Program Associate – Nourish ME Nutrition Educator (HCCA)

Our Vision & Mission

We envision a world in which all people have access to high quality and enduring solutions to improve and maintain their health and well-being. MCD Global Health aspires to be a premier partner of choice and a recognized leader innovator and trusted partner in healthcare and public health program development implementation and evaluation. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of people worldwide through enduring high-quality cost-effective and universally accessible public health solutions. MCD operates impactful programs both in the U.S.A. and internationally.

MCD Global Health collaboration with Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) is seeking a Program Associate Nourish ME Nutrition Educator to provide nutrition education and policy systems and environmental change expertise to community partners throughout southern Kennebec County Maine.

Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) is a public health nonprofit organization based in Hallowell Maine. HCCA serves Kennebec County the Central Public Health District and supports statewide and regional public health initiatives with a focus on tobacco prevention and control substance misuse prevention and healthy eating and active living. HCCA is home to the Central District Maine Prevention Network Nourish ME Nutrition Education Program Gardiner Area Thrives Drug Free Communities Coalition and Maine Farm & Sea to Institution.

HCCA partners with MCD Global Health to provide recruitment and human resources services with MCD serving as the employer of record. This hybrid remote position is based at HCCAs office located at 105 Second Street Suite 2B Hallowell Maine. The position is full-time (40 hours per week) and eligible for MCDs comprehensive benefits package.

This position is funded through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) a five-year initiative (May 2026 September 2030) funded by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to support rural population health innovations and create new opportunities to advance preventive health and address the root causes of Maine the Nourish ME component of the RHTP promotes population health through evidence-based nutrition education and public health interventions that support individuals communities and healthcare organizations across the state.

The Program Associate will support the development of a sustainable nutrition education infrastructure for chronic disease prevention and management in Maine communities. This role will also implement evidence-based Food Is Medicine (FIM) strategies that complement and integrate with the RHTP Nourish ME program. Responsibilities include building and maintaining community partnerships strengthening food access infrastructure delivering nutrition education and embedding Food Is Medicine approaches within both clinical and community settings.

The ideal candidate will be highly organized capable of working independently and possess strong attention to detail. The position requires maintaining accurate records for reporting and evaluation purposes and collaborating closely with community partners healthcare organizations and public health stakeholders. Frequent travel throughout southern Kennebec County and the local service area is required along with occasional overnight travel for statewide trainings and meetings (approximately 12 times per year). Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

This position qualifies for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

HCCAs mission is to convene and support people organizations and communities to collaborate on quality-of-life and public health issues.

Salary offers may be higher or lower than the anticipated range based on factors including the selected candidates qualifications experience education and internal equity considerations.

Program Associate Nourish ME Nutrition Educator
Grade Level: 3
Anticipated Salary: $52000 - $56000
Reporting Relationship: Executive Director with oversight from the Nourish ME Senior Program Associate

Reporting to the Executive Director with oversight from the Nourish ME Senior Program Associate the Program Associate Nourish ME Nutrition Educator is a member of the Healthy Communities of the Capital Area (HCCA) team and works collaboratively with HCCA staff healthcare organizations schools community partners and other stakeholders to implement Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Nourish ME objectives throughout southern Kennebec County Maine.

This position supports the development and implementation of sustainable nutrition education and chronic disease prevention initiatives designed to improve population health outcomes across Maine communities. The Program Associate delivers evidence-based nutrition education programs and supports Food Is Medicine (FIM) strategies that help individuals and families access healthy foods while preventing and managing chronic disease.

Working closely with community and clinical partners the Program Associate helps build and strengthen referral pathways coordinates nutrition education activities supports community engagement efforts and advances policy systems and environmental (PSE) approaches that promote healthy eating and equitable access to nutritious foods. The position serves as a liaison between healthcare providers community organizations schools and other stakeholders to support sustainable nutrition-focused interventions aligned with RHTP Nourish ME goals.

The Program Associate also supports quality improvement reporting and evaluation activities through accurate data collection recordkeeping and documentation required by CMS Maine DHHS and program partners. The position assists with outreach training technical assistance and community partnership development while helping to ensure program activities maintain fidelity to evidence-based models and best practices.

