Youth Strategy Associate 

 

Reports to: Health and Nutrition Program Manager 

 

Schedule: 40 hours per week; weekly schedule and length of work days will be determined based on the Member’s and MANNA’s needs 

 

Position Summary:  

 

The MANNA Youth Strategy Associate will work with all MANNA programs to support teams in their work across Western North Carolina (WNC), including the Youth Program; the Benefits Outreach Program; the Health and Nutrition Program; and the Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program.  For more information on MANNA’s newest program, the Healthy Opportunities Pilot, click here. The specific tasks, roles and responsibilities of the Associate during the performance year will be defined early in the assignment.  Generally, the work of the Associate will focus on implementation of MANNA’s multi-year Youth Strategy and will involve working with all program teams.  The work will also include research of initiatives throughout the Feeding America Network and other organizations leading efforts focused on root causes of hunger, and then compilation and presentation of those findings.  To afford the Associate the opportunity to gain insight into non-profit management, they will work with the Programs Director and Program Managers to support business planning, budgeting, grant writing and research, data analysis and other program management activities. 

 

Principle Activities & Responsibilities:  

 

The Programs Team at MANNA has embarked on a multi-year, cross-functional initiative to improve the nutrition security of young people in WNC.  Young people are negatively impacted, often in long-term ways, by food insecurity and lack of sustained, good nutrition in their household. Research has demonstrated that improving access to nutritionally dense foods in early life positively impacts long-term health and eating habits.  We know that: 1) children in households that receive SNAP develop intellectually and grow physically in healthier ways; 2) most Medicaid members are children; 3) caregivers (families, parents, guardians) of children struggle to access and/or do not know of services available to support them and their children; and 4) nutrition education along with access to healthier foods early in life impacts the long-term health and eating habits of adults. 

 

Our goal for the Youth Strategy is to work collaboratively across all programs and other MANNA departments to design, develop and implement an integrated strategy to improve sustained access to healthy food and nutrition education for children and their caregivers in WNC.  With analysis, design and development of the strategy nearing completion, the Youth Strategy Associate will be supporting the implementation of this exciting initiative.  These activities will include the following. 

 

• Youth Program: support the expansion of school pantries throughout the region to increase access to nutritionally dense foods in a client-choice environment. 

• Benefits Outreach Program: support the implementation of the SNAP in Schools project (an evidence-based approach, designed to partner with school districts and Child Nutrition Directors to reach families and homes that are qualified for SNAP but not participating). 

• Health and Nutrition Program: support the implementation of health and nutrition education in partnership with organizations providing services throughout the service area. 

• Healthy Opportunities Pilot Program: support the continued expansion of Medicaid services to address the social determinants of health, including food insecurity. 

• Program Evaluation: support the design and development of a comprehensive evaluation approach for the broader Youth Strategy in collaboration with program management and our public health evaluation partners. 

• Volunteer Engagement and Management: support our effort to further define and expand volunteer support and management across all programs. 

 

Overall: 

• Participates in team, departmental and staff meetings 

• Attends select events hosted by the organization, the Programs Team and/or regional partners 

• Meets on a schedule to be established with the position’s manager, the Programs Director and other program managers  

 

Qualifications:  

 

The ideal candidate:  

 

• Understands and is committed to MANNA's mission 

• Has or is able to obtain proficiency with Microsoft Office and Outlook Office 365 products 

• Has strong analytical and problem-solving skills  

• Effectively communicates with constituencies including: staff, volunteers and the public 

• Possesses the ability to coordinate groups of volunteers in an organized fashion and is comfortable with and demonstrates confidence speaking in front of groups 

• Effectively serves as part of a team, is a self-starter, has a positive attitude and can respond quickly to changing requirements 

 

Working Conditions:  Work will be performed in a typical office environment or remotely, with exposure to warehouse environments, local travel, and working at off-site locations in the field including a variety of food distribution sites. 

 

Physical Demands: The physical demands required are representative of those that must be met by the service member to successfully perform the job's essential functions. 

 

The physical demands of this position are considered medium work. While performing job duties this position is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. This position is frequently required to sit, stand, walk, and stoop, kneel, or crouch. This position is occasionally required to climb or balance. Specific vision abilities require the visual acuity to operate motor vehicles, close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus, close visual acuity to perform activities including but not limited to preparing and analyzing data and figures, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, extensive reading. 

 

Functions also require the ability to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard, and to verbally communicate to exchange information.   

 

Travel: Routine travel may be required within MANNA’s 16 county service area.  Current driver license and a clean MVR are required.