Do you have experience in food sourcing, institutional food purchasing, nutrition and dietetics, or policy implementation?

Food Procurement Specialist
This full-time position is part of Get Healthy Philly, a citywide initiative that aims to reduce chronic diseases related to smoking, unhealthy eating, and lack of physical activity. Since 2010, the City of Philadelphia has been working to make city-funded foodservice healthy, appealing, affordable, and locally grown where possible.

The Food Procurement Specialist will be responsible for working primarily with various city departments and later with institutional partners to incorporate healthier food options, including lower sodium options, into contracts and menus. The Food Procurement Specialist will also work with existing and potential vendors to assess and expand capacity to meet healthy food demands. The position will report directly to the Food Policy Coordinator.

SPECIFIC ACTIVITIES
• Work with governmental and vendor partners to manage implementation for meeting healthy food purchasing guidelines.
• Review menus and proposed contracts to make recommendations for integration of guidelines.
• Work with the Procurement Department to connect identified healthy food distributors to the City’s food procurement system.
• Create and manage the roll out of a training and technical assistance plan for
departmental implementation of food service guidelines, including coordination of
outside training experts as appropriate.
• Assist in the development of implementation guides and toolkits.
• Develop and implement a monitoring plan for nutrition standards in the city’s vending machines.
• Create and manage an employee and consumer educational campaign, including point of purchase materials for vending machines, taste tests, and outreach events.
• Manage ongoing data review via data management systems to understand progress in implementing healthy food service guidelines, including nutritional analysis and vending sales analysis.
• Identify external partners to assist with evaluation, implementation, or adoption of best practices.
• Contribute to ongoing research and dissemination of best practices in healthy food procurement.
• Develop written reports and issue briefs.
• Additional responsibilities as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Background or experience in food sourcing, food procurement, nutrition or dietetics, or policy implementation strongly preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Excellent organizational skills

OR

• Any equivalent combination of education and experience determined to be acceptable by the Philadelphia Department of Public health

SALARY
Salary range is $50,000 - $64,000, commensurate with experience.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is currently recruiting for a Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) Food Procurement Specialist. Filling the position is contingent upon receiving grant funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and approvals by the Civil Service Commission, The Central Finance Department and the Office of Human Resources.

This grant funded position will begin approximately October 30, 2013 and end September 29, 2014. Two additional years of funding is anticipated, but not guaranteed.

QUALIFIED APPLICANTS: If you are interested in applying for this position, please send a cover letter and resume to Sam Kessler, Executive Secretary, at [log in to unmask]<mailto:[log in to unmask]>