Program Analyst at Food For Education

About the Role

• As Program Analyst, you will support operations across an assigned rural region or county, working closely with Field program officers, kitchen teams, schools, and central support functions. 
• You will help ensure kitchens are well supported, compliant, and performing effectively. The role provides visibility on regional performance, supports field program officers, escalates recurring issues, and helps coordinate the support needed to keep operations running smoothly. 
• This is a field-facing role that requires practical problem-solving, strong coordination, and the ability to turn operational information into clear actions. You will use field data, site visits, and regular engagement with teams to identify issues, track performance, and support timely follow-up.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Operations Management

• Oversee operations across all kitchens within the assigned region or county, ensuring consistent execution and adherence to F4E standards.
• Provide structured support and supervision to field program officers, ensuring they are effectively managing their assigned kitchens.
• Conduct regular field visits to kitchens and schools to validate reported performance, understand operational realities, and support issue resolution.
• Monitor kitchen readiness, utilization, staffing, stock availability, and service delivery across the region.
• Ensure kitchens comply with F4E operational guidelines, including food safety requirements, operational SOPs, regulatory expectations, and documentation requirements.
• Engage school management and community stakeholders where needed to understand service experience, resolve concerns, and support improved operations.

 Forecasting, Production and Delivery

• Lead regional planning, including meal projections, school population updates, kitchen capacity, staffing needs, stock requirements, and launch readiness.
• Review school calendars, learner numbers, utilization trends, and penetration rates to support accurate forecasting.
• Track production performance across the region, including yield, estimation precision, portion control, and adherence to recipes and menus.
• Monitor delivery performance, including dispatch time adherence, on-time delivery, incomplete deliveries, and route-related challenges.
• Work with Planning, Logistics, Procurement, and field program officers to align production plans, stock availability, dispatch, and school delivery needs.

 Performance, Data and Cost Control

• Track and analyze regional performance across key metrics, including production performance, stock variance, CPM, food safety compliance, delivery adherence, staffing, and issue resolution.
• Review data submitted by field program officers and kitchen teams to ensure accuracy, completeness, and timely reporting.
• Prepare regular regional performance updates for management, highlighting what is working, what is off-track, and what support is required.
• Review CPM trends and variances across the region, ensuring key drivers are understood, documented, and escalated where necessary.
• Translate field data into clear insights, recommendations, and follow-up actions.

People and Team Capability

• Coach and support field program officers to manage kitchen performance, supervise teams, interpret data, escalate risks, and close action items.
• Build the capacity of field program officers and kitchen teams on SOPs, reporting expectations, stock controls, production standards, and operational routines.
• Support identification of staffing gaps and work with People and Operations teams on recruitment, onboarding, deployment, and performance follow-up.
• Foster a culture of ownership, accountability, discipline, and continuous improvement across regional teams.
• Ensure clear communication between regional teams, kitchens, schools, and central support functions.

 Facility management & Issue Resolution

• Review escalated facility, maintenance, and process issues from Field Program Officers and kitchen teams, assess the risk and operational impact, and coordinate the appropriate corrective action with the relevant support team.  
• Track facility and equipment issues ensuring they are reported, logged, tracked, escalated, and followed through to resolution within agreed timelines.
• Follow up with Facilities, Food Safety, Operations, and other support teams to address maintenance needs that affect production, food safety, staff welfare, or service delivery.
• Drive resolution of regional operational issues by working with internal support teams to agree on owners, timelines, and follow-up actions through to closure 

Who You Are

• You are comfortable working in the field and engaging directly with kitchen teams, schools, and support functions.
• You are organised, analytical, and able to spot trends across multiple kitchens. 
• You have experience in operations, field management, or program delivery.
• You communicate clearly, follow through on agreed actions, and take ownership of issues until they are resolved.
• You will do well in this role if you enjoy operations, problem-solving, working with teams, and improving how systems function on the ground.