SFSP Lead Program Supervisor – Child Nutrition Services

Description

WASHINGTON MANAGEMENT SERVICE

JOB ANNOUNCEMENT

Lead Supervisor for Summer Food Service Program (SFSP)  

 $82,500 - $96,990 annually

Recruitment Closes April 03, 2025 

The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) seeks a transformative leader to join the OSPI team as the Lead Supervisor for the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), within the Child Nutrition Services division. This leadership role provides operational leadership and management of the United States Department of Agriculture SFSP program. This full-time permanent position is based in Olympia, Washington. This position may be eligible for partial telework. Telework is a combination of in-building and off-site days. We encourage interested candidates to visit the OSPI website to gain insight into our agency.

About OSPI and our initiatives

OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's 295 public school districts and 7 state-tribal education compact schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.

At OSPI, we recognize that our employees are the key to the success of the agency. We are committed to our work but value the balance with our personal lives. We demonstrate our commitment to employees by providing an environment that stimulates professional growth and values them for their expertise. OSPI is a great place to work and has several initiatives to help create a great working environment, including:

• We support a healthy work/life balance by offering flexible/alternative work schedules and mobile and telework options. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We have an Infant at Work Program that is based on long-term values of newborns and infant-parent bonding. Eligible employees who are new parents or legal guardians can bring their infant (six weeks to six months) when returning to work. (Depending on job duties and work location.)
• We value and are actively involved in promoting diversity, equity and inclusion within OSPI by way of cross-divisional, collaborative committee. The focus of the committee includes employee engagement and education; reinforcing OSPI values; and maximizing the value of diversity and identifying strategies for inclusion.

Vision, Mission, and Values 
 Vision: All students prepared for post-secondary pathways, careers, and civic engagement.
 
Mission: Transform K-12 education to a system that is centered on closing opportunity gaps and is characterized by high expectations for all students and educators. We achieve this by developing equity-based policies and supports that empower educators, families, and communities.

Values: Ensuring Equity, Collaboration and Service, Achieving Excellence through Continuous Improvement, Focus on the Whole Child

Equity

Each student, family, and community possesses strengths and cultural knowledge that benefits their peers, educators, and schools. Ensuring educational equity:

• Goes beyond equality; it requires education leaders to examine the ways current policies and practices result in disparate outcomes for our students of color, students living in poverty, students receiving special education and English Learner services, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and highly mobile student populations.
• Requires education leaders to develop an understanding of historical contexts; engage students, families, and community representatives as partners in decision-making; and actively dismantle systemic barriers, replacing them with policies and practices that ensure all students have access to the instruction and support they need to succeed in our schools.

Position Overview

This position resides within the Child Nutrition Services (CNS) division at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and reports to the Director of Summer Foods and Farm to Child Nutrition. This position coordinates, aligns and directs work across the Summer Foods team toadminister, manage and promote the Summer Nutrition Programs and Farm to Child Nutrition Programs. This position provides supervision, oversight, and support to Administrative Program Specialists who conduct administrative reviews and provide training and technical assistance to program sponsors. This position works in close collaboration with the parallel leadership positions within the CNS division. Successful impact will result in making progress on operational goals within the team including a committed, unified and customer focused OSPI that supports school districts and other Child Nutrition Program Sponsors to provide equitable access to program participants. 

Key Responsibilities

This position supervises a team of six and is responsible for decision making, state-wide policy and federal program administration.

