Director of Nutrition

LOCATION

This position is fully on-site and requires a regular presence in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Remote or hybrid work is not available for this position.

JOB SUMMARY

The Director of Nutrition will be responsible for directing community outreach, education, advocacy, and research in the field of nutrition and will be an active member of the ACHE Research Institute Health and Wellness Center multidisciplinary team. This individual will provide leadership and strategic direction for nutrition programs within the ACHE community and the community at large with the primary focus on the ACHE regional service area. The Director of Nutrition will develop methods to evaluate program effectiveness, set appropriate strategies and goals, analyze and assess program growth and implement program modifications as necessary. This will guide and oversee the development, analysis, and determination of future program offerings. This individual will also participate in overall public wellness initiatives and research, ensuring that programs are inclusive of the needs of underserved populations that will provide improving health equity. This individual will also collaborate with ACHE professional education programs that improve academic program understanding of effective nutritional implementation in the community. Thus, the Director of Nutrition will promote wellness initiatives focused on nutrition and integrate these initiatives into the overall health and wellness components of the Research Institute Health and Wellness Center. 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve over all elements of the teaching kitchen located at the ACHE Research Institute Health and Wellness Center (RIHWC) including education and maintenance of the facility. These functions include but are not limited to:

Education:

• Develop and implement community outreach education programs and outreach nutritional research in areas such as food insecurity, chronic diseases related to health and wellness (i.e. obesity, diabetes, eating disorders, etc.), health literacy, and special needs populations
• Arrange and organize guest chef cooking classes
• Develop, implement, and lead community-centered culinary arts and nutrition programming that promotes health and well-being
• Partner with community groups that provide specialized cooking classes that meet the goals of the RIHWC

Maintenance – Teaching Kitchen:

• Maintain and uphold commercial kitchen requirements
• Oversee maintenance of kitchen equipment
• Manage inventory
• Order supplies and food as needed
• Maintain good working relationships with vendors

 Additional Duties: 

• Work with fellow members of the RIHWC on the nutrition component of current and future outreach programs
• Contribute and collaborate in all aspects of community health research including grant submissions and making recommendations based on research findings
• Work collaboratively with faculty to integrate nutrition education for academic programs as appropriate (Example, teaching the nutrition component of the Geriatric Course for the School of Physical Therapy) – no more than 30 teaching hours per academic year
• Work collaboratively with community organizations in nutrition education and wellness programming
• Serve on select community boards or committees as a representative of ACHE nutrition education 
• Serve on ACHE committees as appropriate
• Serve on professional organizational boards as appropriate
• Work with ACHE faculty members on conducting research and/or ACHE RIHWC team members on projects as appropriate
• Other duties as assigned by the Senior Executive Director of Transformative Wellness Initiatives or their designee

QUALIFICATIONS AND CREDENTIALS

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, or related field, or a Registered Dietitian (RD), or Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS)
• Teaching experience in various settings

Preferred Qualifications

• Doctoral degree (PhD) in Nutrition Dietetics, or an equivalent field, or Professional Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition (DCN)
• Two (2) years’ experience related to the “essential functions and responsibilities”
• Experience with organizing and implementing Community-based programming
• Experience in engaging diverse populations and fostering an inclusive wellness environment
• Experience with event planning and partnership development
• Experience in the development of class-based culinary arts and nutrition curriculum
• Certification/Licensure State of AR Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
• Research experience
• Administrative experience
• Professional certifications in nutrition or related fields

Required knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Demonstrate proficiency in computer skills, i.e. Microsoft Office.
• Display professionalism for the college in all communication and interaction.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and privacy.
• Ability to prioritize and organize numerous and varied assignments.

ABILITIES AND COMPETENCIES ESSENTIAL TO THE FUNCTION OF THE JOB

Communication and Comprehension

ACHE is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate with regard to applicants or employees with disabilities and will make reasonable accommodations when necessary. The following are essential abilities and physical requirements for all positions at the college.

• Ability to orally communicate effectively with others with strong interpersonal skills and customer service orientation.
• Ability to work cooperatively with colleagues and supervisory staff at all levels.
• Ability to understand oral and written information, using the English language, and organize thoughts and ideas into effective forms of communication.
• Ability to make decisions which range from moderate to a significant impact on the immediate work environment, as well as outside contributors.
• Possess public communication skills that allow professional representation of ACHE to a variety of business and community customers and associates.
• Strong organizational skills.

Problem Solving

• Intuitively able to reason, analyze information and events, and apply judgment in order to solve problems of both a routine and complex nature.
• Expertise in negotiation.

Physical and Sensory Abilities

• May be exposed to short, intermittent, and/or prolonged periods of sitting and/or standing in performance of job duties.
• May be required to accomplish job duties using various types of equipment/supplies to include, but not limited to pens, pencils, calculators, computer keyboards, telephone, etc.
• May be required to transport oneself to other campus offices, conference rooms, and on occasion, to off-campus sites to attend meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars, etc.
• May require significant travel or work away from campus.
• Requires attendance at events representing ACHE both within as well as outside of the college setting.
• Frequently required to work at a desk, conference table or in meetings of various configurations.
• Frequently required to see for purposes of reading matter.
• Frequently required to hear and understand speech at normal levels.
• Occasionally required to lift items in a normal office environment.
• Ability to safely lift and carry up to 40 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation. 
• Frequently required to operate office and presentation equipment.

If you need assistance in the application process because of a disability, or any other reason, please contact Vicki Broadaway, Vice President and Chief People Officer, at 479.308.2290 or [email protected].

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education is an equal opportunity employer.