Working/Functional Title

Nutrition Physical Activity Specialist

Position Summary

Michigan State University Extension is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive organization, which requires all staff to contribute towards a vision for success. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our work, regardless of title or position within the organization. This means that all staff at MSU Extension are dedicated to the following:

• We work together to ensure that programming is delivered to diverse audiences, produces equitable impacts for all participants, and demonstrates partnership and inclusion for all groups.
• We embrace that it is everyone’s job to create a culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
• We ensure that every team member is prepared with the skills and resources to contribute to our welcoming and inclusive culture.
• We foster inclusion by recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives, skills, experiences, and work to create equal access to programming for communities.
• We commit to continuous learning for diversity, equity, and cultural competency, in order to achieve inclusive excellence.
• We understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements to our work and are vital to the organizational culture and programmatic success of MSU Extension.
• We embrace a culture of understanding, coaching and feedback towards achieving a vision of success for the entire organization and its staff.
• Together we will achieve success and we commit to these goals in our work, continued education, and ongoing efforts.  

POSITION SUMMARY

As part of MSU Extension (MSUE) and the Health and Nutrition Institute (HNI), this position provides statewide leadership and expertise in nutrition and physical activity educational programming and completes research and program evaluation on nutrition and physical activity messaging and content, as well as nutrition and physical activity educational media campaigns designed for low-income youth and adults. This position will be the principal investigator for MSU Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) and will serve as a content specialist and have evaluation and project manager roles. This position will have statewide responsibilities and will collaborate across work teams, Institutes, and community groups, working with faculty, specialists, educators, and instructors.

In this position, you will identify, design, implement and evaluate research-based educational programs that meet current and projected outreach needs related to diet quality, physical activity, food insecurity and nutrition education as part of the Nutrition and Physical Activity work team. You will ensure dissemination of research-based information through various methods, including multimedia (video/audio), social media, engagement via conversations, written articles, and data reports. You will work with project team members who will implement nutrition education strategies in local communities. You will prepare and present workshops and trainings and work in concert with medical professions that have expertise in nutrition education with whom you can coordinate educational events for the public.

Through your leadership, you will oversee statewide implementation of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program activities alongside other members of the grant leadership team. This will entail developing regional partnerships that have potential for local partner engagement in EFNEP focused counties in Michigan. You will lead efforts on the Cooking Matters curriculum implementation which will include funding acquisition and management to support the program. MSU Extension programming is delivered in-person, virtually, and through self-paced courses online and you will assist with data collection and reporting activities for programs that you oversee.

Your work will include close collaboration with colleagues at MSU and MSU Extension, as well as the diverse network of partner groups that include local county health departments, state department of Health and Human Services as well as our federal funding partners at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Your role includes building statewide partnerships that support the EFNEP program and summarizing and analyzing data collected from the project on program activities, audiences reached, partnerships, and knowledge gained as a result of educational programs.

Although negotiable, there will be space available for this position to work from the campus of Michigan State University located in East Lansing, Michigan.

This position may be eligible to utilize a flexible work environment, however, there is an expectation to work from a campus-based office, or a county based MSU Extension office. The needs, responsibilities, and opportunities of an individual’s position and office location drive the ability and amount of work-location flexibility.

This position is a full-time, fixed term end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon successful performance and continued funding.