• Administer the Summer Food Service Program to ensure federal and state regulations and requirements are met.
• Ensure SFSP operations align with USDA regulations and state laws by developing procedures, managing grants, overseeing contracts, and making daily operational decisions.
• Coordinate and monitor of outreach efforts of Summer Food Service Program.
• In alignment with Director, lead and support staff by assigning work, providing expert guidance, facilitating team meetings, and ensuring proper training and resources.
• Manage SFSP Health Department contracts and the State Summer Meals for Kids Grant.
• Oversee the planning, execution, and quality assurance of administrative reviews, ensuring consistent processes and identifying training needs.
• Manage the sponsor application and renewal processes, ensuring timely review, eligibility assessment, and compliance with federal requirements.
• With the Director and Administrative team, compile and submit accurate USDA-required reports, support management evaluations, and ensure data integrity
• Act as the SFSP subject matter expert for IT projects, providing input on system enhancements, conducting testing, and documenting changes.
• Collaborate with other CNS programs to align messaging, processes, and actions, contributing to continuous improvement efforts across teams.
• Support fiscal corrective action from administrative reviews of sponsors and appeals filed regarding reviews.

• Work closely with CNS fiscal staff on claims for reimbursement and repayment plans.
• This position will have travel required within the State conducting and overseeing administrative reviews, as well as limited out-of-state attendance at workshops/trainings.

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Institution Management or Business
• Minimum 5 years work experience leading a team
• Minimum 5 years work experience administering programs and implementing federal and/or state regulations

Employment in this position requires:

• The ability to travel primarily within the assigned region and to the OSPI main office in Olympia, with occasional travel elsewhere in the state as needed, including multiple overnight stays.
• Availability for mandatory travel, with 75% occurring during the summer months (June–August), typically requiring travel 2–4 days per work week.
• Willingness to travel during periods of possible inclement weather.

In addition to those required qualifications, our ideal applicant will also have some or all of the following: 

• Expert knowledge of federal regulations, procedures, and policies of the Summer Food Service Program and/or intimate knowledge of other US Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs.
• Proven ability to analyze program operations and implement strategies for enhancing efficiency, compliance, and overall performance.
• Experience building partnerships with community organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders to expand program reach and impact.
• Ability to interpret data to inform program decisions, identify trends, and support continuous improvement efforts.
• Demonstrated capacity to adapt to changing regulations, innovate processes, and support teams through organizational changes.
• Strong commitment to child nutrition programs and the principles of trust, teamwork, collaboration and customer service.
• Demonstrated competency in the areas of leadership and sound management practices.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally, including the ability to conduct both formal and informal presentations to both large and small groups.
• Ability to manage resources effectively, lead with integrity and seeks to support results.
• Experience applying for and/or administering federal grants.

Desired Qualifications: 

• One of or more of the following credentials – Registered Dietitian, School Nutrition Specialist, Master of Science in Nutrition or Public Health.
• Knowledge of and experience with federal regulations, procedures, and policies of the US Department of Agriculture Child Nutrition Programs

Compensation
The annual compensation for the position is $82,500 - $96,990 per year and depends upon experience, educational background and qualifications. Geographic differentials may be applied based on work location of successful candidate. Washington State offers a generous benefit package including health, dental and life insurance, retirement and an optional deferred compensation program. Please visit Health Care Authority for information regarding health benefits and the Department of Retirement Systems for retirement plan information.   This is a Washington Management Position. This position is not represented by a bargaining unit.

Application Process

Those interested in this position must apply through Careers.wa.gov. Applications must include the following documents in MS Word and PDF format only:

• A letter of interest specifically addressing the qualifications listed in this announcement; 
• A current résumé, and;
• A list of three or more professional references.   

Please address any questions to:

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
600 Washington Street Southeast 
Olympia, Washington 98504-7200

360-725-6278: [email protected] 
 
Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the Human Resources Office at (360) 725-6270 or (360) 725-6066, or e-mail [email protected].

New Jobs Alert Service

OSPI offers a subscription service, which regularly notifies subscribers of new OSPI employment opportunities on careers.wa.gov. Subscribers are notified via text or email alert. If you are interested in this service, then please subscribe at this location. 

OSPI is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from job seekers who will contribute to our diversity. OSPI provides equal access to all programs and services without discrimination based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation including gender expression or identity, the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. If you would like, please include your name and gender pronouns in your application, to ensure we address you appropriately throughout the application process. Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format may contact the human resource consultant listed in “Application Process.”