Careers

Description:

POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: Director of US Programs

SPOON, an innovative global nonprofit, is the only organization dedicated to transforming nutrition and feeding for children who are highly vulnerable to malnutrition because of disability and lack of family care. SPOON empowers and equips families, communities, and partnerorganizations/providers to safely feed and adequately nourish children through training and implementation of proprietary tools. Through strategic partnerships with governments, nonprofit organizations, and community service providers, SPOON transfers knowledge and skills to partners to provide disability-inclusive and trauma-informed nutrition and feeding care for children vulnerable to malnutrition. In 2024, SPOON received a Zero Project award for its progressive approach and system-changing work that has catalyzed national policy change and yielded dramatic improvements in children’s health and development.  

The SPOON team consists of 10 dedicated, focused, and compassionate individuals. While we now all work remotely, we were founded in and had an office in Portland, OR for many years.  The hard and serious work we do is made easier by a compassionate and inclusive culture that we nurture and value regardless of where we are based.  

The Director of US Programs, a new role at SPOON, will leverage SPOON’s more than ten years of experience working in the Oregon foster care system. This role is critical to increasing our attention and commitment to reaching children vulnerable to malnutrition here in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. This role will lead the development, growth, and ongoing management of partnerships with organizations and providers who will use SPOON’s training and tools to better serve US-based children with nutrition and feeding needs. They will lead the process of identifying partners reaching children at risk of poor/under nutrition, manage and deliver training to providers, and identify and secure funding partners for expansion into new counties and states. This person will serve as a key representative of SPOON, speaking at local/regional events, showcasing SPOON’s trauma-informed nutrition and feeding services and tools, and advocating for the inclusion of children with nutrition and feeding challenges. This role will also work closely with the SPOON team to refine tools and training based on user feedback and input.  

The Director of US Programs reports to the Executive Director and works closely with our other staff. Successful candidates will possess an entrepreneurial drive, exceptional relationship management skills, a track record of meeting ambitious goals, and a desire to help SPOON access a broader network of partners that directly impact the health and wellbeing of children. The position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Develop and lead a comprehensive strategy for SPOON’s U.S. programs, including long-term funding and programming goals, objectives, and metrics.  
• Cultivate, nurture, and develop trusting and collaborative relationships with partners that respond to the needs of children who are at risk of poor nutrition. Generate new revenue for SPOON through the development of training and funding partnerships.  
• Identify, negotiate, and manage new partnerships with organizations and service providers (including social service and child welfare service providers, health and medical professionals), who reach children at risk for malnutrition and feeding challenges and their caregivers in the Pacific Northwest.
• Lead the development of proposals and presentations of new materials to create and grow partnerships to reach more children, support program expansion, and ensure the sustainability of this position and programming. 
• Engage in networks and coalitions to promote disability-inclusive and trauma-informed nutrition and feeding policies, services, and investments. Maintain and share professional knowledge through education, networking, events, and presentations.
• Support partners to complete and/or deliver online and in-person feeding and nutrition training. Provide direct training as needed.
• Generate demand for trauma-informed nutrition support for children vulnerable to malnutrition in Oregon and in the region; as measured by examples such as coalition priorities, changes in policies or funding, and increased awareness of the issue. 
• Work closely with the SPOON team to oversee quality control of our US-specific nutrition and feeding tools, ensuring they are of the highest quality, meet the needs of our domestic audiences, and integrate well with one another. 
• Explore the viability of introducing SPOON’s digital health app, Count Me In+, to providers to identify risks of developmental delays, malnutrition and feeding difficulties early and counsel caregivers on strategies to improve children’s health at home.
• Lead development and implementation of monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities to track progress, identify and address challenges, and gather feedback from users to inform adjustments and expand services. Learning will include regular analysis of how tools are being used and how best to support partners to use them.

• In close collaboration with the SPOON Fundraising team, identify and secure funding to expand services to partners throughout the PNW.

   

Skills/Eligibility:

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

In addition to the specific job requirements, staff at SPOON embody certain core values to support our mission: a passion for the mission, persistence, and a commitment to learning and evidence.

Required Qualifications

• 5-7 years of progressively responsible relevant experience within Oregon or Washington
• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Social Work, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration or other relevant field. Candidates with 10 or more years of directly applicable professional experience may be considered in place of a degree.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas: adult education, trauma-informed care, feeding, nutrition, digital health tools, training others at the state or local level
• Strong leader, strategic thinker
• Ability to conceptualize, manage, and prioritize multiple projects
• Ability to analyze and act on data to inform decision-making and adaptations 
• Excellent technical skills in writing, editing, formatting, research, negotiation, and verbal communications; excellent presentation skills
• Proven track record in securing grant funding
• Solution-oriented approach to facing challenges and ability to work well under pressure, manage multiple deadlines and complex schedules
• Innovative and creative thinker who is not afraid to try something new and inspire others
• Entrepreneurial attitude, results-driven, and able to work independently as well as collaboratively

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Social Work, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration or other relevant field
• Experience working within a public health organization or provider in OR or WA.
• Significant knowledge of (or ability to learn quickly about) Trauma-informed care, Foster Care, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Nutrition, and/or Disability programs

How to Apply:

HOW TO APPLY: Submit cover letter, résumé, and completed application (linked) to hiring@spoonfoundation.org. Applications will close on May 13, there will be two rounds of interviews, and we anticipate a start date around July 16. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.