Education Specialist - Child Nutrition

Primary Purpose

To support the vision, mission, and strategic priorities of ESC Region 12. The Education Specialist for School Nutrition serves as a consultant for the School/Child Nutrition Programs and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). This role is responsible for driving operational excellence and regulatory compliance across the region by delivering high-level technical assistance and professional development. By ensuring districts adhere to federal and state nutritional standards, this specialist plays a critical role in supporting student health and maximizing federal reimbursements for Local Education Agencies (LEAs).

Qualifications

Education/Certification

• Bachelor's Degree in Institutional Management, Food Service, Business, Nutrition, Family and Consumer Science, Public Health, Education, or related field
• Minimum of three years of experience in the management of school or institutional food service operations preferred.

Special Knowledge/Skills

• Extensive relevant knowledge and experience in institutional food service operations, management, business, and/or nutrition education.
• Skill in time management
• Ability to communicate complex information to diverse audiences
• Ability to adapt well to changing priorities and direction
• Ability to meet the needs of adult learners
• Ability to work with Child Nutrition Directors of various experiences
• Ability to objectively evaluate data and provide pertinent feedback
• Ability to demonstrate effective training skills in differentiation strategies

General Responsibilities

• Coordinate and deliver comprehensive professional development and high-level technical assistance to regional Contracting Entities (CEs).
• Ensure meticulous maintenance of program reporting, essential data, and client records in strict accordance with Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) guidelines.
• Engage in regional training initiatives across all operational phases for Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs) and partner with other ESC regions to streamline statewide training efforts. Represent the region at mandatory TDA meetings and contribute to specialized workgroups and committees as directed.
• Maintain a high field presence through on-site visits to regional districts, encompassing at least 50% of scheduled work hours, and
• Execute further responsibilities as required by TDA and the ESC.

Supervisory Responsibilities

No supervisory responsibilities

The applicant needs to possess these core values through words and actions to build positive, long term relationships with customers by demonstrating:

• Professionalism while demonstrating integrity, respect for others, expertise, and credibility at all times
• Quality in delivering what I promise and help create superior programs and services that add value beyond what is expected
• Teamwork by working cooperatively with others to promote a positive and fun work environment
• Adaptability by being flexible, attentive to change and ready to move quickly and decisively in response to the needs of customers
• Innovation by contributing to the implementation of new or significantly improved services and delivery methods
• Superior Service by providing personable, direct attention that delivers customer satisfaction beyond what is expected

Security Requirements

All positions at ESC 12 are defined as security-sensitive. Security-sensitive positions are those which require employees to be entrusted with certain types of data, whether electronic or in paper form. Those data elements, as defined by the ESC 12 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)

All employees must adhere to all security-related policies, standards, and procedures. This includes actively safeguarding data and immediately reporting any suspected loss or theft.

Mental Demands/Physical Demands/Environmental Factors

Travel

• Travel within the region, state, and nation when appropriate

Tools/Equipment Used

• Standard office equipment, including a personal computer and peripherals

Posture

• Prolonged sitting, occasional bending/stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting

Motion

• Repetitive hand motions, including frequent keyboarding and use of a mouse; occasional reaching

Lifting

• Occasional light lifting and carrying (less than 15 pounds)

Environment

• May work prolonged or irregular hours, frequent regional travel, occasional statewide travel, and out-of-state travel

Mental Demands

• Manage multiple tasks and work cooperatively with others,
• Maintain a calm attitude in demanding situations,
• Make changes and adapt to various responsibilities on an ongoing basis, and
• Work with frequent interruptions, tight deadlines, and limited office space.

Benefits:

• ESC Region 12 provides monetary contributions up to $575 per month to use for employee/family healthcare and supplemental benefits.
• Employee earns state personal, sick, and vacation leave.
• All employees contribute to both: the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) and Social Security retirement programs