Senior Nutrition Consultant.

Department Information

Incumbent will be required to complete work for CDE within Colorado.

This position is open until filled- it is in your best interest to apply early.

Colorado Department Of Education – What We Do

The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) provides leadership, resources, support, and accountability to the state's 178 school districts, 1,888 schools, over 53,000 teachers, and over 3,200 administrators to help them build capacity to meet the needs of the state's approximately 905,000 public school students. In addition, CDE provides structural and administrative support to the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind and the Charter School Institute.

As the administrative arm of the State Board of Education , CDE is responsible for implementing state and federal education laws, disbursing state and federal funds, holding schools and districts accountable for performance, licensing all educators, and providing public transparency of performance and financial data.

CDE is a values-based agency that serves students, parents, and the general public by protecting public trust through ensuring adherence to laws, strong stewardship of public funds, and accountability for student performance.

CDE strives to incorporate five core values that we uphold in our work internally and externally. If you come to CDE, be prepared to incorporate Integrity, Equity, Accountability, Trust, and commitment to Service in what you do.

Why Work For CDE

The work we do is rewarding and impacts the students, families, educators, and communities across Colorado. Our leadership also promotes a culture that puts families and self-care as a priority. Along with meaningful work and an environment that puts employees first, the state also offers rich benefits that intend to make us an Employer of Choice!

The following is a summary of the benefits we offer:

• Flexible work schedules and flexible workplace options that may include flexible working hours, working from home, working in the office, and/or a hybrid working environment.
• Premier medical, dental, vision, and dependent life insurance options. All with a generous employer contribution keeping employee costs as low as possible.
• Employer paid short-term disability and life insurance
• Up to 160 hours of Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML)
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals
• Retirement through the Public Employees Retirement Association (PERA) www.copera.org
• Employer paid RTD Eco Pass (certain restrictions may apply)
• Paid professional development opportunities
  
  

Description Of Job

Summary

Join our team as a nutrition senior consultant where you will provide oversight and program management for the implementation of food service wages and stipends, maximizing federal funding under the Healthy School Meals for All program and oversee Provisional programs. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of child nutrition programs, strong project management skills and is passionate about enhancing the effectiveness of child nutrition programs across the state.

Why join us?

• Impactful Work: Make a difference in the health and well-being of children by supporting implementation of nutrition programs in Colorado.
• Collaborative and Flexible Work Environment: Work with a dedicated team of professionals and engage with sponsors and stakeholders across the state. We offer flexible work schedules to support healthy work-life balance.
• Professional Development: Take advantage of opportunities for growth and development in a dynamic and supportive environment.
  
  

If you are passionate about child nutrition and have experience working with state or federal child nutrition programs, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding role.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee Provisional Programs, including the Community Eligibility Program, Provision 2 and Provision 3. Responsibilities include providing internal and external guidance, coordinating work amongst a small team and implementing a program workplan.
• Provide technical assistance to sponsors about the Community Eligibility Program, including analysis of CEP and provisional program options.
• Collaborate with the review manager to ensure Provisional programs are assessed accurately during administrative reviews.
• Manage, oversee and provide subject matter expertise for the implementation of food service wages and stipends and maximizing federal funding under the Healthy School Meals for All program.
• Responsible for ensuring sponsors maximize the amount of federal reimbursement they receive under the Healthy School Meals for All program. This includes, but is not limited to, analyzing Provisional Program options including Community Eligibility Program (CEP) groupings and calculating CEP claiming percentages.
• Assist with processing annual participation agreements for sponsors across the state.
• Conduct accurate administrative reviews of child nutrition programs across the state, including pre-approval visits and vendor reviews to ensure compliance with federal and state rules and regulations.
• In collaboration with unit teams, plan, develop and implement internal and external trainings related to program areas overseen.
• Effectively train internal and external customers on various topics related to child nutrition programs.
  
  

Travel is required approximately 25% and varies throughout the year. Most travel is within Colorado for site visits, reviews or training. Occasional travel out of state for conferences.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications, Substitutions, Conditions of Employment & Appeal Rights

Appropriate combination of education and experience OR Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in nutrition, dietetics, public health, education or related field AND

• At least three years of relevant work experience
• Experience working with state and federal child nutrition programs preferred
• School Nutrition Specialist (SNS) preferred
  
  

Child Nutrition Program Knowledge

• Understanding of federal and state laws governing child nutrition programs.
• Experience with child nutrition food service operations, including menu planning, meal benefits, meal claiming, procurement, and financial management.
  
  

Communication & Training Skills

• Excellent written and oral communication abilities.
• Proficiency in presenting complex information to diverse audiences through various methods (prese ntations, workshops, online modules).
• Ability to interpret policies, assess programs, identify problems, and determine improvements.
  
  

Technical Proficiency

• Profici ent in Microsoft Teams, Google drive and web based systems.
• Ability to analyze data and provide actionable insights.
  
  

Project Management

• Capability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously and meet critical deadlines.
• Effective project planning and implementation utilizing team strengths.
  
  

Leadership & Interpersonal Skills

• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with various individuals, demonstrating professionalism and exceptional customer service.
• Commitment to equity and cross-cultural effectiveness.
• Ability to use sound judgment, communicate effectively, and maintain working relationships in a team environment.
  
  

Supplemental Information

Complete Applications Must Include

• Completed Online Application: Required - Submitted through our ATS .
• Cover Letter- as attachment
  
  

Email Address

All correspondence regarding your status in the selection/examination process will be conducted via email. Include a working email address on your application; one that is checked often as time-sensitive correspondence such as exam information or notification will take place via email. Please set up your e-mail to accept messages from "state.co.us" and "info@governmentjobs.com" addresses. It is your responsibility to ensure that your email will accept these notices and/or review your junk mail and spam-filtered email.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) and Equal Employment Opportunity

The State of Colorado believes that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply. The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them. Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, a medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

The Colorado Department of Education is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, our agency will assist individuals who have a disability with any reasonable accommodation requests related to employment, including completing the application process, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, participating in the employee selection process, and/or performing essential job functions where the requested accommodation does not impose an undue hardship. If you have a disability and require reasonable accommodation to ensure you have a positive experience applying or interviewing for this position, please direct your inquiries to hr@cde.state.co.us .