The ideal Children’s Program Coordinator for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank understands and is passionate about the organization’s mission to provide nutritious food and grocery product to those in need in our 16-county service area. This individual will be a vital component of the Food Bank team in working with our various partners in the program areas of School Markets, BackPack Program, Kids Café, and Summer Feeding. The ability to work in a fast-paced and progressive environment will be the key to success in this role, as the Northeast Iowa Food Bank continually strives to work towards closing the Meal Gap in northeast Iowa.
The ideal Children’s Program Coordinator is a self-starter, will demonstrate great attention to detail, and possess excellent customer service skills. This individual must be able to work independently and with staff to achieve objectives. This individual will also be capable of expanding relationships with our partners while maintaining our compliance standards.
A passion for social justice and compassion for others are keys to being a staff member at the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. At the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, we strive to work as a unified team to close the Meal Gap in northeast Iowa. As a team member, the Children’s Program Coordinator will work closely with staff members to maximize the distribution of food to those in need.
The responsibilities of the Children’s Program Coordinator include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Provide excellent customer service and building capacity assistance to program and agency partners, to help better serve our clients and build relationships.
• Communicate clearly and effectively with program coordinators, Food Bank departments, volunteers, and staff.
• Maintain complete and accurate information from all Children’s Programs sites. Effectively communicate with site coordinators to obtain or correct meal counts, alerting the Children’s Program Manager of compliance issues or changes in meal site contacts.
• Handle order processing such as receipt and invoicing of purchased product to ensure accuracy for production and culinary programs. Work closely with Kitchen Lead to communicate delivery shortages or changes, including in-house orders.
• Conduct monitoring visits for Children’s Program areas of Kids Café, Summer Feeding, BackPack, and School Markets to ensure compliance with Feeding America standards, food safety standards, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), Child & Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program, in addition to NEIFB membership and program agreements. This will include traveling to partner sites.
• Provide basic user support for Food Bank platforms and on-the-spot education during onboarding and training to partners during site visits, especially when necessary for minor compliance issues and/or capacity building. Communicate all major concerns or issues with the Children’s Program Manager.
• Responsible for data entry, including but not limited to IowaCNP claims, delivery mileage, driver time, staff administration time, meal counts, trainings etc. Assist in pulling reports or verifying data entry accuracy for the Children’s Program.
• Updating program documentation and agreements, applications, spreadsheets, and planning annual training opportunities for site coordinators and staff to ensure adherence to organizational policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts by supporting leadership with program development, process optimization, and implementation of organizational initiatives.
• Assist with cooking and preparing meals. Organizing meals for delivery, including but not limited to loading and delivering meals to sites as needed.
• Assist with general operations of the Programs department as needed.
• Greet, train, and supervise volunteers as well as share the mission of the NEIFB; provide general guidance of projects; assure proper training of volunteers to include specific jobs and safety concerns. Communicate frequently with volunteers to ensure they are satisfied and appropriately placed.
• In instances of a federal, state, or locally declared emergency, NEIFB is considered an essential service and emergency responder; all its employees may be called in to perform regular or emergent duties.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support the mission of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank.
Required:
• 2-year degree or 2 years of experience in an affiliated field or equivalent experience in customer service, human services or program compliance
• Experience with Excel, PowerPoint, and Canva
• Excellent customer service and communication skills
• Strong attention to detail; ability to meet deadlines
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently and with a team to achieve objectives
• Ability to work with diverse populations
• Ability to occasionally work evenings or weekends
• Must pass a criminal background check
• Ability to perform physical labor as necessary (stand/walk/move for long periods of time, lift up to 50 pounds, work with warehouse equipment)
• Valid Iowa Driver’s License; must have personal vehicle and be willing to travel within 16 county service area
• Commitment to social justice and the mission of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank
Preferred:
• Ability to multitask, delegate, and adhere to deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to become ServSafe Manager certified
• Knowledge of basic healthy nutrition and general dietary guidelines
• Experience with non-profit organizations
• Experience in group presentations or speaking to an audience
• Food Safety and Handling experience
• Creative and innovative, forward-thinking mindset
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This position operates in both a typical office environment, in the community, as well as in the warehouse and requires use of a computer and other office equipment, such as phones, calculators, computer printers and copy machines and the ability to operate manual and automatic pallet jacks, pallet wrapping machines, cardboard baler, and cleaning equipment. This position may require occasional evenings and weekends, so the ability to travel and work remotely in various environments is a necessity.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The position operates in a variety of settings both in and out of the Food Bank such as office desk, cooler, freezer, warehouse, and volunteer workrooms as well as a variety of locations in the community. Ability to communicate in a clear speaking voice in person, before large groups and over the phone. Ability to interpret instructions and questions when asked. Routine travel to meetings, functions, and special events is normal, which requires driving. The person in this position must be able to move pallets of food using pallet jacks, stay on their feet for up to four hours at a time, and work in the cooler and freezer. The employee may be required to push, pull, lift, and/or carry objects up to fifty pounds.
NEIFB Core Values
NEIFB Core Focus
Our Purpose:
Collaborate + Educate + Advocate = Feed the Food Insecure
Our Niche:
Every Meal. Every Day. Everyone.
Northeast Iowa Food Bank hereby affirms it is an equal opportunity employer, offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, gender expression or identity, pregnancy, leave status, genetic information or age and provides Equal Employment Opportunity to handicapped individuals, disabled veterans and veterans of the Vietnam era. Further, the Northeast Iowa Food Bank is an equal opportunity provider.
Click on the link below to apply or email your resumé and a cover letter to adminassistant@neifb.org.