Job Title: Director of Nutrition & Community Health Programs

Department: Community Outreach

Reports to: Vice President for Operations & Procurement

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Salary: $80,000-$90,000, commensurate with experience

Status: Full-Time

Job Summary:

The Director of Nutrition & Community Health Programs leads the development, implementation, and evaluation of Long Island Cares’ nutrition services and community-based health initiatives. This role is responsible for aligning and strengthening programs across food access, nutrition education, and Food is Medicine, ensuring services are coordinated, effective, and responsive to community needs. In the current phase, the Director will prioritize stabilization and alignment, including clarifying roles, strengthening program coordination, and building a more integrated structure that supports long-term impact. The Director oversees program strategy, staff performance, compliance, and partnerships, while ensuring all work advances Long Island Cares’ mission to build a hunger-free Long Island, together. This is a new role and requires someone who can adapt, move with change, build as needed, and continuously assess what is and is not working.

Essential Functions:

• Lead the design, implementation, and ongoing improvement of community nutrition and health programs, establishing clear goals, priorities, and measurable outcomes aligned with organizational strategy.
• Stabilize and align program operations across nutrition, food access, and community services by clarifying roles, workflows, and expectations, while identifying and addressing gaps, overlaps, and inefficiencies.
• Oversee all nutrition-related programming, including child nutrition programs (CACFP, SFSP, Kids Café, Pack It Up for Kids), community nutrition education, and agency-facing nutrition support and training.
• Ensure all programs meet regulatory and funding requirements.
• Expand access to nutritious and culturally relevant food.
• Ensure programs are consistently implemented across sites and service models.
• Ensure strong coordination between clinical services, care navigation, and program operations.
• Maintain alignment between assessment, referrals, and service delivery, ensuring program growth aligns with funding and operational capacity.
• Oversee program budgets, staffing, and resource allocation, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, and maintaining accurate and timely reporting for grants and program performance.
• Establish and maintain strong documentation, tracking, and accountability systems, using data to monitor performance, evaluate outcomes, and drive continuous improvement.
• Supervise and support program staff, including the Nutrition Resource Manager, Community Nutrition/Education role, Child & Family Nutrition Coordinator, program support staff, and part-time clinical and outreach roles.
• Provide leadership for Food is Medicine initiatives, including supervision of part-time RDN/CDN roles, coordination with the 1115 Waiver Program Coordinator, and integration of a Community Health Worker into outreach and service delivery.
• Set clear expectations, provide coaching and support through transitions, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Build and maintain partnerships with community organizations, schools, agencies, and healthcare providers, and represent Long Island Cares in community meetings, coalitions, and public forums.
• Ensure programs remain responsive to community needs and are delivered with dignity and respect.
• Perform other duties and tasks assigned by VP’s and CEO.

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong leadership and program management skills.
• Ability to bring structure, clarity, and accountability to complex programs.
• Experience managing multiple funding streams and compliance requirements.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving ability.
• Commitment to Long Island Cares’ mission, vision, and values.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s preferred (Public Health, Nutrition, Social Work, or related field).
• 5-7 years of experience in nonprofit, human services, or community-based programming.
• Demonstrated experience supervising staff and managing program performance.
• Experience with government-funded programs and reporting requirements preferred.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting and computer work.
• Ability to travel to program sites and community locations across Long Island.
• Ability to lift up to 25 pounds as needed.
• Valid NYS Driver’s License.

Long Island Cares embraces a philosophy that recognizes and values diversity.

Our goal is to attract, develop, retain, and promote a talented diverse workforce in a culture where all employees will contribute to their fullest potential.