Agency:

Posting date:
June 19, 2019
How to apply:
Please email a cover letter, resume, and three references to Victoria Strickland at tstrickland@local-matters.org. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
Job Description:
Nutrition Educator
Reports to the Director of Programs
Local Matters, headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, is a nonprofit organization, with a mission to create healthy communities through food education, access, and advocacy. Local Matters delivers critical hands-on cooking, nutrition and growing education, working with everyone from preschoolers to seniors, at over 100 sites throughout the city and state, supporting over 22,000 people annually, to combat chronic disease and food insecurity.
We are seeking an energetic and flexible candidate for Nutrition Educator, a key role in the delivery of our curricula, spanning all ages and backgrounds.
Position Summary
This role leads and supports education and coordination specific with our Cooking Matters courses, tours, and events within Local Matters. Cooking Matters™ is a cooking-based nutrition education course designed to teach low-income families how to prepare healthy, tasty meals on a limited budget. The Nutrition Educator will also be a key member of the Local Matters Education team, delivering food and garden-based curriculum and education programming on and off-site.
Primary Responsibilities Include:
The Nutrition Educator will work with Local Matters Education staff to implement effective hands-on courses and tours teaching families at risk of hunger that healthy cooking can be delicious, achievable, and perhaps most importantly – affordable. Responsibilities and duties include, but are not limited to:
Education:
- Teach nutrition education and life skills through food preparation and hands-on, interactive experiences.
- Educate individuals about healthful, whole foods through engaging activities that frame the relationship between the food they eat and the health of their bodies.
- Teach and facilitate class discussions on basic healthy eating and food budgeting messages, according to the objectives of each Cooking Matters lesson.
- Invite families and communities to learn about nutritious foods and chronic disease prevention by participating in classroom lessons, parent engagements, community workshops, hands-on cooking classes, gardens, special events, and collaborative projects related to food.
Program Coordination:
- Attend and coordinate all 6-week Cooking Matters courses with partners.
- Work with chefs, nutrition educators, and agency/site managers to implement courses
and tours using Cooking Matters core curricula and Cooking Matters at the Store
curricula. - Complete all preparations for class including, but not limited to, assembling and
transporting. - Work with Training & Evaluation Manager on program evaluation.
- Participate in actively seeking out, working with, and maintaining positive relationships
with agencies serving low-income clients to host Cooking Matters courses and tours. - Assist with the development of Cooking Matters outreach materials and handouts for
Cooking Matters audience, as needed.
Volunteer Management and Training:
- Provide volunteer instructors with training and materials needed to teach courses and
tours and make sure they follow procedures and course guidelines. - Support and manage volunteer instructors during class to make sure they have all
required materials and communicate key messages. - Provide timely and consistent communications with volunteers.
- Identify and participate in opportunities to recruit volunteers. Build relationships with
chefs, dietitians, nutritionists and other potential volunteers to maintain enough trained
instructors to reach course goals.
Qualifications & Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in nutrition or related field
- Strong classroom management skills and enjoyment of working with children, families,
and adults - Ability to meet people where they are and deliver work with a culturally thoughtful
approach - Willingness to work collaboratively with other staff, interns, and volunteers
- Strong organizational and time management skills
- Basic computer skills, knowledge of Microsoft Office programs
- Familiarity with food preparation
- Strong communication and relationship-building skills
- Flexible, friendly, and positive
- Education and/or professional background in nutrition and/or early-childhood
education/pre-natal care a plus - Reliable access to transportation and willingness to travel in the Columbus area
The hours for this full-time position vary based on needs of programming. Evenings and weekends are customary, and efforts will be made to balance hours.
Compensation, Benefits, and Perks
The salary range for this position is $29,000 to $32,000. Local Matters offers a competitive and comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, as well as subsidized gym membership and CSA bag. All employees are given support to be their best, healthiest, and most productive selves.