Child Nutrition Program Specialist
About The Position
Northern Illinois Food Bank is seeking an extraordinarily motivated candidate to join our team as Child Nutrition Program Specialist. This role supports the Food Bank’s Child Nutrition Programs (SFSP & CACFP) by developing and assisting partner sites, ensuring compliance with program requirements, and providing training and technical support. The specialist will advocate for at-risk children, expand access to nutritious food, and connect families to nutrition education and SNAP outreach. This position calls for a detail-oriented professional committed to addressing child hunger and strengthening communities. This Full-Time position is based out of our West Suburban Center (Geneva) location.
Requirements
- Four-year degree in social services or related area or equivalent experience.
- Excellent interpersonal and networking skills.
- Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
- Strong customer focus.
- Detail oriented.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Self-starter and ability to work independently.
- Commitment to understanding and supporting the Food Bank’s mission; Shows compassion and an appreciation for hunger issues.
- Proficient with various computer programs including—Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook.
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity with federal child nutrition programs is beneficial.
- Bilingual in Spanish strongly preferred.
Responsibilities
- Work directly with a case load of 30-40 federal program partner locations on a regular basis.
- Monitor compliance at BackPack Program partner locations during the school year.
- Assist with collection of reporting data and surveys.
- Visit partner sites during food distribution and service operation to ensure their compliance with federal program regulations and complete required visit documentation.
- Communicate findings of site visits to Program Manager and if directed, discuss the findings from a site visit with the site director and conduct follow-up site visits.
- Maintain accurate program files, site records, and visit documentation.
- Conduct outreach activities to identify and develop potential new sites to partner with Northern Illinois Food Bank.
- Conduct on-site training and technical assistance sessions for partner site staff.
- Identify opportunities for incorporation of the Food Bank nutrition education program, BackPack, and SNAP Outreach.
- Assist with the delivery of appropriate services.
- Assist in logistical tasks related to site training sessions, site visit schedules, meals delivery, and provide current information to food service vendors.
- Attend and participate in program training sessions provided by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), USDA, and Feeding America.
- Perform data entry as it relates to daily meal count information for case load, program invoicing, and site information into state database.
- Track site partner data and meals distributed.
- Participate in developing, conducting, and interpreting a site satisfaction survey.
- Maintain databases of SFSP and CACFP information and file documentation.
- Engender a positive relationship with all community and agency partners to ensure maximum utilization and involvement of NIFB.
- Assist with implementation of Food Bank programs such as the Meals on the Move and Summer Family Markets.
- Perform other related duties and/or responsibilities as assigned or required.
Benefits
- Make a Difference: Every Role at Northern Illinois Food Bank directly impacts the lives of those we serve.
- Flexible Work Environment: We value work-life balance and support flexible work models.
- Comprehensive Benefits: Enjoy medical, dental, vision, retirement plans, paid time off, and more.
- Growth Opportunities: Invest in your career with professional development, career mapping, and leadership training.
- Inclusive Culture: Join a diverse, collaborative team that values equity and belonging.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
