Nutrition & Food Systems Coordinator (StarrZapata) at AVANCE Inc – Rio Grande City, Texas

Job Overview

The Nutrition & Food Systems Coordinator is chiefly responsible for the planning, implementation, compliance and continuous improvement of program-wide nutrition services and food systems across all AVANCE Head Start and Early Head Start centers. The coordinator ensures full compliance with Head Start Performance Standards, Texas Child Care Licensing Minimum Standards, CACFP requirements, USDA meal regulations, and AVANCE policies and procedures. The coordinator will ensure the completion of required program-specific documents including budgets, contracts, leases, health inspections, and other relevant or required documentation and information.

Through direct supervision, cross-departmental collaboration, data monitoring, audit preparation, vendor coordination, staff training and other tasks, as needed, the Nutrition and Food Systems Coordinator ensures that all enrolled children receive nutritionally adequate, developmentally appropriate meals in safe learning environments that are fully equipped, developmentally appropriate, and that food systems and safety infrastructure effectively promote and support school readiness and child well-being.

The coordinator will have a central office location and travel will be required for each of the centers and partnering ISDs.

Job Responsibilities

Nutrition Program, Regulatory Compliance & CACFP

• Oversee all kitchen and classrooms meet Head Start health and safety standards, Texas Child Care Licensing standards, and Health Inspection regulations, and CACFP regulations related to nutrition and food services.
• Administer and monitor CACFP participation in accordance with USDA and TDA regulations.
• Conduct routine site visits to monitor environment quality and compliance.
• Manage and maintain the TDA-USDA portal, including applications, renewals, claims, and required reporting.
• Ensure compliance with infant feeding requirements in accordance with CACFP, licensing, and Early Head Start meal standards.
• Monitor documentation for special diets, food allergies, and medical statements.
• Prepare documentation and coordinate corrective actions for CACFP reviews and audits.

Communication and Service Coordination

• Collaborate with partnering school districts (food service departments) for meal service agreements, invoicing reconciliation, menu coordination and compliance documentation.
• Review contracts and ensure vendor compliance with federal and state requirements.
• Conduct cost analysis and support food service budgeting.
• Monitor procurement and purchasing systems in compliance with federal grant regulations.
• Develop Memorandums of Understanding with key community-based organizations for nutrition and food systems operations.
• Oversee communication systems between food service operations and center-level leadership.
• Provide nutrition and food system operations and compliance updates to the Director of Learning Environments and program operations and the leadership team.
• Ensure cross-department collaboration to ensure nutrition and food systems requirements are met.
• Negotiates with vendors and other governmental agencies.

Record Keeping and Reporting

• Maintain organized nutrition files that meet OHS, CACFP, Licensing, and AVANCE requirements.
• Conduct internal nutrition compliance reviews.
• Monitor data trends related to meal participation, attendance vs claims, food waste, and cost per meal.
• Provide monthly reports to the Policy Council and Governing Body as needed.
• Conduct audits and review data trends to ensure program compliance with standards and policies.
• Completes food and non-food, equipment and supply inventory on a regular basis.
• Submits food invoices to accounts payable in a timely manner.
• Provide date reports to Leadership, Policy Council, and Governing Body.
• Ensure allergy medication storage and emergency response protocols are in implemented.
• Coordinate crisis response systems in collaboration with Leadership and Risk Management.
• Understands, generates and documents in-kind and other allowable costs applied toward the non-federal share requirement.
• Ensure confidentiality and secure records in accordance with FERPA/HIPPA and AVANCE policies.

Ongoing Monitoring/Self-assessment

• Conduct routine site visits to monitor meal service quality, staff compliance, and documentation accuracy.
• Implement a comprehensive ongoing program monitoring system to support data review, planning and decision making.
• Prepare and coordinate documentation for federal reviews, Child Care Licensing inspections, CACFP audits, and Health and Fire inspections,
• Maintain centralized compliance dashboard and corrective action tracking systems.
• Identify trends, improvement areas and implement corrective action plans.
• Participate in Self-Assessment and Community Assessment processes.

Planning, Implementation & Staff Development

• Implement tools, policies, and procedures to support program implementation and ensure high-quality food service delivery.
• Support the quality of food service efforts through professional development, supervision, and coaching.
• Provide staff development and training on food safe food handling, food allergy management, infant feeding practices, sanitation procedures, licensing compliance, and CACFP documentation,
• Support onboarding and coaching of food service staff.
• Train center staff on family-style meal practices and mealtime supervision standards.
• Support children, staff, volunteer, and visitors’ accident and incident reporting procedures.

