Community Nutritionist (Public Health Nutritionist)

This exciting position leads and collaborates on nutrition programs serving youth and families across the county! Under the supervision of the Food Access Program Operations Manager, this position leads and supports the planning, implementation and evaluation of population-level nutrition services.

Develops and manages nutrition programs that serve children, adults, and families, including School Age Child Care (SACC), Camp Fairfax, school break programs, and the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). Key responsibilities include overseeing nutrition service delivery; collaborating with Fairfax County Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services (FCPS FNS); ensuring compliance with USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) standards; and supporting the development of innovative strategies to address food insecurity.

Also provides training on nutrition-related policies, promotes health equity, and works to improve access to nutritious food for youth and underserved populations. In addition, manages budgeting and reimbursement processes and ensures compliance with contractual requirements from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE). This role requires close collaboration with individuals with lived experience, community-based organizations, and internal county partners to ensure services are inclusive, culturally responsive, and aligned with the One Fairfax policy. Candidates with a demonstrated commitment to advancing nutrition equity, community health, and food access-and who thrive in a collaborative, mission-driven environment-are encouraged to apply.

(The illustrative duties listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all-inclusive list. A complete list of position duties and unique physical requirements can be found in the position description.)
Assesses and evaluates nutritional needs of clients;
Develops, modifies and presents normal and therapeutic diets to clients;
Establishes food packages for clients;
Certifies and recertifies the nutritional medical status and program service eligibility of clients, families, and groups;
Provides nutritional counseling to clients;
Plans and conducts nutritional training to meet client needs;
Prepares monthly reports on nutrition program activities and issues.

(The knowledge, skills and abilities listed in this specification are representative of the class but are not an all- inclusive list.)
Knowledge of the principles and practices of nutrition;
Ability to assess and evaluate the nutritional needs of individuals, families and groups;
Ability to develop nutrition care plans;
Ability to develop effective working relationships with a variety of individuals.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
A bachelor's or higher degree in nutritional sciences, public health nutrition, dietetics or a related field from a regionally accredited college or university and satisfactorily completed a program of supervised clinical experience approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; or related qualification requirements as defined by the Code of Virginia Chapter 27.1 of Title 54.1 Dietitians and Nutritionists.

CERTIFICATES AND LICENSES REQUIRED:
Valid driver's license.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
The appointee to this position will be required to complete a criminal background check, a Child Protective Services Registry check, and a driving record check to the satisfaction of the employer.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven experience in project and systems management, including data management, financial reporting, financial management, and results-based accountability.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local compliance requirements for food and nutrition programs.
• Experience working with Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP).
• Experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse populations and demonstrated commitment to equity and inclusion in nutrition or public health initiatives.
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential strongly preferred, or eligibility or intent to obtain the credential.
• Experience in developing and delivering community-based nutrition education using behavior change strategies such as motivational interviewing or health promotion frameworks.
• Experience designing or applying evaluation tools and quality improvement methods to assess the effectiveness of nutrition or food access programs.
• Experience managing vendor relationships, reviewing food service contracts, and overseeing menu compliance with federal Child Nutrition Program standards.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to develop and deliver effective presentations to diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects from conception to implementation.
• Proven capacity to establish and maintain collaborative connections with internal and external partners; ability to work independently and as part of interdisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office software applications, including Word, Excel, Teams, and Outlook.

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