Easter Seals Jobs

The Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) is seeking a dedicated and experienced individual to serve in the role ofDirector of Nutrition Services. The Director is responsible for ensuring the state’s Nutrition Program provides cost effective, high quality, and nutritionally sound meal services to all older adults who choose to live in the community. The top strategic goals of the program are to: 1) reduce hunger and food insecurity by making cost effective nutrition services available at the community level, 2) promote health and well-being by providing nutritionally sound meals and food to older adults living in the community, 3) assist older adults with disease management and treatment by providing therapeutic and medical tailored meals to older adults living in the community; and, 4) ensure food safety by establishing sanitation standards for meal providers and food purchasing. The Director of Nutrition Services is responsible for providing effective leadership, management, and evaluation for the agency’s nutrition policies and the statewide $83M Nutrition Program, which serves over 10 million meals per year. The program is centrally overseen by EOEA, which contracts directly with approximately 25 community nonprofit organizations to operate the program. In addition, EOEA contracts directly with statewide commodity food providers, distributors, and warehousers. The ideal candidate will be able to thrive in both a detailed operational and policy-oriented environment. The incumbent will be a systems thinker that is able to successfully manage the program’s meal sourcing, production, distribution, and policy strategically across multiple programs and distribution channels. The Massachusetts state elder nutrition program is a cornerstone of public health, delivering substantial value by improving the health, well-being, and quality of life of our senior population. In fiscal year 2023 alone, the program provided 9,024,749 home delivered meals to 43,282 seniors and served 1,145,762 congregate meals to 17,016 seniors, marking a 2.81% increase in home delivered meals and 0.89% increase in congregate meals from the previous year. This program not only ensures our seniors receive the nutritious food they need to manage chronic diseases and maintain their independence, but it also combats social isolation and fosters community engagement. By reducing healthcare costs through better nutrition and preventing premature institutionalization, the program generates significant economic benefits. Supported by numerous studies and participant testimonials, the elder nutrition program is a vital investment in the health, dignity and inclusivity of Massachusetts’ aging population. The selected candidate will report to the Assistant Secretary of EOEA and will directly supervise 1 Nutrition Specialist. Duties and Responsibilities (these duties are a general summary and not all inclusive): * Manage the statewide Nutrition Program operated by contracted community based non-profit organizations to provide cost effective, high quality, and nutritionally sound meal services to all older adults who choose to live in the community, including: o Design, implement, and evaluate nutrition policy, procedures, measures, and standards for EOEA and contracted partners. o Direct and provide technical support to Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) and federal Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition programs. This includes advising local nutrition programs on their operations and contracts, facilitating the monthly statewide nutrition director’s meeting, and issuing operational policies and procedures. * Oversee and manage statewide food purchasing contracts and procurements. * Oversee and manage the statewide commercial distribution of fresh and frozen foods. * Support program evaluation efforts to measure the effectiveness of EOEA’s Nutrition Program in supporting successful health outcomes. * Develop and execute effective strategies to communicate agency priorities and resources to the aging network stakeholders such as the Councils on Aging (COAs), Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs), and other local, state and federal partners. * Lead the development of EOEA’s current and future nutrition policies, including collaborating with EOEA’s senior leadership team, colleagues across the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) sister agencies, and with partners in philanthropy, academia, and advocacy. Among other policy priorities, this will include the integration of the Nutrition Program and the use of Medical Nutrition Therapy into the long-term care system. * Collaborate with national and local partners to reduce food insecurity and enhance nutrition services. This includes partnering with food banks, federal agencies (FDA and USDA), and other state agencies (including DTA, DPH, DESE) to assist with SNAP and Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) outreach and distribution, enhance food safety education for older adults through the Partnership of Food Safety Education, advise on state sanitation codes on behalf of older adults as needed, and chair the Governor’s Commission on Malnutrition Prevention Among Older Adults. * Identify program needs and gaps and collaborate with other organizations or government entities to develop new programs, share resources, public education, and share outreach to enhance funding and improve meals and service quality. * Continuously monitor and implement national best practices related to nutrition for older adult and food service operations. * Advise the Assistant Secretary in deciding Nutrition Program strategies; prepare position papers and special reports on policy, program and operations issues for the Assistant Secretary’s review and approval; and participate in special projects at the direction of the Secretary and Assistant Secretary. Preferred Qualifications: * Strong organizational and project management skills, including attention to detail. * Ability to articulate a data-informed point of view regarding nutrition policy, and to apply best practice policy and operational concepts to