Health And Nutrition Services Specialist

Arizona Department of Education

The Arizona Department of Education is a service organization committed to raising academic outcomes and empowering parents.

Health and Nutrition Services Division – Phoenix Location.

Salary
: $64,000 - $70,000
Grade
: 21
Closing Date
: 01/05/2026

Job Summary
:
The Health and Nutrition Services Specialist position is part of the Food Acquisition and Nutrition Systems team, dedicated to enhancing menu quality and serving strategies in Child Nutrition Programs (CNPs) statewide. The specialist provides technical assistance on food service operations management, procurement of USDA Foods, and data‑driven decision‑making to ensure equitable access to nutritious options. Occasional in‑state and rare out‑of‑state travel may be required.

• Provide procurement and food acquisition technical assistance to all CNP operators on USDA Foods utilization and management, including Direct Delivery/Direct Ship, Processing, and DoD Fresh, as well as on commercial foods.
• Support operators in writing technical requirements and specifications for solicitations or quotes, identifying vendors/distributors/suppliers, and incorporating new products in school meals.
• Determine the type and frequency of foods available to Recipient Agencies under state initiatives.
• Analyze trends, forecast needs, assess nutritional quality, coordinate distribution, and place orders as needed.
• Create resources and tools for operational assessment and strategic recommendations across food, finance, facilities, HR, and marketing to exceed meal standards while maintaining financial viability.
• Provide direct technical assistance with a focus on equitable access to domestic, local, and regional nutritious foods and promotion of positive feeding strategies.
• Lead efforts to strengthen the Arizona food system by supporting a fair, competitive, and resilient local food chain and expanding access to local foods.

• Knowledge of federal regulations, state laws, and policies for child nutrition programs; national and local legislative issues; procurement laws; food service operations;
  Arizona food system and supply chain; and federal food distribution programs.
• Skills in effective written and oral communication; active listening; organization; time management; analytical problem solving; and intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to research, review, and interpret public laws and rules; establish and maintain interpersonal relationships; think critically; conceptualize complex systems; manage multiple projects; work well in a team; and efficiently use computer software applications.

• Master's degree
• Registered Dietitian (RD) or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RON)
• Experience administering or directing a Child Nutrition Program (CNP)
• Experience with procurement

Pre‑Employment Requirements include successful completion of background and reference checks, required documents, and, if applicable, a post‑offer medical/physical evaluation. Candidates must also meet driver’s license requirements if the role necessitates driving.

Benefits:
The State of Arizona offers comprehensive medical, dental, life, and disability insurance, retirement and long‑term disability plans, 10 paid holidays, accrued vacation and sick time, paid parental leave up to 12 weeks, a deferred compensation plan, and wellness programs.

Retirement:
Participation in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS) is required after the 27th week of employment.

The State of Arizona is an Equal Opportunity/Reasonable Accommodation Employer. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting  or emailing Human.

Resources.