Health and Food Equity Navigator

Our Community Well-Being team is growing! We recently added a new position to the city - Health & Food Equity Navigator! 

The Health & Food Equity Navigator works with community members to improve health access by providing resources and health education. This position collaborates with partner organizations to lead community-focused campaigns and programming, highlighting the importance of nutrition, health, and mental wellness while fostering innovation to promote equity in nutrition by improving food accessibility.

This exciting new position isn't your typical 8-5 and will host classes for the community during after-hours. These classes will include healthy meal preparation, diabetes, prevention, and heart health! They will have the creative freedom to build and create programs to serve the community best. 

Hiring salary is dependent upon experience.
The hiring range for this position is $62,166.20 - $69,073.55 / annually 

We care about our employees and offer a generous benefits package: Health & wellness benefits, 6% retirement contribution match and 2% 457 Deferred Compensation match, general leave, work/life balance, and more.   

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Assists residents with accessing public food and health benefits

• Inventorying food access, substance use prevention, medical, and mental health programs

• Provides wellness-specific information and referrals including health, substance use treatment, food access, and mental health

• Serves as a conduit of information to resident seeking Medicare, Medicaid, CHP+, and other insurance options

• Collects, evaluates, and analyzes data, community input, and evidence-based guidelines to inform decision-making processes, maximize resources, and champion strategies to improve health outcomes while considering the varied needs of specific populations such as issues related to age, gender, race, culture, and health inequities

• Builds and maintains relationships with community, government, healthcare, business leaders and partner organizations to understand community assets and priorities, create connections across organizations, and elevate solutions for addressing health inequities

• Identifies solutions to mitigate barriers that interfere with the successful implementation of community health equity strategies

• Monitors the financial management and processes of grants (e.g., budget preparation, budget adjustments, expenditures, etc.) to comply with all program and funding guidelines of awards and awarded organizations

• Conducts regular outreach to connect the community with wellness service providers

• Maintains electronic and print resource directories for use by public and community partners

• Recruits partners to host health and nutrition programming that are culturally responsive, including healthy meal preparation, diabetes prevention, and heart health classes

• Identifies and provides support in the creation of community gardens and local farmers market

• Creates and runs related programs, such as a healthy drinking water program 

• Serves as a liaison between community partners

• Coordinates regular free to low-cost clinics in the community

• Participates and serves as a City representative in community and county meetings

• Facilitates work related to establishing community partnerships with diverse stakeholders

• integrating food access tools into existing systems and businesses, integrating food systems into local land use planning and policy

• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Public Administration or related field from an accredited college or university; minimum of three(3)years experience in coordinating outreach or working with lower income or otherwise marginalized populations required. Equivalent combinations of education and experience may be considered.

Knowledge of:

• health equity, including an understanding of oppression, privilege, and social justice

• working with government, private and non-profit organizations on joint projects

• existing community resources available to assist individuals in need

• proper format, punctuation, spelling, and grammar, use of all parts of speech

• poverty causes, trends, issues, and solutions

• planning, implementing and evaluating community outreach and engagement efforts

• in the use of equipment in the completion of daily activities

Skills in:

• organizational skills and experience maintaining filing systems

• performing mathematical calculations; addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, percentages, decimals, basic principles of algebra and geometry, and estimating time and weight

• customer service and client relationship skills

Ability to:

• work and communicate with individuals with disabilities and make necessary adaptations

• apply comprehensive, practical, and technical knowledge with the use of analytical judgment and decision-making abilities

• prepare and professionally deliver presentations to the public, city council, and other groups; must be able to interact with others in a positive manner

• consider different points of view and use elements of persuasion to gain cooperation and acceptance of ideas and reach agreement

• engage clients in the field with direct service provision

• relate to diverse individuals and groups from a wide variety of educational and cultural backgrounds

• speak with poise, voice control, and confidence

• use independent judgment and decision-making within established policy

• handle sensitive or stressful situations with tact and diplomacy 

• work long, irregular hours when necessary 

• handle and maintain confidential information

Equipment Used, Work Environment and Physical Activities

• Driving: Drives a city or personal vehicle in the normal course of business

• Office Equipment: Daily use of computer, keyboard, copier, scanner, printer, calculator, phone (desk & cell), camera, and electronic diagnostic equipment. Daily use of software programs including Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, Word, Excel

• Other Equipment: Occasional use of ladders.  

• Physical Activities: Moderate physical activity that may include walking, sitting, standing, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting & carrying

• Lifting: Frequently lifts, carries, and exerts up to 40 pounds

• Vision and Hearing: Must have visual acuity to see and read paper and electronic documents. Must be able to answer telephones, communicate conversation and respond to verbal inquires.Must be able to recognize sound on construction sites that indicate nearby equipment and/or safety hazards

• Exposure to Environmental Conditions: Will be exposed to extreme heat, cold, dry, wet, odors, smoke, loud noises, vibrations, dust or intense lightand hazards normally associated with construction sites. May be exposed to chemicals including cleaners, solvents, paints and other potentially toxic agents. Work may be performed in precarious or tight spaces.

• Schedule: Position generally scheduled Monday - Friday; occasionally weekend work. May require attendance at off-site meetings.

• Additional Working Conditions: May be exposed to work settings that vary in convenience and comfort. May be required to visit external, non-city work sites with the City having limited control over the work environment.

• Safety Sensitive: This position is subject to the city’s drug screening

Reasonable accommodation may be made to individuals with disabilities for the essential functions of the job.

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and qualifications. Employees are accountable for all duties associated with this position.

The City of Commerce City is an equal opportunity employer.

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from all backgrounds and experiences. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workforce is essential to our success, and we are committed to creating a supportive and welcoming work environment for all of our employees. If you are looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference in your community, we encourage you to apply for this position today.

Be A Part Of It and contribute to the vibrant growth and development of Commerce City as we strive to provide exceptional services and foster a thriving community.  

This position will remain open until filled and is subject to close without notice.

Process Overview:

Apply Today: We ask that you complete and submit an online application, AND INCLUDE A RESUME AND COVER LETTER, which will be used to screen for minimum qualifications (MQs) and determine starting pay in accordance with the provision of the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.
Qualification Review: HR will screen applications for minimum qualifications
Application Review: Applications for candidates that meet minimum qualifications will be forwarded to the hiring manager, who will review and evaluate application materials.

Interview(s): We aim to schedule interviews with candidates who meet the minimum qualifications and pass the application review

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/ccco/jobs/4572310/health-and-food-equity-navigator

https://www.c3gov.com/living-in/community-well-being-division