Coordinator, Food Skills Programs

Entreinstitute; Hamilton; On-site; CAD 44,000 - 53,000; Full time

Job summary

Neighbour-to-Neighbour Centre in Hamilton is seeking a Coordinator, Food Skills Programs to lead community food education and kitchen activities at the Hamilton Community Food Centre.

You will run cooking and nutrition programs, supervise volunteers, engage with diverse community members, and help build leadership among participants.

The role requires 2–3 years of program delivery experience, Food Handler certification, and strong facilitation skills; 1-year contract, 35 hours/week.

Qualifications

• 2–3 years of experience delivering food-based programming.
• Food Handler certification.
• Strong facilitation, interpersonal, communication and conflict-resolution skills.
• Creative, patient and able to engage diverse groups.
• Experience with diverse communities including children and youth.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and administrative software.
• Committed to issues of food insecurity, poverty, social justice.

Responsibilities

• Deliver food skills programs focusing on cooking and nutrition.
• Collaborate with Program Manager to plan and run programs for youth and seniors.
• Schedule and supervise volunteers.
• Train, orient and mentor volunteers and interns.
• Engage in community outreach to participants and potential partners.
• Create and update handouts and manuals.
• Support data collection, reporting and grant writing with guidance.
• Design innovative programs responsive to community needs.
• Perform other duties to support operations.
• Model professional behaviour and promote safe, inclusive spaces.
• Ensure kitchen and spaces are clean and safe.

Skills

Facilitation

Interpersonal communication

Conflict resolution

Creativity

Patience under pressure

Diversity and inclusion

Microsoft Office

Food insecurity awareness

Education

Food Handler certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Title: Coordinator, Food Skills Programs

Reports to: Manager, Programs

Employment Type: 1 year contract with ( possibility of extension)

Compensation: Starting at $48,500 per year

Hours: Full time, 35 hours/week, Monday to Friday with occasional evenings and Saturdays

*Operations at our Food Centre often extend into the evening and require staff to regularly run programming outside of the 9 – 5 hours of the workday.

Who we are

For 35 years, a team of passionate staff and volunteers at Neighbour-to-Neighbour Centre have been collaborating to improve the Hamilton community and meet the issues of food insecurity and poverty head-on. What started as a small food bank has evolved into an indispensable part of the community’s social fabric.

Neighbour to Neighbour works to improve the quality of life in the Hamilton community by offering access to tutoring programs for children, community kitchen programs, utility subsidy programs, family counselling, emergency food access and a host of other interventions. Neighbour to Neighbour works to empowering people with the tools and ideas that will help change their lives.

Position Summary

At Neighbour to Neighbour, food is more than nourishment; it’s a way to build health, belonging, and hope. The Coordinator for Food Skills facilitates various programs focusing on building skills and knowledge around nourishing, culturally appropriate food/recipes while celebrating and promoting diversity. This position’s home base is N2N’s Hamilton Community Food Centre location at 310 Limeridge Rd.

The ideal candidate is passionate about food justice and has experience in community work with extensive experience and competency in the kitchen. It’s important that the ideal candidate possesses strong group facilitation and cultural skills and has experience engaging with diverse groups of people. This position is about more than cooking skills, it’s about inspiring creativity in others, problem solving, managing group dynamics, and encouraging participants to take initiative and become leaders. The ideal Food Skills Coordinator can make people of all ages feel comfortable and confident.

Key Role Responsibilities

• Deliver various food skills programs where participants exchange knowledge about cooking, eating, and food from their diverse perspectives.
• In collaboration with Program Manager, plan, problem solve and implement programs for specific participant groups including youth & seniors – setting objectives and goals.
• Cultivate open communication, leadership, and food skills amongst program participants and volunteers, responsible for scheduling volunteers
• Guide and retain volunteers in their roles to support the delivery of programs; Train, orientation and mentoring of volunteers and intern staff
• Engage in community outreach to participants and potential partners
• Create and update community food resources and programs such as handouts and manuals
• Measure and evaluate program impact through support of data collection, reporting, and development activities such as grant writing and annual reporting with direction and support of Program Manager and other colleagues.
• Innovation and creativity in program design and responding to community needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support operations.

Participate as a Hamilton Community Food Centre team member

• Role model professional behaviour and positive communication with participants, volunteers and partners, contribute to anti-oppression work and safe(r) space environment
• Be a responsible team member, helping when needed, pitching in to ensure the success of all programs and initiatives.
• Ensure that the kitchen and other spaces are healthy, safe and clean.
• Represent Neighbour to Neighbour Centre values in our community
• Contribute to communications through outlets such as social media and website

Qualifications and Experience

• 2-3 years of experience delivering food-based programming - meal planning and cooking for large groups.
• Food Handler’s certification
• Excellent group facilitation, interpersonal, communication and conflict resolution skills (i.e. ability to guide individuals and groups into and out of challenging conversations leaving everyone feeling safe and heard)
• Creative personality with the ability to make kitchen/food skills activities fun and to get people of all ages engaged and excited
• Ability to be patient and remain calm while facilitating a large group in the kitchen
• Comfort and experience working with diverse communities; children and youth
• Experienced in use of Microsoft Suite programs (office, excel, outlook, etc.) and other office and administrative software.
• Lived experience of, and/or demonstrated commitment to issues of food insecurity, poverty, social justice

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

• Commercial Kitchen in a community-based space
• Must be able to lift 50lbs – heavy pots of food, and cases of food product.
• Assist with set up and tear down for programming, cleaning laundry, kitchen, dishes

Health and Safety

• Promote and maintain a safe working environment by adhering to organizational health and safety policies and procedures.
• Promptly report hazards, incidents, and injuries to senior staff on site.
• Participate in workplace safety training and contribute to the development of a culture of safety.

Neighbour to Neighbour is an equal opportunity employer. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for next steps will be contacted.

Neighbour to Neighbour Centre is committed to employment equity and encourages applicants from equity seeking and deserving groups. We are dedicated to providing an atmosphere free from barriers in order to embody and best demonstrate equity, inclusivity, and diversity. We celebrate and welcome the diversity of all employees.

If you require accommodation during the application and recruitment process, please contact Human Resources at 905-574-1334 Ext 209 as soon as possible.