Nutrition Educator - Early Childhood Education

NEXT DOOR FOUNDATION INC•Milwaukee, WI

4d•Onsite

About The Position

The Nutrition Educator supports Next Door’s mission to help young children and families build the foundation for a successful future by delivering high-quality, developmentally appropriate nutrition education for children, their families, and the Next Door team of educators to incorporate into their teaching practices. This role serves children and educators across both Next Door sites (Capitol Drive and 29th Street) and is responsible for planning and delivering nutrition education programming for Next Door programming. Grounded in Head Start School Readiness Goals, the Early Learning Outcomes Framework (ELOF), Head Start Health Services Performance Standards, CACFP nutrition standards, and applicable local and state health department regulations, the Nutrition Educator facilitates hands-on, experiential learning that promotes healthy eating habits, food literacy, and lifelong wellness. This role further serves as an instructional model for educators and families in service to the children served across Next Door’s educational programming. In partnership with the Educational and Nutrition staff, the Nutrition Educator builds staff capacity through modeling, coaching, co-teaching, and collaborative planning to ensure nutrition education is developmentally appropriate and compliant with all health, safety, and nutrition requirements. Given many of our families may live in food deserts, have limited access to healthy options for nutrition, or struggle with the rising costs of food, this role will also share ways caregivers might access and incorporate healthy meals for children in their critical developmental years. The Nutrition Educator role will foster a love for healthy foods, knowledge in preparing nourishing meals, and joy in sharing a meal with others.

Requirements

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education, Nutrition, Public Health, Health Education, or a closely related field.
The incumbent must have access to a personal vehicle to use on a daily basis, maintain a valid driver's license and automobile insurance with liability limits of $300,000 (bodily injury) and $25,000 (property damage for each occurrence).
Experience delivering educational or nutrition programming to children ages 0–5 in a high-quality early childhood or Head Start setting.
Knowledge of or readiness to learn CACFP meal pattern requirements, food safety practices, and Head Start Health Services Performance Standards.
Understanding of developmentally appropriate practice, play-based learning, and experiential hands-on instruction with young children.
Ability to collaborate effectively with the Next Door team of educators.
Strong skills in communication, ability to engage, and in building trusting relationships with families and community partners.
Commitment to Next Door’s values of inclusive learning opportunities for all students’ needs and abilities in whole-child development.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree or advanced training in nutrition education, public health, dietetics, or early childhood health and wellness.
Experience facilitating cooking or food-based education in early childhood settings.
Experience in educator coaching, modeling, or professional development.
Familiarity with Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies GOLD, CACFP documentation, and Head Start Program Performance Standards.
Bilingual (English/Spanish) skills.