Nutrition and Food Systems Oversight

• Monitor meal documentation, production records, attendance reconciliation, and point-of-service requirements.
• Ensure compliance with special diet documentation and medical statements. Coordinate and collaborate with registered dietician in menu planning.
• Oversee safe food handling, storage, and sanitation practices in collaboration with the food service staff.
• Monitor food temperature logs, storage systems (FIFO), sanitation procedures, cleaning schedules and pest control coordination.
• Monitor safe food transportation procedures when meals are delivered from ISDs.
• Support audit readiness for CACFP reviews.
• Ensure facilities meet health department requirements for food preparation and service.
• Monitor kitchen safety standards and equipment compliance.
• Collaborate with partnering school district food service departments for food services, invoicing and service coordination.
• Develop, manage and monitor food service cost analysis, recordkeeping and annual budget.
• Develop, manage, and monitor food service purchasing, procurement, invoicing and inventories.
• Support emergency food service planning during center closures or disasters.

Establish and maintain a safe, healthy, and positive learning environment

• Ensure nutrition systems support children’s growth, development, and school readiness.
• Promote safe meal environments that encourage socialization and positive mealtime experiences.
• Ensure allergy awareness and emergency response procedures are implemented.
• Support meal accommodations for children with identified dietary requirements.
• Promote wellness initiatives aligned with AVANCE mission and PFCE principles.

Other Duties

• Participate in assigned meetings, events, and training as required.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding staff and family information.
• Fulfill the role as mandated reporter under the Child Abuse and Neglect Policy.
• Perform any other work-related duties as requested by your supervisor.
• Be present at work to provide consistency of services.
• Be a contributory team member in a positive/productive manner
• Demonstrate commitment to mission, values, and policies in daily duties.
• Supervise assigned department personnel, including hiring, training, scheduling, and evaluating.
• Educate direct reports on policies and procedures.
• Meet with assigned staff regularly to resolve problems and track goals.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Supervisor.

AVANCE Core Competencies?

• Execution & Accountability
• Problem Solving & Decision-Making
• Communication & Influence
• Collaboration & Teamwork
• Stakeholder Focus
• Adaptability & Continuous Learning

Education

Required:

• Associate’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Systems Management, Public Health, or related field.

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Dietetics, Food Systems Management, Public Health, or related field.

Work Experience

Required:

• 3+ years’ experience in nutrition program management, school food systems, or CACFP administration.
• Experience with regulatory compliance monitoring.
• Experience managing data systems and documentation.
• Physical exam and background checks are required for this position

Preferred:

• Experience in Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
• Experience with federal reviews and audits.

Additional Skills

• Ability to interact effectively with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.
• Demonstrated computer literacy skills, using MS Office applications and other basic data systems including internet navigation.
• Ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders to successfully implement program plans
• Strong analytical skills in order to quickly assess situations, identify trends, develop solutions and apply critical assessments to the larger context
• Must be honest, dependable and able to meet deadlines.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently.

Travel?

• Ability to travel to various sites: Dependable transportation is required daily with a valid driver’s license, a clean driving record (subject to annual MVR (Motor Vehicle Report) check and policy), current auto liability insurance and be bondable by AVANCE, Inc.
• Travel required up to 75% of the time for work-related site visits, meetings, and functions.

Equipment

• Standard office equipment generally used includes:
• Telephone
• Personal Computer (monitor, keyboard, and mouse) or Tablet
• Printer/Photocopy Machine
• Calculator
• Fax Machine

Working Conditions

• Work is generally performed in an office environment.
• Noise level in the work environment is moderate to occasionally loud (examples: business office with computers and printers, light to moderate traffic, human voices).
• May be required to operate a motor vehicle during the course of duties.

Mental and Physical Demands??

Maintain emotional control under stress; work with interruptions and deadlines; walking, standing, stooping, bending, pulling and pushing, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; occasional: lifting/carrying, pulling/pushing 10-30 pounds.?Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Environmental Factors??

Occasional exposure to: biological hazards (communicable diseases, bacteria, insects, mold, fungi, etc.). Occasional expose to weather related conditions when working in outside environment /neighborhoods and events.

ADA/ADAAA Statement

AVANCE is committed to equal opportunity in employment for persons with disabilities and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), as amended, and any other applicable state and federal laws. Accordingly, AVANCE does not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in regard to application, hiring, advancement, discharge, compensation, training or other terms, conditions and privileges of employment. Moreover, it is AVANCE’s policy to provide reasonable accommodations in employment to qualified individuals with disabilities so that they can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of AVANCE’s business or would change the essential functions of the position. Retaliation against an individual with a disability for utilizing this policy or seeking a reasonable accommodation is prohibited.? Individuals with any questions or requests for accommodation should contact the Human Resources Department.?