Healthy Food Access Specialist

Position Title:

Healthy Food Access Specialist

Job Group:

Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree

Special Required Qualifications

Drivers License

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in a discipline related to public health, dietetics, food and nutrition, nutrition education, community nutrition, or closely related field.

Registered Dietitian Certification.

Demonstrated training or experience working with adults with low income and agencies that serve that population.

Experience with multi-level nutrition or food system initiatives.

Job Description:

The Department of Human Sciences Extension and Outreach with Iowa State University is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Healthy Food Access Specialist, which will be hired as a Human Sciences Extension Specialist I or II, for the SNAP-Education Program.

The individual for this position will be serving northeast Iowa. This area includes Allamakee, Black Hawk, Bremer, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Clayton, Delaware, Fayette, Floyd, Grundy, Howard, Mitchell, Poweshiek, Tama, and Winneshiek counties. However, the majority of their time will be spent serving the Cedar Falls/Waterloo area.

The primary office location for this position will be a county extension office in one of the counties listed above and the location will be dependent on the successful candidate and office availability.

The Healthy Food Access Specialist provides local-level coordination, subject-matter expertise and leadership to SNAP-Education healthy food access initiatives designed to make healthy choices easier for Iowans experiencing poverty. Work will be accomplished in partnership with food banks, pantries and other community agencies.

Responsibilities of this position include:

• Providing leadership to local healthy food access initiatives through ISU Extension and Outreach

• Providing direct nutrition education to food pantry clients

• Assisting county Extension offices and volunteers with Growing Together Iowa healthy food access initiatives which includes drafting proposals, building partnerships and evaluating results

• Building partnerships with food pantries, conducting environmental assessments and coaching food pantry staff through environmental and system changes to improve healthy food access

• Communicating and coordinating activities with food banks and other local emergency food providers

• Managing evaluation of programming at the direction of the supervisor which includes participant surveys, environmental assessments, reports of change, success story collection, partner interviews and other evaluation strategies

• Promoting the use of existing ISU Extension and Outreach resources in partner agencies, venues and environments

• Relaying to state staff needs for new material development

The successful candidate will possess exceptional communication skills and the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing with a wide variety of individuals and groups, including low-income audiences. The ability to effectively relate to clients different from themselves and the ability to establish and effectively maintain partnerships with community agencies and leaders is essential to this position. The selected candidate will need to be skilled in self-direction and independent work and possess the ability to manage multiple priorities.

This is a one-year, fixed term position with the opportunity for renewal.

This position will be filled at the Human Sciences Extension Specialist I or II level, depending on experience.

Human Sciences Extension Specialist I

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree

Pay Grade:

PS806

Level Guidelines:

• Individual contributor position with developing professional and/or technical skills working under immediate to general supervision

• Grasps professional-level knowledge and concepts of field while working in a progressive learning mode

• Works on problems and issues of somewhat limited scope

• Follows standard practices and procedures in analyzing situations or data for which answers are available or can be obtained

• Responds to inquiries and issues, escalating to manager or higher level workers as appropriate

• May lead projects of limited scope and complexity

• May provide guidance to students

Human Sciences Extension Specialist II

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and 2 years of related experience

Pay Grade:

PS807

Level Guidelines:

• Intermediate-level position with solid professional and/or technical skills working under general supervision to achieve goals

• Applies broad, working knowledge of the principles of the field to moderately complex, difficult, and varied problems and issues

• Exercises judgment within defined procedures and practices to determine appropriate action and resolve problems

• Responds to a broad range of inquiries and requests

• May provide training and/or direction to lower-level staff

• May lead projects of moderate scope and complexity

• Provides guidance to students

The Human Sciences Extension Specialist II will have additional duties not listed in the posting.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an on-going basis without sponsorship.

Appointment Type:

Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term:

September 29, 2025

Number of Months Employed Per Year:

12 Month Work Period

Time Type:

Full time

Pay Grade:

PS806

Application Instructions:

To apply for this position, please click on "Apply" and complete the Employment Application. Please be prepared to enter or attach the following:

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae

2. Letter of Application/Cover Letter

If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.

Why Choose ISU?

Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental; as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans

• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans

• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)

• Life insurance and long-term disability

• Flexible Spending Accounts

• Various voluntary benefits and discounts

• Employee Assistance Program

• Wellbeing program

• Iowa State offers WorkFlex options for some positions. WorkFlex offers flexibility on when, where, and how you do your work. For more information, please speak with the Hiring Manager.

Original Posting Date:

July 8, 2024

Posting Close Date:

July 28, 2024

Job Requisition Number:

R15021