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Food Innovation Center Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Sodexo

Food Operations Manager 1

North Bethesda, MD · On-site

$67 - $87/hr

Strathmore is a nonprofit arts center in North Bethesda, MD, presenting hundreds of performances ... Creative mindset supporting culinary innovation, sustainability, and team engagement. Requirements

Sodexo Live!

Food Operations Manager 1

North Bethesda, MD · On-site

$67K - $87K/yr

Strathmore is a nonprofit arts center in North Bethesda, MD, presenting hundreds of performances ... Creative mindset supporting culinary innovation, sustainability, and team engagement. Requirements

Sodexo

Food Operations Manager 1

North Bethesda, MD · On-site

$67K - $87K/yr

Strathmore is a nonprofit arts center in North Bethesda, MD, presenting hundreds of performances ... Creative mindset supporting culinary innovation, sustainability, and team engagement. Requirements

Sodexo

Food Operations Manager 1

North Bethesda, MD · On-site

$67K - $87K/yr

Strathmore is a nonprofit arts center in North Bethesda, MD, presenting hundreds of performances ... Creative mindset supporting culinary innovation, sustainability, and team engagement. Requirements

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Food Innovation Center information

What is a Food Innovation Center?

A Food Innovation Center is a specialized facility dedicated to supporting the development, testing, and commercialization of new food products and technologies. These centers often provide resources such as research labs, commercial kitchens, packaging equipment, and expert guidance to food entrepreneurs and established companies. Their goal is to foster creativity, improve food safety and quality, and help bring innovative products to market. Food Innovation Centers are valuable for startups seeking to scale up production, meet regulatory requirements, or access technical expertise.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive at a Food Innovation Center?

To succeed at a Food Innovation Center, you need strong expertise in food science, product development, and quality assurance, often supported by a degree in food science, nutrition, or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, sensory analysis tools, and food safety certifications like HACCP is typically required. Creativity, collaboration, and strong problem-solving skills help professionals stand out in this innovative environment. These competencies are crucial for developing safe, appealing, and market-ready food products that meet industry regulations and consumer demands.

What are some typical collaborative projects that team members work on at a Food Innovation Center?

At a Food Innovation Center, team members often work together on projects such as developing new food products, improving existing recipes, and testing alternative ingredients for nutrition or sustainability. Collaboration with food scientists, chefs, marketing professionals, and packaging experts is common, ensuring that new products meet both quality standards and market demands. These cross-functional projects foster a creative environment and provide opportunities to learn from colleagues with diverse expertise.

What is the difference between Food Innovation Center vs Food Technologist?

AspectFood Innovation CenterFood Technologist
CredentialsTypically requires degrees in food science, culinary arts, or related fieldsRequires degrees or certifications in food science, technology, or related areas
Work EnvironmentResearch labs, product development kitchens, innovation hubsManufacturing facilities, laboratories, quality control departments
Employer & IndustryFood companies, research institutions, startups focused on new product developmentFood manufacturing companies, quality assurance labs, regulatory agencies

Food Innovation Centers focus on developing new food products and innovative solutions, often working in research and development environments. Food Technologists primarily ensure food safety, quality, and compliance in manufacturing settings. While both roles require food science knowledge, the Food Innovation Center emphasizes product creation and innovation, whereas Food Technologists focus on quality control and technical compliance.

What are popular job titles related to Food Innovation Center jobs in Washington?

For Food Innovation Center jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Food Innovation Center jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Food Innovation Center jobs in Washington are:

Food Innovation Center jobs near you
Infographic showing various Food Innovation Center job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 76% Full Time, and 24% Part Time. Highlights an 88% Physical, and 12% Remote job distribution.

Director of Communications

MANNA FOOD CENTER INC

Silver Spring, MD • On-site

$100K - $110K/yr

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago

Key responsibilities

  • Develop and implement Manna's enterprise communications strategy aligned with the strategic plan.

  • Collaborate across the organization to ensure internal and external messaging is coordinated, consistent, and aligned with Manna's mission and strategic priorities.

  • Prepare CEO speeches, testimony, board communications, and executive messaging, and coordinate speaking engagements and media interviews.

Job description

About Manna Food Center

Manna Food Center is one of Maryland's leading anti-hunger organizations, serving more than 10,000 families each month through innovative food access, nutrition, advocacy, and community partnership programs. As Manna continues to expand its regional impact, deepen its advocacy efforts, and strengthen partnerships across Montgomery and Prince George's Counties, strategic communications has become an essential organizational function.

