********This role is hybrid, but candidates must live in Dallas.****

Food Access Coordinator (part-time)

The Food Access Coordinator (Part-Time) is a new position at Common Threads.

This position is dedicated to nurturing local procurement partnerships and cultivating relationships with food banks, urban farms, and various food suppliers. Located in Dallas, TX, this part-time role offers up to 29 hours per week.

The Food Access Coordinator will collaborate with the team to enhance the organization's goals and practices related to sourcing nutritious food, ensuring alignment with our educational curricula. This role involves actively engaging with farmers and local food systems partners, as well as overseeing scheduling, auditing, and assessing the effectiveness of nutrition education programs in Dallas. The Coordinator will focus on enhancing capacity and fostering innovation to promote equity in nutrition by improving food accessibility.

The Food Access Coordinator will play a pivotal role in coordinating ongoing Common Threads' programs and supporting special projects in Dallas County, where our program partners are primarily located. Additionally, they may assist with national projects as required. Reporting directly to the Director of Programs & Partnerships, based in Dallas, TX, the Coordinator will serve as a key link in ensuring effective program implementation and partnership management. This position is grant-funded until January 2025, with the potential for renewal contingent upon funding availability.

Responsibilities:

• Making produce and other food purchases for incorporation into programs
• Overseeing intake of products, providing quality control, and giving feedback to farmers and food producers
• Providing support to in-field team, volunteers and interns, and program participants
• Collaborate with local farmers and purveyors to source ingredients for Farm to School programming
• In collaboration with the Project Coordinator and with input from community stakeholders, refine Common Threads' standard operating procedures around local sourcing and good food purchasing
• Support Chef Instructors with local procurement
• Conduct research to foster new connections with local farmers
• In collaboration with Program Team members, develop best practices for local food procurement, and contribute to building a prototype for use in other markets nationally
• Complete various paperwork including invoicing, disbursement requests, and and other reporting and compliance documents
• Supporting the survey and evaluation of program participants for continuous improvement
• Outreach for markets and delivery programs including attending community events, coordinating outreach materials, providing content for social media and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 2-3+ years of experience in nonprofit or local food organizations
• Passion for food access and commitment to building an equitable food system
• Understanding of nutrition and cooking preferred
• Ability to work within a mission-driven environment to develop professional and respectful relationships with people both internal and external to Common Threads
• Ability to work independently and remotely with confidence and outstanding communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong organizational, time management and logical thinking skills; must be task-oriented
• Highly collaborative and comfortable working with our team, program participants, and vendors
• Solid analytical and problem-solving skill set
• Possess positive, upbeat energy and a passion for wellness, food access, tolerance and awareness, and making a positive impact on society
• Comfortable multi-tasking and adapting their roles and communication style depending on the task
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to handle multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously while remaining attentive to details
• Must have access to a car and willing to travel locally
• Ability to move and lift equipment weighing up to 50 lbs. repeatedly and work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions
• Ability to help develop new programs, identify opportunities for improvement and take initiative
• Ability to function effectively as a member of a team

Additional Information:

• Common Threads employees are subject to a background check prior to employment.
• This is a part-time, non-exempt position that will primarily work Monday through Friday between the hours of 9am-5pm but some nights and/or weekends may be required.
• This position reports to the Director of Programs & Partnerships based in Dallas
• This position offers a hybrid work model that includes onsite (Dallas office) and remote days as determined by the manager with regular local travel to school and community partner sites

Work Environment:

This job operates in a home office as well as in schools and organizations in the community. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as a computer, phone, and files.

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.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; use close vision, distance vision, and be able to adjust focus; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift and/or move supplies weighing up to 25 pounds.

About Common Threads:

Common Threads is a national leader in nutrition security - championing improved community health through the power of nutrition and food. For over two decades, Common Threads has been providing nutrition education, culinary skills training, and food access, all key nutrition security fundamentals, in an effort to both prevent and treat diet-related illness. In today’s society, the role that nutrition plays in overall health, as well as the importance of the culture of food itself (i.e. preparing, sharing, and community) in relation to well-being, is neglected, and Common Threads tackles those issues head on.

Operating in-person and digitally, Common Threads’ programs can be found in schools across the country, including the nation’s four largest public-school districts (New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami), as well as community organizations, medical institutions, and universities - with a priority impact focus on marginalized communities. To date the organization has established partnerships with over 2,200 schools, provided more than 5 million meals, and forged a pathway for long-term nutritional health for more than 1 million people. For more information, visit commonthreads.org.

Common Threads EEO Statement:

Common Threads provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. Common Threads expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status.

How to apply: Submit resume and cover letter here: http://commonthreads.org/careers. No phone calls please. Serious applicants only, incomplete applications will not be considered. No third-party firms.