TDA - FND - Program Compliance Specialist (Nutrition Program Consultant/Child Nutrition Director/ESC Consultant)

The Texas Department of Agriculture¿s Food and Nutrition Division administers 12 federal child and special nutrition programs and more than $2.5 billion in federal money annually. These programs aim to reduce hunger, encourage strong nutrition, and support local economies across Texas. 

Telework Option: TDA does not offer telework, and all employees are required to be physically present for work. The agency¿s core business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. TDA also provides limited customer service between 6:00-8:00 a.m. and 5:00-6:00 p.m.

Location: This position will report to one of the following TDA locations: Austin, Ft. Worth, Waco, San Antonio, Lubbock, or Houston, TX 

WHAT YOU¿LL DO: Perform highly advanced consultative services and technical assistance work. Provide policy guidance, program expertise, implementing and process direction to Education Service Centers (ESCs), community organizations and the general public. Serves as a subject matter expert for complex, multi-faceted federal nutrition programs and leads ongoing improvement efforts and strategic initiatives to deliver responsive, solution-oriented technical assistance statewide. Work under minimal supervision with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. 

Serve as a subject matter expert on highly complex federal nutrition programs, providing direction, procedural guidance and clarification to all Contracting Entities (CE) and ESC Child Nutrition Specialists, coordinating and ensuring consistent statewide responses that support compliance. 

Lead ongoing initiatives to measure ESC performance, support ongoing improvement projects and build tools and resources to improve systemic capacity to deliver high quality technical assistance and support to contracting organizations.

Coordinate, plan, and prioritize training and procedural guidance to all CE on all food and nutrition programs. Review and identify training topics and materials that are needed to address CE audit performance and CE training requests across the state for child nutrition programs. 

Serve as a subject matter expert on highly complex federal nutrition programs to include orientation and training on all food program areas and provide excellent technical assistance to customers that accurately reflects TDA guidance.

Keep abreast of the laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to provide guidance and direction to designated or identified workgroups on policy affecting efforts to support federal nutrition programs.

Collaborate in policy and compliance meetings, providing relevant information on operational and current processes to ensure proper understanding and coordinated direction, including the resolution of noncompliance and related issues.

Plan, develop, and implement program policies, procedures, standards, manuals in accordance with program objectives and goals; determining trends and resolving technical problems; and recommending appropriate changes.

Follow all TDA policies and procedures.

Perform other duties as assigned.

To be considered for the position, applicants must submit a State of Texas Application through CAPPS Careers or WIT ¿ experience listed on the application must state how each of the following qualifications are met:

Bachelor¿s degree (one year of work experience related to the duties and responsibilities may substitute for one year of college).

Minimum three (3) years of work experience as a Child Nutrition Supervisor, Coordinator, Director, or related with operational and managerial application for the School Nutrition Program, manager of community programs with operational and managerial application for the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and/or ESC Consultant with experience supporting child nutrition operations

Work experience reviewing, analyzing, and/or applying federal and state policies to federal programs.

Work experience in developing and providing one-on-one and group training to a diverse audience. 

Valid Texas driver¿s license and an acceptable driving record.

Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist.

School Nutrition Specialist Credentialing.

Work experience analyzing and interpreting data for program effectiveness.

Knowledge of food and nutrition of USDA regulations for Child Nutrition programs; of local, state, and federal laws related to the program area; National School Lunch and Breakfast programs, Summer Food Service Program and Child and Adult Care Food Program; public administration techniques; training and marketing techniques; program management processes and techniques; statistical analysis processes; and research techniques 

Skill in providing customer service excellence to both internal and external customers; in identifying measures or indicators of program performance; in managing multiple projects; and in the use of a computer and applicable software. 

Ability to gather, assemble, correlate, and analyze facts; to establish goals and objectives; to devise solutions to administrative problems; to develop, evaluate, and interpret administrative policies and procedures; to provide guidance and direction to others; and to exercise sound judgment and discretion; and to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKING CONDITIONS: 

Requires working in a normal office work environment and may have exposure to dust and environmental allergens consistent with normal business activities and human contact. Mostly sedentary in nature but may involve walking; standing; pulling and pushing; kneeling, stooping, and bending; performing tasks requiring fine motor skills and coordination; and safely lifting and carrying items weighing up to 50 pounds. Must be able to work extended periods at a computer and may require working extended hours and some evenings and weekends, as needed. May involve travel (up to *30%), occasionally overnight.

The State of Texas offers a variety of benefits for you and your family that are comprehensive and, on average, make up about one-third of total compensation. Benefits include:

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO): TDA is an equal employment opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, military status, or protected activity.

TDA participates in E-Verify and will provide the Social Security Administration and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security, with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. 

H-1B Visa Sponsorship 

We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa.

Background Checks

A criminal conviction records check is required for applicants who are selected for a position.

*A valid government-issued driver¿s license, which is recognized by the Texas Department of Public Safety and in good standing, and an acceptable driving record are required. TDA will verify this information with the Texas Department of Public Safety. Applicants with a driver¿s license not issued by the State of Texas should obtain and be prepared to provide a copy of their current driving record on or before their first day

Foreign Credentials

Upload an evaluation of your coursework if you have obtained a degree(s) from a school outside of the United States; otherwise, we cannot give you credit for your degree. Some organizations that provide evaluation services are:

Foreign Credential Services of America

1910 Justin Lane, Austin, TX 78757-2411
Phone: 512-459-8428

SpanTran: The Evaluation Company

2400 Augusta Drive, Suite 451 Houston, TX 77057
Phone: 713-266-8805

Global Credential Evaluators, Inc.

P.O. Box 9203 College Station, TX 77842
Phone: 512-528-0908

Apply online via CAPPS. Applicants applying in Work In Texas (WIT) will be required to complete additional supplemental questions, optionally provide EEO information including how you heard about the job, and provide an electronic signature in the CAPPS Career Section to be considered for the position. 

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. A skills exercise may be conducted at the time of the interview. 

Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls.  If you submitted your application through the CAPPS Careers Section, you may check the status of your application by accessing your profile and selecting ¿My Job Applications¿. Note: applicants who apply through Work In Texas, to be considered for the position, you must complete additional supplemental questions, optionally provide EEO information including how you heard about the job, and provide an electronic signature in CAPPS Careers.  

Reasonable Accommodations: If you are scheduled for an interview and require any reasonable accommodation in our interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls you to schedule your interview or an HR representative at 512-463-7423.  Whenever possible, please give the hiring or HR representative sufficient time to consider and respond to your request.

Military and Former Foster Child Employment Preference: TDA complies with the provisions of the veterans and former foster child employment preference acts. Please contact our Human Resources-Veterans Liaison at (512) 463-7423 for assistance. 

Go to https://texasskillstowork.com/, https://www.onetonline.org/, or http://www.careeronestop.org/ for assistance in translating your military experience and training courses into civilian job terms, qualifications/requirements, and skill sets.

Additional Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) Code or Crosswalk information is available from the Texas State Auditor¿s Office at Program Management MOS Codes.