The successful candidate will possess strong relationship-building facilitation communication and organizational skills as well as the ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with community organizations healthcare providers schools and other partners to advance nutrition education Food Is Medicine initiatives and chronic disease prevention efforts throughout Maine.

LOCATION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT: This hybrid remote position is based in Hallowell Maine and serves communities throughout southern Kennebec County. Regular travel to community organizations healthcare facilities schools and partner sites is required to support nutrition education programming Food Is Medicine initiatives outreach activities and community engagement efforts. Occasional overnight statewide travel (approximately 12 times per year) may be required for trainings conferences meetings and professional development activities. Travel expenses will be reimbursed.

Qualifications & Experience

Bachelors degree in health-related field is required; however equivalent related work experience may be considered. Experience working in a non-profit setting and with grant-funded projects is a plus.

Additional desired skills include:

• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse project partners consumers community partners and providers of health and behavioral health care

• Comfort and ability to present to and facilitate diverse audiences including youth and older adults

• Ability to work independently

• Ability to meet deadlines

• Ability to communicate professionally both verbally and in writing

• Knowledge and skill in the management of data-driven projects

• Ability to monitor and provide oversight of external local partners progress towards deliverables

• Ability to plan coordinate implement and manage multiple activities at once

• Flexibility to adapt to changing program needs

• Ability to gather synthesize and summarize a variety of information from many sources

• Experience developing error-free audience-specific communication materials and messages including flyers brochures booklets social media etc.

• Understanding of coalition-building strategies

• Knowledge of evidence-based nutrition education and policy systems and environmental change strategies is a plus

• Experience using Microsoft Office suite and Google Workspace

• Valid Maine drivers license and reliable transportation

• Must be eligible to work in the United States

Preferred Qualifications

• Preference given to Registered Dietitians Public Health and Nutrition professionals.

• Experience delivering evidence-based nutrition education programs across the lifespan.

• Experience with community centered public health interventions such as Food is Medicine.

• Experience in developing policy system and environmental change strategies as public health interventions.

List of Job Duties

The Program Associate Nourish ME Nutrition Educator will:

• Deliver evidence-based nutrition education curricula aligned with the RHTP Nourish ME goals related to chronic disease prevention and management.

• Implement evidence-based Food Is Medicine public health approaches (e.g. medically tailored groceries food pharmacies/pantries F&V Rx farmers market vouchers gleaning clinical referrals and school-based health strategies) aligned with RHTP Nourish ME goals related to chronic disease prevention and management.

• Engage with new and existing partnerships with community and clinical sites for implementation of sustainable FIM strategies.

• Engage in outreach efforts to increase awareness of and participation in RHTP nutrition education services.

• Coordinate with healthcare organization partners (e.g. hospitals primary care practices school-based health centers and FQHCs) to support referral and enrollment into nutrition education programs.

• Ensure program delivery maintains fidelity to evidence-based models while adapting appropriately to local community needs.

• Support the development of sustainable nutrition education infrastructure across community and healthcare settings.

• Participate in training meetings and appropriate professional development opportunities both in-person and online.

• Ensure program implementation follows guidance as set by UNE.

• Complete reporting and evaluation processes as set by CMS Maine DHHS and UNE.

• Utilize written and electronic media for a variety of community awareness strategies including promoting mass media campaigns issued by the state.

• Provide technical assistance to community partners to develop model chronic disease prevention policies that support healthy environments and that align with state laws.

• Provide presentations and training (in person and virtually) to relevant partners and interest holders on evidence-based best practice strategies for chronic disease prevention.

• Serve as a spokesperson for nutrition education and chronic disease prevention and HCCA.

• Work closely with HCCA Nourish ME Senior Program Associate and Finance Manager to assure project activity meets budgetary expectations.

• Promote positive relationships between and among HCCA and all potential collaborating partners by meeting with various interest holders (schools youth-serving organizations healthcare facilities age-friendly community groups workplaces behavioral health facilities etc.) and offering support to develop comprehensive chronic disease prevention policies and finding opportunities to network and establish new relationships with potential partners to expand or enhance HCCAs Nourish ME program.

• Be a member of HCCAs team of public health professionals working collaboratively to implement primary prevention programming and supporting the organizations broad public health goals.