Program Coordinator

Program Coordinator

Reports to:

Program Director

Employment Status:
Full-time/Exempt

Location:

Santa Fe, New Mexico (with travel to school sites in neighboring counties)

The Program Coordinator plays a key role in advancing Cooking with Kids’ mission to educate and inspire children and families to make healthy food choices through hands‑on learning with nutritious, affordable foods. This position supports the planning, coordination, implementation, and continuous improvement of Cooking with Kids programming in schools and communities throughout northern New Mexico.

Serving as both a Food Educator and a key operational partner to the Program Director, the Program Coordinator balances classroom instruction, program coordination, and operational support to ensure the successful delivery of high‑quality programming that builds children’s food skills, confidence, curiosity, and willingness to try healthy foods.

• Serve as the primary Cooking with Kids (CWK) Food Educator for assigned school site(s), working closely with school staff throughout the school year and facilitating classroom‑based cooking and nutrition education lessons using the Cooking with Kids curriculum.
• Schedule and deliver Cooking with Kids programming, managing the calendar for assigned site(s) and coordinating program units with classroom teachers, administrators, and cafeteria staff.
• Lead monthly cafeteria tastings using Cooking with Kids' "Nuevo Thursday" approach to introduce students to fruits, vegetables, and other nutritious foods.
• Build positive relationships with students, teachers, administrators, cafeteria staff, families, and community partners.
• Support family engagement, after‑school, and community activities as needed.
• Maintain regular communication with program leadership and fellow Educators, contributing ideas and best practices to a collaborative team culture.
• Maintain a valid Food Handler certification and ensure strict adherence to food safety, sanitation, and risk management procedures.
• Complete required reporting, purchasing documentation, and program records in a timely manner.

• Partner with the Program Director to design, implement, and improve educator training, professional development, and program resources.
• Collaborate on the development and refinement of curriculum, lesson plans, recipes, and educational materials.
• Supervise and support assigned Food Educators through regular communication, coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and problem‑solving.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with school district leaders, principals, teachers, cafeteria staff, and other partners.
• Monitor program quality, including class records, participation data, and required reporting.
• Assist with the recruitment, onboarding, training, and ongoing support of Food Educators.
• Coordinate program supplies and equipment inventory, maintenance, and ordering; and assist the Program Director with planning and tracking program‑related expenses.
• Serve as a substitute Food Educator and provide direct program support as needed.

• Support the Food Procurement Manager on Mondays with packing and ingredient pickups, designated bulk shopping days, and occasional transportation of food and supplies to partner schools and districts outside of Santa Fe.
• Cross‑train in food ordering, ingredient calculations, inventory systems, and procurement procedures to provide coverage and operational support as needed.
• Collaborate with Program, Procurement, and Operations staff to coordinate schedules, troubleshoot logistical challenges, and support efficient program delivery across all service areas.
• Attend staff meetings, training, organizational events, and occasional evening or weekend community activities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of organizational priorities.

This is a full‑time, exempt position. A full‑time schedule typically averages approximately 32 hours per week, with seasonal variation depending on program cycles and school partnerships.

Cooking with Kids…