Senior Manager of Nutrition and Food Initiatives

This role supports nutrition and food initiatives for children, families, and the community to promote Clayton's whole child, whole family approach. Oversee the Seed to Stomach activities, food procurement, distribution, budgeting, and grant management. Manage partner relationships and services, continually growing and enhancing offerings to support child and family wellbeing. Partner internally and externally to provide strategic leadership in realizing the vision of the innovation hub for thriving children and families. Deliver a coordinated set of evidence-based services that meet family needs while working with Clayton team members to impact systems change beyond the Clayton campus.

Clayton Early Learning is a leading nonprofit dedicated to providing children from birth to five with an exceptional start and empowering families for lifelong success. We directly serve approximately 500 children annually through our school, home-based programs, and community partnership sites. As a proud member of the Educare Learning Network and the Head Start community, we are deeply committed to high-quality early childhood education through a whole-child, whole-family approach. Our 20-acre historic campus in Denver serves as the foundation for our vision to become a thriving neighborhood center addressing needs including food security and health care access. Our team of over 125 professionals works in a supportive environment of collaboration, innovation, and personal growth.

Responsibilities

• Partner with Director Team members to set the strategic vision for food and nutrition initiatives on the Clayton campus and drive partnership development and implementation to achieve strategic goals.
• Participate in campus planning processes to facilitate a coordinated service approach enabling children and families to thrive.
• Review and evaluate the Clayton Cares Market and manage contracts and contractor relationships.
• Oversee grant invoicing and reporting, including weekly monitoring of procurement and spending.
• Ensure culturally responsive and inclusive practices in service delivery models to enhance strengths for students, families, and employees.
• Oversee all aspects of the Clayton Cares Market, including purchasing, inventory, procurement, and food safety and sanitation compliance.
• Monitor and track service goals, meeting with stakeholders to review progress toward federal, program, and organizational objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including families, partners, and government entities.
• Develop, implement, and monitor policies and procedures for the team, focusing on quality assurance, empirical rigor, and cost-efficiency.
• Oversee and develop team expertise, providing support, guidance, and regular performance feedback.
• Represent the program in the community to enhance collaboration and advance the organization’s brand and reputation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in nutrition or a related field.
• 1-2 years of leadership experience.
• Operates with a data-driven mindset, using data to drive continuous improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to adjust style for diverse audiences.
• Strong leadership skills to build effective relationships and lead a team.
• Highly developed project management skills with a track record of strategic design and implementation.
• Ability to build relationships, influence others, and provide strong customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to identify and seek needed information, implementing creative problem-solving in stressful situations.
• Analytical thinking skills, including intermediate-level mathematical computations for assessment and evaluation.
• Planning and creative skills to independently create and deliver proposals and presentations.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite; ability to learn and adapt to new software.
• Must pass a comprehensive background check, including CBI/FBI fingerprinting, a physical, and a national sex offender registry check.
• Bilingual preferred.

Benefits

• 16+ paid company holidays.
• Spring Break and Winter Break – up to 10 paid days off.
• Accrued vacation time, starting at 10 days per year up to 30 days per year, based on years of service.
• Paid sick time.
• Medical, vision, and dental insurance coverage.
• Life and AD&D insurance.
• Mental health support through medical coverage and employee assistance program (EAP).
• Long-term disability coverage.
• 401(k) with 5% employer match after 1 year of employment.
• FSA plans.
• College 529 investment plans.
• Identity theft and protection plans.

Pay

$80,000-$85,000 annually

Core Values

• Collaboration: builds trust and relationships, bringing new ideas, skills, and knowledge to improve work.
• Community: fosters resiliency, stability, and strength.
• Fun: reduces stress, keeps us motivated, builds connections, and models joy for our children.
• Growth: allows us to develop as professionals and provide the best service.
• Stewardship: enables us to have the greatest impact with the resources we have.