the Nutrition Program and other relevant community-based programs. * Proficiency in designing, assessing, and improving business processes, performance data, and organizational effectiveness to improve performance against current and future needs and benchmarks. * Strong interest and ability to stay current on state-of-the-art tools, methodologies, and practices related to the defined job duties. * Strong written and oral communication skills. This includes the ability to apply data driven storytelling concepts when communicating in writing or orally about the program and the ability to use graphics and multimedia to present to a variety of audiences. * Ability to foster consensus, build relationships within and outside the organization, and collaborate with all stakeholders. * Ability to effectively prioritize responsibilities while under pressure. * Strong organizational and project management skills, including attention to detail. * Ability to adapt to a changing environment. * Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and/or Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LDN) credentials and an advanced degree in nutrition, public health or business preferred (MS, MPH or MBA, PhD). * At least five (5) years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, supervisory or management, experience in policy and program development, management, and/or evaluation; and of which, at least three years (3) experience in community or public health nutrition and/or high-volume food services operation. * Knowledge of state and federal funding streams, budgeting and reporting requirements a plus. _Agency Mission:_ __ By the end of this decade, one in five people living in Massachusetts will be 65 years or older. The Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) serves 1.7 million older adults in the Commonwealth EOEA is responsible for ensuring that the services provided are of the highest quality, are consumer-focused, and are delivered cost-effectively. EOEA oversees a budget nearing $770 million from state and federal sources that supports program implementation through a regional distribution network of 24 Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) and 350 Councils on Aging (COAs) nested within the 351 municipalities of the Commonwealth. EOEA is responsible for managing the statewide the Home Care Program, Adult Protective Services (APS), the certification of Assisted Living Residences (ALRs), and is also responsible for numerous other state and federal programs including Prescription Advantage, home-delivered and congregate meal programs, the SHINE program, which provides counselling to older people regarding health insurance options, congregate and supportive housing, the Family Caregiver Support Program, and SCSEP (a program for older job seekers). EOEA also leads and staffs key public bodies and commissions pertaining to older adults including the Alzheimer’s Advisory Council, the Governor’s Council to Address Aging in MA, and the Assisted Living Advisory Council. EOEA also leads the work for Massachusetts’s commitment to be an age- and dementia-friendly state. _Pre-Offer Process:_ A criminal and tax history background check will be completed on the recommended candidate as required by the regulations set forth by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services prior to the candidate being hired. For more information, please visit http://www.mass.gov/hhs/cori Education, licensure and certifications will be verified in accordance with the Human Resources Division’s Hiring Guidelines. Education and license/certification information provided by the selected candidate(s) is subject to the Massachusetts Public Records Law and may be published on the Commonwealth’s website. If you require assistance with the application/interview process and would like to request an ADA accommodation, please click on the link and complete the Reasonable Accommodation Online Request Form. For questions, please the contact the Executive Office of Health and Human Services Human Resources at 1-800-510-4122 and select option #4. Applicants should upload a cover letter and resume for the Director of Nutrition Servicesrequisition. * MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must have at least (A) six (6) years of full-time or, equivalent part-time, professional, administrative, supervisory, or managerial experience in business administration, business management, public administration, public management, clinical administration or clinical management of which (B) at least two (2) years must have been in a project management, supervisory or managerial capacity or (C) any equivalent combination of the required experience and substitutions below. Substitutions: I. A certificate in a relevant or related field may be substituted for one (1) year of the required (A) experience. II. A Bachelor's degree in a related field may be substituted for two (2) years of the required (A) experience. III. A Graduate degree in a related field may be substituted for three (3) years of the required (A) experience. IV. A Doctorate degree in a related field may be substituted for four (4) years of the required (A) experience. _Comprehensive Benefits_ When you embark on a career with the Commonwealth, you are offered an outstanding suite of employee benefits that add to the overall value of your compensation package. We take pride in providing a work experience that supports you, your loved ones, and your future. Want the specifics? Explore our Employee Benefits and Rewards! *An Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Females, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Commonwealth is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. Research suggests that qualified women, Black, Indigenous, and Persons of Color (BIPOC) may self-select out of opportunities if they don't meet 100% of the job requirements. We encourage individuals who believe they have the skills necessary to thrive to apply for this role. Job: Food Services* *Organization: Department of Elder Affairs *Title: *Director of Nutrition Services Location: Massachusetts-Boston-1 Ashburton Place Requisition ID: 24000618