School and Community Nutrition Programs Training Specialist

State of Maryland•Baltimore City, MD

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is seeking a School and Community Nutrition Programs Training Specialist to administer and manage training initiatives for the Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs (OSCNP). This role involves providing nutrition program training and technical assistance to agencies participating in USDA nutrition programs. The specialist will develop statewide training initiatives and grant projects, create training content and resources, and deliver both in-person and virtual training. Collaboration with MSDE and external partners is key, as is evaluating training effectiveness and assessing professional development needs. Core training areas include foodservice operations, administration, wellness policies, and nutrition promotion. The position also contributes to the development, implementation, and evaluation of CNP grants, including USDA's Team Nutrition and Farm to School grants, and manages contracts for statewide training for school nutrition professionals.

Requirements

A Master’s degree or the equivalent of 36 credit hours of post-baccalaureate coursework from an accredited college or university in; Food Service Administration, Consumer Science, Health Science, Dietetics, Nutrition, Public Health, Education, Applied/Interdisciplinary Social Sciences (e.g., Public Policy & Administration, Communications, Social Work) or other related field.
Three years of professional experience creating and delivering professional development resources and training (virtually, in-person, and/or asynchronous courses) and experience in project management or nutrition program administration.
Candidates may substitute a Bachelor’s degree and five years of experience directly related to the position option for the required education.
Candidates may substitute the possession of a Doctorate degree at an accredited college or university in a field related to the position for one year of the required experience.
Applicants must consent to a State Police Investigation (fingerprinting) as a routine procedure for all employees with this Agency.
Proof of eligibility to work is required in compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act.

Nice To Haves

Experience with Child Nutrition Programs such as the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), and Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)
Professional experience in academia, non-government organizations (NGOs), local, state, or federal government.

Responsibilities

Develop high-quality training slides, job aids, workbooks, videos, and online courses utilizing design tools (i.e., Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe, Canva, Canvas) for in-person and/or virtual meetings, trainings, and technical assistance activities aligned with USDA regulatory guidance and meal requirements, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and other education, nutrition, and professional development requirements.
Conduct training activities and provide technical assistance virtually and/or in-person to agencies participating in the USDA nutrition programs administered by OSCNP to include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), At-Risk Afterschool Program and others. This often includes managing registration, venue selection, training promotion, enrollment, and designing effective learning activities.
Develop and conduct training activities for staff development aligned with State and USDA regulatory guidance.
Coordinate content and training activities facilitated through OSCNP’s learning management system (Canvas) as assigned. This often includes managing registration, training promotion, enrollment, and designing effective learning activities.
Evaluate training effectiveness through the design of surveys and other assessment tools and analysis of results. This includes developing tools to assess knowledge and skills, formative assessment, process evaluation, and analysis of results.
Coordinate with OSCNP staff members to plan, implement, and evaluate training activities, including collaboration with an interdisciplinary team of internal colleagues and key external stakeholders.
Facilitate needs assessment activities to contribute to strategic planning for the OSCNP and to identify priorities for training and technical resource development.
Prepare data and reports as requested by the OSCNP Director, Supervisor, Program Specialists, MSDE, USDA, or external partners.