Characteristic Duties/Responsibilities

• Identify, develop, conduct, and evaluate innovative educational programs that meet current and projected statewide needs, and supports growth and understanding of critical issues facing people in Michigan.
• Supervise the program instructor team that supports and provides training, development and curriculum support to the nutrition and physical activity work team, including supervision of a student employee that will work on short-term project-based work, as needed.
• Develop statewide and regional partnerships to enhance ability to reach adult audiences and families with EFNEP programming.
• Work alongside supervising educators to coach and support their efforts in managing and supervising community nutrition instructors.
• Develop and maintain positive working relationships intra- and inter-organizationally and create and promote positive public relations for MSU Extension and the HNI.
• Author, produce and submit regular research-based educational materials and articles.
• Communicate and interact with community groups to evaluate the needs of the clientele.
• In concert with the MSU Extension grant leadership team, work with federal, state, and county agencies to complete needs assessment of the community and develop effective programming.
• Serve as an information resource to clientele, partners, and Extension staff.
• Understand and support the Health and Nutrition Institute’s efforts in diversity, equity, inclusion, and Civil Rights, with a special emphasis on removing barriers from participation and reaching diverse populations, including but not limited to race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status or veteran status, socio-economic class, and other human differences in rural, suburban and urban communities, and where applicable, increasing programmatic delivery and participation in urban centers.
• Develop and utilize appropriate media methods to communicate current and timely information, research results, and relevant updates, as well as promotion of current and future scheduled activities.
• Collaborate with MSU Extension staff to gather and report programming outputs and impacts, to demonstrate program effectiveness and to guide future program priorities for MSU Extension, the Institute, and work teams.
• Actively participate in professional development opportunities.
• Work collaboratively with the grant leadership team to oversee statewide implementation of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.
• Produce, coordinate, and contribute to programming that is delivered in-person, virtually, and through self-paced courses online.
• Prepare and present workshops and trainings; coordinate educational events for the public.
• Conduct data analysis on project-related program evaluation data from educational events collected by the team and produce impact reports or other information that can be disseminated publicly and used for reporting to the project funders.
• Work in partnership with local county health departments and the state department of Health and Human Services.
• Summarize and analyze data collected from the project on program activities, audiences reached, partnerships, and knowledge gained as a result of educational programs.
• Other duties or projects as assigned by the Institute leadership team.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Masters -Public Health, Health Sciences, Health S

Desired Degree

Doctorate -Public Health, Dietetics, Nutrition

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to public health, health sciences, health services, health communications, global health, or related field must be earned by date of hire.
• Familiarity with nutrition and physical activity programs and associated federal funding streams such as SNAP-Ed and EFNEP.
• Experience in contract and grant project management, including collection of data and the reporting of results or impacts.
• Demonstrated ability and skill in health education program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, knowledge, and use of appropriate approaches, skills, and techniques, which reflect an understanding and awareness of social, cultural, and economic diversity of the target population served.
• Demonstrated experience working with and through healthcare professionals and healthcare settings.
• Demonstrated success in program development and delivery to diverse audiences/ communities, and proven ability in establishing and working with a diverse network of constituents and community members across race, color, gender, national origin, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, veteran status, socioeconomic class, and other differences.
• Experience and proven ability working productively with a team serving in both leadership and contributor roles.
• Ability to create and carry out a project plan from research of initial concept to project completion and follow-up.
• Experience with marketing/promotion of educational programs.
• Demonstrated skills and professional development from the last five years related to cultural competency and inclusive excellence.
• Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work independently in an office environment without daily supervision and/or coaching.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in use of technology (e.g., web research, Qualtrics, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for mail/calendaring, distance technology, etc.) for day-to-day work and educational program delivery, record keeping, reporting, team-based communications, and overall management.
• Ability to travel in local and surrounding communities and occasional long-distance travel are required as a regular part of this position.
• Transportation is the responsibility of the employee.
• Ability to lift and carry educational materials, equipment, etc. up to 25 lbs.
• Understanding of and ability to implement Civil Rights principles and compliance standards.
• Other skills and/or physical abilities required to perform duties of the position.

Desired Qualifications

• Doctoral degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to public health, dietetics, nutrition, or related field.
• 3-years’ experience in program delivery, teaching, or demonstrated ability and skill in health education program planning, implementation, and evaluation (relevant experience acquired within the last 5-years, preferred).
• Demonstrated drive and initiative, with proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities and tasks simultaneously.

Required Application Materials

• Current resume/CV.
• Cover letter.
• Four (4) professional references including two (2) current or previous supervisors.

Special Instructions

This position is a full-time, fixed term end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon successful performance and continued funding.

Starting salary commensurate with education and experience.

Website

https://youtu.be/KjG34cLt9a8

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.

About Michigan State University

Spartans work every day to advance the common good in uncommon ways.Together, we tackle some of the world?s toughest problems to find solutions that make life better?from alternative energy to better food safety to breakthrough medical and environmental applications achieved through rare isotope research.We teach. We explore and we discover. We collaborate and lead. We innovate, inspire, and empower. We achieve our potential and create circumstances that help our students and others achieve theirs.We're good at it, and we've been at it for more than 150 years.The nation?s pioneer land-grant university, MSU began as a bold experiment that democratized higher education and helped bring science and innovation into everyday life. The revolutionary concept became a model for the nation.Today, MSU is one of the top research universities in the world?on one of the biggest, greenest campuses in the nation. Home to nationally ranked and recognized academic, residential college, and service-learning programs, we?re a diverse community of dedicated students and scholars, athletes and artists, scientists and leaders.In ways both practical and profound, we work to create a stronger, more sustainable, and more hopeful future for all.

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