How to Apply:

Send Resume, Cover Letter, and three references to ashlee@missoulafoodbank.org by July 18th to apply. 

Job Description – Family Engagement Coordinator

Missoula Food Bank & Community Center’s (MFB&CC) mission is to lead the movement to end hunger through advocacy, volunteerism, and healthy food for all. We nourish community.

We are a private, non-profit organization with a 42-year history of filling the hunger gap in Missoula County. In 2023, we served 1 in 5 people countywide. MFB&CC pursues our mission through direct nutrition programs and through advocacy efforts that impact the upstream causal issues of food insecurity. We have been carrying out this model of service since 1982 and take tremendous pride in the diverse network of support that keeps our community nourished, our food service programs effective, and our organization healthy.

Missoula Food Bank & Community Center is an anti-racist, LGBTQ2S+ ally organization.  BIPOC and gender diverse applicants are encouraged to apply.

Position Overview

This is a full time (40 hr/wk) position reporting to the Family Engagement Manager. The Family Engagement Coordinator will spend their time working in EmPower Place with a focus on engaging families, supporting SNAP application assistance at MFB&CC, helping facilitate a small group of caregivers in our skill-building program LEVL, maintaining and scheduling our learning kitchen/conference room space, and working on our North Star of ending childhood hunger in Missoula.

EmPower Place is a collaborative child learning suite that is operated in partnership with spectrUM Discovery Area and Missoula Public Library, and goals for the space include narrowing the opportunity gap and fostering positive role model and academic mentor relationships for children whose families use food bank services. The Family Engagement Coordinator will build relationships with families in EmPower Place and invite them to be a part of our North Star work. This position will create and foster community relationships to help us better provide resources and services to families who come to MFB&CC. In addition, this role will be a co-facilitator in our LEVL (lived experience voices and leaders) program which is a biweekly group that works on building community and skills amongst caregivers with lived experience who are the true experts on food insecurity in Missoula. Lastly, this position will help with the scheduling, maintenance, and coordination of our learning kitchen/conference room space. This will include booking groups, keeping the space clean and organized, hosting cooking classes, and creating community connections within our shared space.

The hours for this position will be Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday from 8-4pm, Thursday from 11am-7pm. Some flexibility for additional evenings and weekend hours as well.

The pay rate for this position starts at $22.00 per hour.

Position Type: Non-Exempt, Full-Time

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience working with children and families who may have traumatic life experiences.

• Work experience in a non-profit organization, educational environment, or closely related direct-service operation preferred.

• Familiarity with anti-poverty work.

• Be self-motivated, self-directed, and take initiative in performing a wide variety of tasks in a fast paced, dynamic work environment.

• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally with a wide range of people including other staff, volunteers, customers, social service agencies, businesses and the general public.

• Be an excellent communicator. Be able to provide a safe space for people to open up and share.

Other requirements include:

• Gifted communicator with children and caregivers.

• Work collaboratively within a team environment and have a willingness to assist other co-workers and volunteers.

• Demonstrated organizational skills and detail oriented to support the balance of a wide range of tasks and responsibilities including multi-tasking, prioritizing and delegating tasks when necessary.

• Ability to grow and maintain positive working relationships with a diverse group of partners, volunteers, coworkers and community members.

• Knowledge and ability to incorporate opportunities to provide education around BIPOC culture, heritage, and history (i.e. Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, November Holiday, etc.)

• Proficiency in the operation of common computer applications such as Microsoft Word, Access, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint preferred.

• Be open-minded and flexible with regard to the work performed.

• Exercise safe workplace policies and procedures and effectively communicate adherence of policies to volunteers and other staff.

• Being a part of power-building advocacy, where you work alongside those with lived experience, not for them or above them.

• Be able to create safe group environments where everyone feels seen and heard.

SPECIAL JOB SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

• Stand and/or walk for long periods of time; bend, twist, kneel and stoop; pull, push or carry heavy objects, including the ability to lift up to 50 pounds, with reasonable accommodation.

• Participate in ongoing equity and inclusion work.

• Perform the essential functions of the position with reasonable accommodation.

• Hours may include occasional evening and weekend hours for special events.

• Must have the ability to be physically active for long periods of time and to work within a fast-paced environment.

• A criminal background check will be required. Felony offenses of sexual or violent nature may disqualify an applicant from employment. 

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Engage with families and youth in a thoughtful, trauma informed approach manner.

• Provide application assistance to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other safety-net resources like Medicaid, TANF, Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LIEAP), and Federal Free/Reduced Lunch program.

• Work in partnership with other MFB&CC staff members, outside partners and MCPS Central Kitchen to achieve targeted enrollment goals for our ‘School Meals are for Everyone’ campaign.

• Represent MFB&CC at resource fairs and other outreach opportunities where application assistance and resource referral is the primary goal.

• Staff EmPower Place and be a positive, playful role model for children and parents.

• Help create and facilitate LEVL (lived experience voice leaders) which is a group of caregivers looking to build community together and power within.

• Create children’s programming that is inclusive and educational for various age-groups

• Gather local data to better understand and pursue solutions to the academic and opportunity gaps experienced by children growing up in poverty.

• Schedule groups to use our learning kitchen and conference room space. Work with the Family Engagement Manager to expand our current programming

• Other duties as assigned.

NOTES

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

We strongly encourage applications from Black and Indigenous people and other people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, LGBTQ+ people, and other people of historically excluded identities. Data shows that women and BIPOC candidates more frequently do not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed. Our job descriptions are general overviews, not a mandatory comprehensive list. We are committed to nurturing diverse leadership within a diverse network, so if you feel passionate about our efforts and believe that you have the skills to accomplish the job, we want to hear from you!