New Kensington Community Development Corporation (NKCDC) is a community development corporation committed to sustainable development in housing opportunities, economic development, vacant land strategies, community engagement, and real estate development. NKCDC advances social equity and economic empowerment by nurturing and creating opportunities for residents to live in, and actively shape, their neighborhoods of choice. To that end, NKCDC provides free housing counseling to anyone in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and offers many additional resources to residents and businesses in the Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond neighborhoods.
NKCDC has a strong reputation, both locally and nationally, with longstanding credibility of serving as trusted and valuable partner and collaborator. The organization is currently one of only two community development organizations in the City of Philadelphia that are chartered members of the NeighborWorks America network. Historically, our approach to arts-based development and vacant land management has been considered innovative and transformative. Our current work using a trauma-informed community engagement model, applying a racial equity lens across the organization, and leading programs at the intersection of health and housing are keeping NKCDC at the cutting-edge of community development. NKCDC draws on the strengths of the communities in Kensington, Fishtown, and Port Richmond — a population of over 62,800, 23% of whom live below the federal poverty level — to make sure neighborhood development benefits all residents. More information can be found at nkcdc.org
Function
The Community Health Educator is a new and exciting role within our growing Health and Wellness department. The Community Health Educator is responsible for planning and implementing nutrition education programming to both SNAP-ED and Nourish programs with the support of our Nutrition education coordinator and Program manager. Programming entails providing hands-on in-person or web-based lessons and workshops that are exciting, motivating, and reinforce learning. Programming will occur in community-based settings like food pantries, community centers, libraries, community gardens, corner stores, low-income residential housing, and online. This role will also participate in community outreach and data collection as needed.
The Community Health Educator will be working with the Nutrition Education Coordinator and Program Manager to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors with an equitable and trauma-informed lens while teaching topics that include, but are not limited to, nutrition, healthy cooking, exercise, food budgeting, and goal setting using our standardized curriculum. In addition, this role will be critical in planning and executing the Nourish program which includes the procurement and packaging of Nourish meal kits using recipes that are culturally appropriate, affordable, and accessible. They will also assist in identifying additional workshop providers and chef educators to support programming.
Reports to
Program Manager
Professional Responsibilities
- Use SNAP-ED approved curriculum to plan and deliver workshops in a community based or an online setting while maintaining consistency with mission and goals.
- Develop and support new initiatives/programs that are responsive to the education and support needs of our residents.
- Facilitate food tastings and nutrition education workshops with the Nutrition Education coordinator.
- Assist with administering and enhancing the SNAP-Ed curriculum.
- Provide food tastings with locally available produce/goods and take-home recipes.
- Outreach with partner groups and businesses to facilitate nutrition education in the community and virtual settings.
- Attend community meetings, events, and training as needed, occasionally on evenings and weekends.
- Collaborate with Community Health Workers and other NKCDC departments.
- Support recruitment planning to engage and enroll community members.
- Work with community-based food distribution partners and food retail locations
- Support NKCDC’s Gardening Initiative, growing a community of gardeners to activate vacant land near their homes to increase access to fresh food.
- Design Nourish meal kits using SNAP-ED approved recipes and lessons.
- Assist with identifying workshop providers and ensure that the program content is engaging and culturally appropriate.
- Assist with identifying and providing resources to increase access to healthy food.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Knowledge of basic nutrition, public health, and facilitation experience preferred, not required.
- High level of creative skills, innovation, and organization
- Passion for teaching people about nutrition and helping members of the community learn.
- Must display a high level of dependability and accountability.
- Minimum 1-year experience working in community-based organizations preferred, not required.
- Candidates with experience in health, nutrition, or cooking-related programming and experience with children preferred.
- Must be computer savvy, able to access e-mail, electronic calendars, and utilize Microsoft Office.
- Strong work ethic with excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to work with diverse programs and people in high-stress situations.
- Both a team player and a self-starter with ability to prioritize tasks, ability to multi-task, prioritize, and adapt.
- Spanish proficiency a plus.
- Must have a valid driver’s license, a car is a plus.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Familiarity with social service networks in Philadelphia or familiarity with resources in Kensington community is a plus.
- May need to work off-site or off-hours on occasion as needed.
- High school diploma or equivalent required.
Compensation
The salary for this position will be $47,375/yr., 35 hours a week. Excellent benefits including HMO health plan, long- and short-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid vacation and 403 (b) retirement plan. To counter pay inequality and uphold internal parity, we use a nonnegotiable starting salary system, while
benchmarking our pay to competitive markets in the nonprofit sector. This position will be on-site at our central office, 2771 Ruth Street, Suite 1, Philadelphia, PA 19134.
Application Process
Applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to hr@nkcdc.org, with “[YOUR NAME] Community
Health Educator Application” in the subject line. Applications received by September 5, 2023, will be given
full consideration. Please note that all candidate resumes are kept on file for one year, but we cannot
always respond personally to individual applications due to the high volume of inquiries.
Hiring Process
Our hiring process includes a 20–30-minute interview with HR, followed by an in-person interview with
the hiring manager, and finally an hour-long “panel” interview with 3-4 staff members. Reference checks
are conducted after the final interview.
Equal Employment Opportunity
NKCDC provides Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, race, national or
ethnic origin, gender identity or expression, religion, language, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or
physical ability. We know groups subjected to systemic oppression– including people of color, women,
people from working class backgrounds, and people who identify as LGBTQ – are less likely to apply unless
and until they meet every requirement for a job. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from
people with these identities or who are members of other communities who are marginalized.