Position Purpose

The Director of Communications serves as Manna Food Center's chief communications strategist and is responsible for protecting, advancing, and elevating the organization's reputation, voice, and influence. As a member of the Leadership Team, this individual develops and executes an enterprise-wide communications strategy that strengthens stakeholder trust, advances advocacy priorities, supports fundraising, enhances employee engagement, and positions Manna as a recognized leader in hunger relief and food security.

Why This Role Matters

Communications at Manna is more than marketing. It is a strategic function that aligns staff, informs the community, inspires philanthropy, strengthens partnerships, supports government relations, advances public policy, protects the organization's reputation, and tells the stories that demonstrate Manna's impact. The Director ensures every communication reinforces the organization's mission, values, and strategic priorities.

Leadership Philosophy

Lead with collaboration, transparency, innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, servant leadership, and a commitment to cross-functional partnership. Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership while building organizational trust through clear, timely, and authentic communications.

Strategic Areas of Responsibility1. Enterprise Communications Leadership
  • Develop and implement Manna's enterprise communications strategy aligned with the strategic plan.
  • Collaborate across the organization to ensure internal and external messaging is coordinated, consistent, timely, and aligned with Manna’s mission and strategic priorities, while telling compelling stories of participants, volunteers, donors, employees, and Manna’s broader community impact.
  • Partner with departments on campaigns, stewardship, annual reports, grants, and major gifts communications.
  • Develop communications standards, editorial calendars, messaging frameworks, and measurement dashboards.
2. Executive Communications & Thought Leadership
  • Prepare CEO speeches as needed, testimony, board communications, presentations, op-eds, and executive messaging.
  • Position executive leadership as trusted voices on hunger, food security, nonprofit leadership, and public policy.
  • Coordinate speaking engagements, conferences, podcasts, and media interviews.
3. Organizational Communications
  • Strengthen interdepartmental communication and organizational alignment.
  • Lead change management communications and executive updates.
  • Support employee engagement and culture through strategic internal communications.
4. Brand & Reputation Management
  • Protect and strengthen Manna's brand identity.
  • Maintain visual and messaging standards across all communications.
  • Monitor and proactively manage organizational reputation.
5. Government & Public Affairs
  • Support advocacy initiatives and legislative priorities.
  • Develop messaging for government partnerships and regional expansion.
  • Partner with the Vice President of Programs to support and amplify public education campaigns related to hunger, nutrition, and Manna’s broader community impact.
6. Media Relations
  • Build relationships with local, regional, and national media.
  • Develop proactive earned-media strategies.
  • Serve as lead communications contact during media opportunities and crises.
7. Digital Communications & Innovation
  • Oversee website, email, social media, digital campaigns, and analytics.
  • Recommend AI tools to improve content creation, workflow efficiency, analytics, and audience engagement.
  • Evaluate emerging communications technologies.
8. Crisis & Issues Management
  • Develop crisis communications plans and rapid response protocols.
  • Advise executive leadership during sensitive communications situations.
  • Monitor reputational risks and recommend mitigation strategies.
Leadership Expectations
  • Serve as a collaborative member of the Leadership Team.
  • Coach leaders on effective communications.
  • Drive innovation and continuous improvement.
  • Use data to guide communications decisions.
  • Represent Manna with professionalism and executive presence.
Decision-Making Authority
  • Enterprise communications strategy
  • Brand standards
  • Editorial calendar
  • Media strategy
  • Communications budget recommendations
  • Agency and vendor management
Performance Expectations
  • Implement an enterprise communications strategy in Year One.
  • Create processes that improve internal communications across departments.
  • Increase earned media, digital engagement, and thought leadership.
  • Establish crisis communications protocols.
  • Implement communications dashboards and workflows.
Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Public Relations, or related field.
  • 7+ years of progressively responsible communications leadership.
  • Exceptional writing and presentation skills.
  • Experience with nonprofit communications, advocacy, media relations, executive communications, and digital strategy preferred.
  • Experience using analytics and AI-enabled communications tools preferred.
Leadership Competencies
  • Strategic Vision
  • Executive Presence
  • Communication Excellence
  • Innovation
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Collaboration
  • Influence
  • Results Orientation
  • Adaptability
  • Accountability
  • Mission Leadership
  • Developing Others
Why Join Manna

This is an opportunity to shape the public voice of one of the region's fastest-growing and most innovative anti-hunger organizations. The Director of Communications will help tell stories that inspire action, influence policy, strengthen philanthropy, engage employees, and help build a future where every person has access to nutritious food with dignity.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Manna Food Center is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace and is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.