Nutritionist, Head Start

Job Description

Job Description

Summary: Responsible for providing nutrition services and coordination to Head Start and Child Care program. Is knowledgeable about program philosophy and regulations and performance standards applicable to nutrition component of program.

Why Work for SMOC?

• Paid Time Off: All full-time employees can accrue up to 3 weeks of vacation, and 2 weeks of sick time and are eligible for 12 paid holidays during their first year of employment.
• Employer-paid Life Insurance & AD&D and Long-Term Disability for full-time employees.
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including Medical Plans through Mass General Brigham with an HRA Employer cost-sharing program, Dental Plans with Orthodontic Coverage, and EyeMed Vision Insurance available to full-time employees.
• 403(B) Retirement Plan with a company match starting on day one for all full-time and part-time employees.
• Additional voluntary benefits including Term and Whole Life Insurance, Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital indemnity, and Short-Term Disability.
• Flexible Spending Accounts, Dependent Care Accounts, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, and more.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Attends and participates in all required training, staff meetings, All Set meetings
• Attends Pre-Service and March PDD.
• Attends pertinent workshops or trainings in order to maintain registration and licenses requirements.
• Communicates with supervisor, center directors and teachers re: nutrition needs and concerns about children and families.
• Notifies directors when children are all set to start nutritionally.
• Co-facilitates with Health Manager training for individual classrooms teams on Food Allergy plans and menus.
• Co-facilitates with Health Manager to create and keep current a tracking sheet with ALL children on medications and all food allergies with all forms with current dates.
• Co-facilitates with Health Manager the Family and Health Advisory Committee Meeting in the Spring and Fall with completion of attendance and minutes of meeting.
• Provides accurate and timely reports, record keeping, and other required paperwork for HS/CACFP.
• Completes and maintains typed contracts with all food service providers throughout the program alongside the Division Director and to be the liaison between food vendors and caterers.
• Completes all menus, food substitution list and individual child special diet menus on the Dashboard and Child Plus for directors to use.
• Reviews menus of all sites for compliance with the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
• Completes required meal reviews of all sites three times per year.
• Monitors delivery slips, refrigerator temperature logs, and Menu planning worksheet.
• Visits the 3 larger sites on a weekly basis for 3 hours and the Satellites sites monthly for 2 hours in each site.
• Provides 2 hours of annual Food and Nutrition Services Training to all staff with yearly updated visual material.
• Completes and assists with CACFP applications, bids, compliance and monitoring.
• Provides classrooms and food services with an accurate typed list of food allergies and intolerances of all enrolled children.
• Provides classrooms with a monthly typed menu and appropriate substitutions for special diets.
• Yearly update nutrition classroom postings, nutrition activities notebooks, classroom nutritional resource books.
• Offers nutrition council and education to staff regarding children at risk nutritionally.
• Provides classrooms and sites with typed individual menus for children with special diets.
• Meets with teachers monthly
• Responsible for all newly enrolled children’s heights and weights completion and entry in Child Plus.
• Responsible for obtaining, along with Health Specialists, height/weight measurements of all enrolled children in fall.
• Responsible to follow up with new height/weight measurements in the spring of the school year for the children who were over the 90 percentile and under the 10 percentiles with the assistance of Health Specialists or Family Advocates.
• Responsible for contacting doctors to get information on children’s nutritional needs (ie: food allergies, diabetes etc)
• Responsible for follow-up on all nutrition-related referrals.
• Thoroughly review individual children’s files with identified food allergies and/or intolerances.
• Obtains from Parent and/or Medical Professional, Food allergy plans, guidance and all updates.
• Participates in all audits/reviews pertinent to the role.
• Monitors completion of classroom-required monthly nutrition activities and gives feedback.
• Assists Health Specialists with data entry of heights and weights.
• Identifies children-at-risk nutritionally through assessment of BMI's, height/weight patterns, blood test results, and lead test results.
• Notifies parents if a child is considered underweight or overweight. Copies of letters are kept in children’s files.
• Offers nutrition counseling to families determined to have child-at-risk nutritionally.
• Develops nutrition newsletter bimonthly with tips on good nutrition, simple recipes, physical activity etc., submits to supervisor and makes copies to send to all classrooms and directors.
• Provides nutrition education at the March Parent Café during National Nutrition Month.
• Recognizes areas of concern, initiating referrals to family and children at risk nutritionally.
• Is aware of community agencies and resources for families.
• Applies all training to working with families and shares new information with staff.
• Provides constructive input on policies and procedures affecting job duties.
• Communicates information effectively, both in written and oral form.
• Interacts with others in a helpful and courteous manner, internally and externally.
• Works effectively as a member of a team.
• Maintains good work habits, including attendance and punctuality.
• Engages all clients by understanding and addressing their needs, whether within or outside the scope of work
• Attends and participates in team meetings as requested and communicates effectively with clients and staff in other areas.
• Maintains confidentiality of client, employee, and agency information in accordance with federal and state laws and funder requirements.
• Ensure compliance with program/department, agency, and/or funder requirements, as well as SMOC policies & procedures.
• Completion of both in-person and online Mandated Reporter Training
• Learn and use our systems and platforms
• Other duties as assigned

Knowledge and Skill Requirements:

• Valid Driver's License, reliable transportation, and ability to meet insurance standards
• Registered Dietitian or Registered Nutritionist
• Strong Computer Skills including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Proof of MMR or Titer upon hire
• Suitable background check.
• Multilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Able to multi-task

Organizational Relationship: Directly reports to Health Manager

Physical Requirements:

• Physical exam upon hire and every two years after hire
• First Aid Certification
• Child CPR Certification

Working Conditions: As part of the responsibilities of this position, the Nutritionist will have direct or incidental contact with clients served by SMOC in various programs funded or administered through the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. A successful background check is required.

Remote Work Option: Remote work is permissible in some positions at SMOC depending on the key functions and responsibilities. The Nutritionist, Head Start position is eligible to work from home 0-20% of the week in scheduling coordination with the department manager.

Monday-Friday; 8am-4:30pm
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