Program Manager - Opportunity Overview
At Canadian Food Innovation Network, we are committed to being the best, and that starts with finding the best people. We have built a team of extraordinary people working across Canada; we are problem solvers, risk takers, innovators, and thought leaders that take our work building Canada’s fastest growing food innovation community seriously but have fun doing it. We challenge ourselves to get smarter and sharper every day; we value personal and professional growth and believe in rewarding and celebrating our successes.
The Program Manager is responsible for supporting and guiding peer cohort participants, funding program applicants and recipients as they engage with the Network through these programs. Based in OntarioCanada, the ideal candidate is creative, agile, and forward-thinking
This is a contract position starting February 2025 and ending April 2027. The successful candidate will receive comprehensive benefits and 3 weeks vacation annually. The role reports to VP Partnerships & Development and works closely with Member Services and Programs Teams. While this role is remote first, work from home, travel will be required on occasion.
About the Canadian Food Innovation NetworkThe Canadian Food Innovation Network (CFIN) is the most dynamic, national, member-based organization dedicated to advancing Canada's food business ecosystem. We’re focused on becoming the ultimate solution centre for Canada’s food industry—fostering collaboration, innovation, and growth for companies of all sizes.
Joining CFIN means becoming part of a high performing team that connects industry leaders, researchers, and innovators to solve pressing challenges, drive transformative ideas, and create sustainable solutions that enhance competitiveness and productivity in the food sector.
What Makes CFIN Stand Out?
· Collaborative Ecosystem: We excel at building partnerships that unite diverse collaborators to transform innovative ideas into impactful solutions.
· Focus on Impact: CFIN champions commercialization projects that push the boundaries of food science, technology, and sustainability, delivering real solutions to the food industry’s toughest challenges.
· Industry-Led Initiatives: Guided by input from our members, Innovation Advisory Council, and Board of Directors, we design funding programs, tools, workshops, and resources that empower innovators to break through barriers.
Who you are:
You are ancreative and innovative individual, with community building and problem solving skills. You can see the big picture and incorporate organizational strategy into your day-to-day work. You can manage your time well and work effectively in a collaborative, fast paced, agile, and sometimes high-pressure environment. You are curious and want to find better, novel, more innovative ways to solve business problems.
What you’ll be doing:
· Recruit and coordinate mentors, partners, speakers and coaches for 12-week peer mentorship cohorts for Southern Ontario foodtech companies;
· Manage contracts, budgetary allocations and vendor expenses, in partnership with finance;
· Oversees cohort application intakes, presents applicants to project leadership team for the selection of participants;
· Assists the Regional Innovation Director (Ontario), with the promotion of the program cohorts and funding intakes;
· Supports the Programs and Communications teams with the creation of program materials, such as articles, presentations, discussion posts;
· Community management activities for an online micro-community of entrepreneurs and CFIN members;
· Guides applicants through the application process; responsible for receiving applications and performing the initial screening of applications, works with the Program Specialist in coordinating comments to applicants;
· Assists in the logistics of the funding application review process, ensuring documents are accessible by the reviewers;
· Communicates with CFIN members and partners via phone and email.
What you bring:
· Post-secondary education in business administration, program management or related discipline, or equivalent education and work experience;
· Minimum of 3 years work experience with a focus in program outreach and management, preferably in economic development or industry association settings;
· Requires strong service-orientation focus;
· Requires the ability to maintain professional attitude while dealing with individuals of all backgrounds and levels of authority and in particular, sound judgement of when to escalate more complex matters;
· Requires experience working with the Microsoft Office products suite; Zoom Meetings, and experience working with Zoho CRM or a similar Customer Relationship Management (CRM);
· General exposure to entrepreneurship programs, business supports, the technology and innovation sectors would be considered an asset;
· A general understanding of the food manufacturing, food service, or grocery retail sectors be considered an asset;
· Bilingualism (English and French) is an asset.
Why join us?
This is a unique opportunity to join a winning team during an exciting time of growth. At CFIN, you’ll play a vital role in shaping the future of food in Canada and be part of a forward-thinking, purpose-driven organization where your contributions will make a tangible impact on the industry. Together, we’ll build a more innovative, sustainable, and competitive food ecosystem.
The Canadian Food Innovation Network is an equal opportunity employer. To attract and serve a strong national membership base, CFIN embraces diversity in all its forms including personal, geographical, sectoral, etc. We deliver services equitably in both official languages and using multiple communication formats to ensure inclusivity.
Apply today and let’s transform the future of food—together!
Please send resume and cover letter to HRCrystal@cfin-rcia.ca
Note: We thank all applicants for their interest but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
