Community Nutrition Advisor - Starke, Marshall, Pulaski Counties

Job Summary

The Community Nutrition Advisor supports the implementation of Purdue Extension’s place-based Smart SNAP Education initiative as part of Indiana's Rural Health Transformation Program. This position works within a regional cohort model to improve nutrition security, healthy eating, physical activity, and cardiometabolic health through direct education, community partnerships, environmental supports, and community engagement strategies.

The Community Nutrition Advisor supports the implementation of Purdue Extension’s place-based Smart SNAP Education initiative as part of Indiana's Rural Health Transformation Program. This position works within a regional cohort model to improve nutrition security, healthy eating, physical activity, and cardiometabolic health through direct education, community partnerships, environmental supports, and community engagement strategies.

In this role, you will be responsible for coordinating and delivering evidence-based nutrition and physical activity education in rural community settings such as local health departments, YMCAs, libraries, food pantries, healthcare sites, schools, community centers, and other trusted community hubs. Programming is delivered using approved curricula and educational resources provided through onboarding and ongoing training. Educational programming incorporates Smart SNAP waiver information, 5-2-1-0 messaging, and other approved health promotion strategies and is delivered through a combination of one-time classes, multi-session series, food demonstrations, community events, and virtual engagement opportunities.

This position also supports the implementation of policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies and assists in developing and maintaining partnerships with local organizations, Community Champions, and regional stakeholders to expand program reach and sustainability. Staff work closely with Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program’s Regional Directors and statewide leadership to support coordinated implementation of Smart SNAP Education across rural Indiana.

• Recruiting, scheduling, coordinating, and delivering evidence-based nutrition, food resource management, food safety, and physical activity education programs in community settings throughout assigned service areas
• Delivering approved curricula through one-time programs, multi-session series, food demonstrations, community events, and virtual platforms
• Supporting implementation of place-based strategies that embed nutrition education and health promotion within trusted community environments
• Assisting with implementation of policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) strategies that compliment direct education and reinforce healthy behaviors and improve access to healthy foods and physical activity opportunities
• Developing and maintaining effective working relationships with local health departments, YMCAs, public libraries, food pantries, schools, healthcare organizations, community centers, workforce development organizations, and other community partners
• Delivering programming to rural residents across the lifespan, including adults, older adults, youth, families, and community groups
• Assisting with recruitment, training, and support of Smart SNAP Community Champions to expand community reach and reinforce key health messages
• Supporting multi-level interventions that strengthen nutrition security and improve health outcomes in rural communities combining direct education, community engagement, and environmental supports
• Collecting, maintaining, and reporting program data in accordance with Purdue Extension and funding agency requirements
• Administering participant evaluations using approved reporting tools
• Maintaining proficiency in approved curricula, public health strategies, community engagement approaches, and emerging nutrition and physical activity recommendations
• Completing program goals and assigned responsibilities with minimal supervision while maintaining timely and accurate records
• Staying informed of local demographic, community, and health trends to support program planning, outreach, and partnership development
• Con…