About this role
Duties and Responsibilities: may change from year to year or during the year, subject to changes in the legislation, regulations, and policies governing the school meal programs, and as prescribed by TDA.
• Provide training and Technical Assistance to Contracting Entities (CEs) of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), who administer federal child nutrition programs
• Coordinate, sponsor, and deliver regional training in all areas of program operations for CNP staff. Conduct instructor-led training, both in-person and virtually, using adult-learning principles and adhering to the course curriculum developed by TDA
• Stay up-to-date on federal and state program rules, regulations, and processes for all child nutrition programs administered by TDA
• Collaborate with other ESC regions in scheduling and implementing statewide training to ensure equitable availability of training specialists across the state for all training events.
• Attend required state staff meetings scheduled by TDA
• Attend and participate in special committees and workgroups as directed by TDA
• Maintain program budgets, reporting information, and CE files according to TDA guidelines
• Travel to CEs for in-person visits weekly
• Perform additional duties as assigned by TDA
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Ability to comprehend both verbal and written complex directives, guidance, and instructions
• Ability to communicate complex information to diverse groups
• Ability to adapt well to changing priorities and direction
• Skill to manage conflict well
• Skill in project management
• Skill in time management
• Knowledge of federal nutrition programs
• Knowledge of current research into effective practices and current trends in Child Nutrition Programs
• Knowledge of menu planning and food quantity production
• Knowledge of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points-Based Food Safety Plan
• Ability to meet the needs of adult learners
• Ability to work one-on-one with Child Nutrition Directors of various experiences
• Ability to objectively evaluate data and provide pertinent feedback
• Ability to use any formal training to enhance job performance and /or personal development
• Ability to demonstrate effective training skills in differentiation strategies
Minimum Qualifications:
• Bachelor's Degree in Institutional Management, Food Service, Business, Nutrition, Family and Consumer Science, Public Health, Education, or related field
• Three years of experience in the management of school or institutional food service operations
• Up to 50% travel required, including out-of-town and other ESC regions
Preferred Qualifications:
• Prior experience as a Child Nutrition Director
• Three years of training experience with adults
• Certified School Nutrition Specialist
All positions at ESC 3 are defined as security-sensitive. Security-sensitive positions are those which require employees to be entrusted with the certain types of data, whether electronic or in paper form. Those data elements, as defined by the ESC 3 Data Classification and Handling Policy may include, but not limited to:
• Sensitive Personal Information (SPI)
• Personally, Identifiable Information (PII)
• Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Family Educational Records (FERPA Data)
• Federal Tax Information (FTI)
• HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act)
It is the employees on-going responsibility to safeguard this type of data and to report any instance of lost or stolen data.