"Alerted.org

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 26064

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Molly Stenberg

406-580-2729

[email protected]

Classification Title Program/Project Lead

Working Title Montana School Food Service Peer Educator/Farm to School Expansion Program Lead

Brief Position Overview

The Montana School Food Service Peer Educator/Farm to School Expansion Program Lead position assists school districts with implementing healthy school meal programs following all USDA , federal, and state regulations, administering a fiscally responsible program, and improving menu quality through from scratch cooking and menu planning for nutritious and appealing school meals which align with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This off-campus position will work directly with schools and food growers to expand Farm to School by developing, implementing, and maintaining farm to school systems for school districts within the applicable region.

Position Number 4C5582

Department Food Systems Nutrition & Kinesiolog

Division College of Education, Health & Human Development

Appointment Type Professional

Contract Term Fiscal Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

FLSA Exempt

Union Affiliation

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible Eligible

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Contract Type LOA

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

Montana State University’s Department of Food Systems, Nutrition, and Kinesiology ( FSNK ) strives to enrich human well-being through teaching, research, and outreach. In collaboration with partners across the state, Montana Team Nutrition leverages evidence-based practices and policies to provide training, resources, and support to K-12schools that promote engaging food-based education, create positive food experiences, and cultivate healthy school food programs to improve the health of America’s children.

Duties and Responsibilities

Peer Educator duties include:

+ Identify schools to receive peer mentoring and provide mentoring to a minimum of 10 regional schools during Year 1 and enrolling 8 additional schools in Year 2.

+ Develop comprehensive, yearly training plan (content, topic areas, virtual and in person training schedule)

+ Evaluates and reports on program progress for the purpose of meeting grant/funding requirements.

+ Develops healthy recipes and menus for the purpose of meeting federal nutrition standards.

+ Assists in coordinating regional farm to school efforts for the purpose of integrating local foods into school meal programs.

+ Works with regional partners for the purpose of improving nutrition policies, systems, and environments.

+ Participate in the Peer Educator Training from Washington State ESD .

Farm to school emphasis duties include:

+ Develops strong relationships with school food service directors, School Nutrition Services staff, farmers, partnering organizations, and local food hubs (when available) for the purpose of enhancing farm to school programming.

+ Attends monthly training sessions with other staff members for the purpose of sharing and gathering information.

+ Reports monthly progress to the grant coordinator for the purpose of ensuring all program goals and requirements are met.

+ Completes grant reporting as directed for the purpose of ensuring grant compliance.

+ Organizes promotional events in schools for the purpose of showcasing local foods and providing nutrition education

+ Organizes partnership events

+ Develops promotional materials for the Farm to School program

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

+ Associate degree

+ Experience in the administration of USDA Child Nutrition School Nutrition Programs

+ Experience working with school districts, specifically school meal programs

+ Experience in local food systems, farm to school initiatives and/or school gardens

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

+ 3-5 of years of experience as a Director of a USDA Child Nutrition (School Meals) Program

+ 3-5 years of experience in local food systems work and/or farm to school initiatives.

+ Bachelor’s degree or equivalent educational experience with academic major including food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, sustainable foods systems, public health or culinary arts preferred.

+ Experience providing hands on education to various audiences. Specific majors/areas of concentration: food and nutrition, food service management, dietetics, family and consumer sciences, nutrition education, culinary arts, business, or a related field (teaching nutrition in a classroom or garden setting, family consumer science classes, special education, and/or cooking classes for students in grades K-12).

+ Culinary experience in a restaurant, food business or catering setting.

+ Experience with survey development software and social media platforms.

The Successful Candidate Will

+ Demonstrating excellent and efficient written, verbal, and virtual communication skills, with persons of various backgrounds and education levels

+ Operating standard office equipment including using pertinent software applications (i.e. Zoom, Microsoft Outlook, and nutrient analysis software),

+ Planning menus that meet federal meal pattern regulations, including the use of nutrient analysis software, planning and managing projects, and preparing and maintaining accurate records.

+ Experienced in the operation of small scale and large quantity food service equipment and kitchen processes.

+ Experience in making significant improvements in a school meal program related to scratch cooking, budgeting and increasing student participation. Understand and promote new food trends to include in the school lunch menu.

+ Exhibit initiative, ingenuity, flexibility, and desire to expand personal knowledge and skill set.

+ In-depth knowledge of seasonality of foods and knowledge about the regional food system.

+ Knowledge of National School Lunch Program, including federal regulations and understanding of food service management, including menu planning, scratch cooking techniques, forecasting, and procurement.

+ Personnel management – utilizing job descriptions, delegating staff, budgeting, forecasting.

+ Working as part of a team as well as working independently.

+ Working with detailed and/or sensitive information and data.

+ Demonstrating the ability to manage multiple projects and complete assigned tasks within prescribed timelines.

+ Able to perform duties with an awareness of Federal, State, and District policies.

+ Serve-Safe Certification, or ability to obtain and maintain certification

+ Demonstrate an understanding, patient, warm, positive, and receptive attitude toward children

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

+ This off-campus position is contingent on continued grant funding; current funding goes through 12/31/2025.

+ Ability to travel for in person site visits, overnight visits, remote areas, extended trips, long distances and flexibility to reschedule as needed.

+ Some evening and weekend travel may be required.

+ Applicant possesses a valid driver license, legally required auto insurance, and access to reliable personal transportation.

+ Candidate will need to attend in person meetings as needed (6-9 visits per year) in Bozeman with MSU Team Nutrition staff and/or in Helena (with Montana Office of Public Instruction School Nutrition Programs staff.)

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

The usual and customary methods of performing the job’s functions require the following physical demands, with or without reasonable accommodation: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping, kneeling, crouching, and/or crawling, and significant fine finger dexterity. Generally the job requires 60% sitting, 20% walking, and 20% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean and healthy environment.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties? No

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies 1

Desired Start Date At the conclusion of a successful search.

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on August 12, 2025; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.