organizational risk across all operations.

• Oversee the enterprise risk management system, including tracking of risk mitigation strategies and response plans. Manage the administration of all insurance policies.

• Oversee all compliance activities including, but not limited to, government and other filings, governance documents, and liability management.

• Act as the primary liaison with external attorneys on various matters. Review and engage in strategic decision-making with respect to all legal matters.

 

Operations & Facilities:

 

• Lead planning and implementation of space and resource allocation to meet program needs in a time of significant organizational growth and an expanding real estate portfolio.

• Provide strategic leadership as operations evolve to meet the needs of a growing organization (e.g., growth plans, real estate, resource allocation, space usage, etc.)

• Build and implement plans and processes, using technology when possible, to manage operations and facility usage, in coordination with program schedules and and a large volume of events.

• Manage all contracts, leases, vendors and service agreements, ensuring efficient use of resources.

• Manage all facility operations in partnership with building management to ensure code compliance, safety, and usability.

• Ensure cleanliness and safety of all Hot Bread Kitchen facilities at all times.

• Coordinate with building security teams to ensure safety protocols are current and effective.

 

Human Resources:

 

• Foster a high-morale organizational culture that emphasizes respect, collaboration, results, high performance, entrepreneurialism and agility in meeting the organization’s mission and growth goals.

• Provide impactful supervision to the internal human resources team and external PEO, to ensure highquality recruiting and onboarding; sound compensation policies; and compliance.

• Champion Hot Bread Kitchen’s values and focus on supporting diverse working styles through professional development activities.

• Oversee staff recruitment, onboarding, training and workforce planning to meet organizational needs.

• Oversee payroll and benefits administration to ensure timely and accurate processing.

• Maintain and update human resources policies and performance management systems.

• Ensure compliance with federal, state, and local labor laws.

 

Information Technology:

 

• Work with outsourced provider and Director of Data and Systems to oversee IT functions, ensuring a robust set of tools and systems that meet the evolvoing needs of the organization.

• Oversee administration of business-critical platforms. Lead the implementation of enterprise-wide artificial intelligence tools to support efficiency.

• Ensure data security and compliance with digital privacy regulations; develop and maintain contingency and disaster recovery plans.

 

The Leader

 

The ideal candidate for this role will be a mission-driven executive with excellent strategic and financial acumen, exceptional people skills, and the operational expertise to ensure discipline and structure while minimizing complexity and focusing on user experience.

 

Strong candidates for this role will possess a majority of the following qualifications and attributes:

 

• Deep commitment to Hot Bread Kitchen’s mission values and goals

• 10+ years of senior management experience, including financial and multi-site operational leadership.

• Professional experience in the nonprofit sector is ideal; financial/operational/legal leadership in the private sector/social enterprise is welcomed if combined with significant nonprofit board exposure.

• Strong strategic acumen and analytical planning skills combined with an action-orientation.

• Demonstrated knowledge of nonprofit accounting and financial complicance principles, as well as financial management needs of a non-profit organization primarily funded by private sources.

• Expertise in financial planning and analysis, with ability to present data clearly to diverse audiences.

• Experience reviewing, negotiating and managing business and service contracts, leases, developing and overseeing budgets, and managing audits.

• Success in managing human resources function and ensuring values alignment in a growing team.

• Experience implementing and managing enterprise systems (with preference for expertise in Google suite, Asana, Salesforce and Slack).

• Excellent communication and presentation skills; enjoys effectively engaging with board members, staff, and partners; thrives in a workplace with a high degree of transparency and communication.

• Strong cross-functional collaborator with excellent people leadership and hands-on management skills, and a track record of empowering and amplifying a diverse group of professionals.

• Confident partner who can pivot between long-term vision and day-to-day execution, offering strategic pushback and supporting dynamic decision-making.

• Strong results-driven project management skills and the ability to effectively set priorities, monitor performance, execute on time, and multi-task.

• Ability to work nimbly and creatively with a “roll your sleeves up” and entrepreneurial mentality.

• Strong people leadershipand performance management skills; known for listening and building trust.

• Sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to navigate sensitive issues with integrity.

• MBA, CPA, or equivalent advanced degree preferred.

 

Compensation & Benefits:

 

Salary range is $200,000-$210,000 per annum, commensurate with experienceplus a benefits package that includes:

 

• Subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance (available from day one!)

• Employer-sponsored 401K contributions for full-time employees

• Days of paid office closure (including observed holidays, winter break, and staff appreciation days)

• Flexible vacation time

• Generous sick and paid family leave

• Pre-tax commuter benefits

• 6-week sabbatical program (after 5 years)

 

Hot Bread Kitchen’s Values:

 

• Commitment: We are driven by a feeling of commitment to support our members, teammates, and partners as best as we can.

• Equity: Our culture of equity comes from the many cooks in our kitchen and the diversity of perspectives we each bring.

• Respect: We believe that respect goes a long way in making people feel welcome, accepted, and celebrated.

• Connection: We seek out opportunities for connection and become a stronger team by being in community, prioritizing candor over consensus.

• Entrepreneurialism: The pace of our work and velocity of change can be quick; our entrepreneurialism helps us take optimistic risks and pursue inventive solutions.

 

Hot Bread Kitchen is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against applicants based on race, religion, color, disability, medical condition, legally protected genetic information, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity or expression, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions), age, veteran status or other legally protected characteristics.

 

Any applicant with a mental or physical disability who requires an accommodation during the application process should contact hr@hotbreadkitchen.org to request such an accommodation.

 

Qualified candidates should submit their resume and a thoughtful cover letter to:

 

Tory Clarke

Partner, Bridge Partners

tory.clarke@bridgepartnersllc.com

 

Neeta Mehta

Partner, Bridge Partners

neeta.mehta@bridgepartnersllc.com

 

Priority will be given to applications submitted by December 1st 2025 although we will continue to receive and review applications until the position is filled..