Job: Food Policy Specialist Position Opening in Portland, OR

The Multnomah County Health Department’s Community Wellness and Prevention Program is recruiting a highly qualified, creative person for a Food Policy Specialist position. Basic Job Description The position is a part of Multnomah County Health Department’s Community Wellness and Prevention Program’s CDC-funded Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) Grant Initiative. The Communities Putting Prevention to Work Initiative develops and implements policy, environment, and systems-based change strategies to slow and reduce rates of obesity and overweight in school and community settings. This position will focus on policy, environment, and systems-based strategies to promote healthy eating and access to healthy, affordable, culturally-relevant food in a variety of community settings such as worksites and convenience stores. The position is responsible for coordinating with a variety of internal and external stakeholders, including subcontracted agencies. Functional tasks include: staffing issue-specific work groups and policy teams; collaborating with grocery retailers and business partners; providing technical assistance and training; collecting and maintaining data; conducting research, assessment, and analysis; developing policy recommendations; and serving as a liaison to community partners and the Portland/Multnomah Food Policy Council. The position will help coordinate the program’s Healthy Retailers Initiative, including the development and implementation of strategies to increase the availability of healthy food and beverages in underserved neighborhoods. The person will also help with worksite food-related policies, such as helping to develop and advance institutional purchasing policies that limit the availability of unhealthy food and beverages at county worksites.

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Qualifications

Interest and passion for food justice and policy issues. Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in health promotion, urban planning & design, public administration, public policy, or a related field. Masters degree preferred.  Three years of increasingly responsible experience involving the development and implementation of community health promotion initiatives. Strongly prefer demonstrated experience in policy development and/or advocacy, experience working in retail environments and knowledge of retail purchasing practices, experience working with local governmental entities, and thorough understanding of a health equity framework and demonstrated track record in collaborating with diverse stakeholders. Strong writing and verbal skills required.

Interested individuals should send their resume and a short statement of interest to:

Sonia Manhas, Program Manager

Community Wellness & Prevention / Office of Public Health Policy & Advocacy

Email. sonia.manhas@co.multnomah.or.us