Food shelf visits in Minnesota have surged to record levels.
This dramatic increase reflects the growing strain on households as food costs
remain high and critical safety-net programs face uncertainty. In recent years,
as changes and challenges to SNAP benefits and other federal supports
were debated and implemented, food shelves experienced ripple effects, with an
even greater number of neighbors turning to charitable food assistance to
fill widening gaps.Purpose, Impact & Opportunities:
Many Minnesota food shelves are volunteer run and don't have additional capacity to analyze their food sourcing data. FFEN’s Strategic Food Sourcing (SFS) Report uses data to drive strategic decision making at the food shelf level and effectively promotes more sustainable and stable operations. By evaluating operations through a lens of economics and business practices, it opens the conversation to understand best practices and use of available resources to drive cost effective operations while also respecting and balancing the need for a shopper-centered and community-driven approach.
This position will provide consistent support and leadership to the creation of Strategic Food Sourcing Reports (Tableau) and Consultation materials (Google Slides/Sheets), development and quality assurance for statewide benchmarking, and ongoing management of data for accuracy and data integrity. This position will work closely with pro-bono Data Analysis volunteers and FFEN staff.
Role Responsibilities:
Data accuracy, storage and tracking:
Collect and collate data for internal and external reports.
Review raw data, input files, and database exports for accuracy.
Format raw data to import into Amazon Web Services database.
Utilize saved SQL queries to query data from Amazon Web Services database.
Document ongoing processes around internal data storage.
Strategic Food Sourcing (SFS) Report and Consultation Materials Creation:
Utilize Tableau to create site specific dashboards and statewide visualizations.
Quality check SFS data and Tableau dashboards for accuracy.
Join consultations with food shelf leaders to support dissemination of data and insights, discussion on next steps and recommendations, and support further FFEN engagement after each session.
Support creation of sector level reports related to food sourcing data and consultation themes
Tableau Stewardship:
Use Tableau to create relevant data visualizations.
Update Tableau dashboards as needed, including managing data flows from AWS to Tableau.
Develop and maintain documentation for FFEN’s Tableau processes and usage.
Strategic Food Sourcing Service - Process Improvement:
Work with FFEN staff, consultants, Database Volunteers, and Data Analysis Volunteers to improve processes around quality checks and data integrity.
Document processes for ensuring data accuracy.
Document processes and best practices for running Tableau dashboards.
Document processes for creating and updating consultation materials.
Time Commitment & Schedule
Total time requirement:
8 - 10 hours per week
4 -5 hours per week must be during business hours (8am - 4pm CST)
Some evenings required (2 - 3 a month)
Project dates: July 9th 2026 - December 23rd 2026 (opportunity to extend)
Work site: Remote
Support & Resources
Step-by-step written guides and video tutorials
Monthly database meeting and training sessions
Weekly check in with supervisor
FFEN staff available to answer any questions you may have
$16.00 hourly pay
If residing in Minnesota, an estimated 3.5 - 7 hours of Earned Sick and Safe Time
Skills & Requirements
Wi-Fi–enabled laptop or desktop with Excel (2019 or newer), Google Drive, and Zoom access
Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently
Proficiency and experience in Excel and at least two of: AWS databases, SQL, or Tableau Online
Familiarity with database operations (tables, views, queries)
Initiative, flexibility, and willingness to troubleshoot and share improvements
Upper-level undergraduate or graduate student with prior data analysis experience
Experience with food shelves or food banks a plus
Comfort with Google Workspace and general Windows technology
Able to adapt and take initiative in a fast-paced environment
To Apply:
Send your resume to: volunteer@ffen.org
