About Second Harvest of Silicon Valley
Founded in 1974, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of the largest food banks in the nation and a recognized nonprofit leader working to end hunger in our community. Serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, the organization provides nutritious food to 1 in 6 neighbors each month through a network of nearly 400 community partners.
Second Harvest operates at the center of Silicon Valley’s charitable food network, reaching neighbors across more than 900 distribution sites including schools, colleges, community centers, faith-based organizations and housing communities. In its most recent fiscal year, the organization distributed nearly 111 million pounds of food — nearly 60% of it fresh produce — ensuring consistent access to nutritious food.
The Opportunity
This is a rare and consequential leadership opportunity for a mission-driven executive ready to make a direct, measurable impact on hunger and poverty in the Bay Area. Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is a nationally recognized food bank, and this is an especially critical and exciting moment for the organization. Having doubled the number of people they serve and the size of their staff during the pandemic, Second Harvest’s current strategic plan is focused on increasing impact by working more deeply in community and working sustainably at scale. A critical priority for this year is planning the transition to their transformative new facility – currently under construction with anticipated activation in March 2027.
The Chief Impact Officer (CIO) will lead Second Harvest’s Impact Team—a department of approximately 51 professionals spanning programs, community health and nutrition, food connection, multilingual outreach, and policy and advocacy—and serve as a member of the executive leadership team. This role oversees not only the delivery of food programs across the community, but also the organization’s efforts to connect clients to critical support services, including SNAP and other resources that advance food security.
This is a role for someone who leads with both compassion and clarity, who builds trust while driving toward a shared vision, and who is energized by the opportunity to shape what community impact looks like at scale. Above all, it is a role for someone deeply committed to Second Harvest’s mission to end hunger.
Specific opportunities include:
Lead at a pivotal moment of transformation. The CIO will help shape and mobilize a new strategic plan that aims to center community voice and deepen partnerships. Second Harvest operates in Silicon Valley, a community known for innovation and a willingness to test new approaches.
Thanks to the trust and generosity of their supporters, the organization has the resources and opportunity to invest in more effective, equitable, and forward-looking approaches to service delivery. The Chief Impact Officer will be instrumental in shaping how the Impact team builds on its current foundation –strengthening core systems while advancing new ideas that can inform the broader food banking field.
Shape a landmark new facility. Second Harvest is currently constructing a new ~215,000-square-foot headquarters in San Jose (opening 2027), complete with ample office space, a demonstration kitchen and dedicated community convening space. The CIO will have the opportunity to help define how this space is used to enable deep collaboration among the Impact team and cross-functionally, deepen community engagement, and support agency partnerships in ways that were not previously possible.
Lead with stability and support. In a sector facing widespread funding uncertainty, Second Harvest stands on solid footing: nearly 95% of its funding comes from private sources, the organization has met its $150M capital campaign goal, and it benefits from deep community goodwill and a trusted brand. The incoming CIO will inherit a strong foundation and a highly motivated, mission-driven team.
Join an exceptional executive team. The CIO joins a leadership team that Second Harvest’s board of directors has described as among the strongest in the sector.
Compensation and Benefits
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. The salary range for this role is $220,000.00 -
$250,000.00 with a generous benefits package.
Contact
DSG | Koya has been exclusively retained for this engagement, which is being led by Alex Corvin and
Maleka Pensky. Express interest in this role by filling out our Talent Profile. All inquiries and discussions
are strictly confidential.
Skills Required
- Proven leadership experience managing large programmatic teams (50+ staff) in a nonprofit or community-focused organization.
- Experience designing and implementing strategic plans to scale community impact and program delivery.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain community partnerships and engage community voice in program design.
- Experience overseeing programs that connect clients to public benefits and social supports (e.g., SNAP) and integrated services.
- Experience planning and operationalizing transitions to new facilities or major programmatic shifts.
- Commitment to mission-driven work, equity, and collaboration across cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
What We Do
Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of the largest food banks in the nation, headquartered in San Jose, California. Serving Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, its mission is to end hunger in the community by rescuing surplus food and providing nutritious meals to over a quarter of a million people. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, it focuses on food rescue and sustainable hunger solutions.
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