Director, Performance Nutrition
What to Expect
The Director, Performance Nutrition provides individual and group nutrition counseling and education to enhance the performance of Army West Point Athletic Association Inc. (“AWPAA) cadet-athletes. Primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to counseling individuals and groups on daily nutrition for performance and health (on-site and during travel); translating the latest scientific evidence into practical sports nutrition recommendations; tracking and documenting outcomes of nutrition services, maintaining health and safety of all nutrition areas, serving as a food and nutrition resource for cadet-athletes, coaches and athletic trainers; providing sports nutrition education for health/wellness programs, athletic teams, and community groups; and maintaining professional competency and skills required for professional practice. This is a professional position, and all duties of the position must be conducted in adherence with the policies, rules, and regulations of the United States Military Academy (“USMA”), AWPAA, the applicable member conferences and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”).
What You'll Do
25% Education & Counseling
Provide individualized Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) to athletes addressing nutritional challenges for performance, body composition assessments, food allergies, bone mineral disturbances, gastrointestinal disturbances, iron depletion/anemia, nutrient deficiencies, disordered eating, or other nutrition related conditions.
Develop and deliver team nutrition education presentations, demonstrations, or events on various nutrition related topics for performance two to four times per month.
Counsel athletes on optimal nutrition for exercise training (utilize nutrition practices to meet nutritional need of training phases and performance goals), pre/during/post competition, recovery from exercise/competition, nutrient timing, body composition, hydration, immunity, disordered eating, travel nutrition, and supplementation.
Counsel athletes on achieving and maintaining a level of body mass, body fat, and muscle mass that is consistent with good health and good performance.
Support cadet- athletes in the Monitored Athlete Program (MAP) and After-Monitoring Athlete Program (A-MAP) throughout their career. Maintain tracking of all athletes in the program.
Counsel cadet-athletes on optimal nutrition for recovery from illness or injury.
Develop educational materials to support team talks for athletes and AWPAD support staff.
Educate regarding food selection at Cadet Mess Hall as well as conducts grocery store tours and cooking classes.
Develop and deliver nutrition education for food service personnel.
25% Collaboration & Policy Development
Coordinate nutritional care as a member of multidisciplinary sports medicine and sports performance team.
Participate in weekly Monday Mess Hall meeting (1200-in person). Discuss concerns with AWPAD operations prior to meeting and bring any concerns or questions from AWPAD. Act as the AWPAD liaison.
Attend monthly meetings with Keller and USCC Dietitians (duties to include peer review, monthly check in, group presentation feedback and development, case study review once seeing 1:1).
Participate in the healthy eating working group with behavior health and the USCC surgeon.
Follow Army Body Composition Standards (AR 600-9).
Develop and counsel cadet-athletes in hydration protocols.
Collaborate with the individual’s family, physician, coach, and other health professionals, as appropriate.
Educate and mentor dietetic interns and others as appropriate.
Develop and oversee nutrition policies and procedures.
20% Direct Nutritional Support
Manage budgets for purchasing and distribution of nutritional supplements.
Oversee fueling station operations including budgets for purchasing, inventory procurement, and distribution of nutritional supplements. Attend Fueling station during busy lifting time to provide education.
Maintain fueling station sanitation standards set forth by forth by Army Public Health and Veterinary Services. Perform weekly inspections in team room food areas to ensure cleanliness.
Attend Mess Lunch with Cadet-Athletes. Chooses a team to be with during a meal and model types of training plates based upon what training may look like for that day.
Provide personalized meal and snack plans to promote achieving short- and long-term goals for athletic performance and good health.
Evaluate nutritional supplements, including herbal supplements, for legality, safety, quality, and efficacy, monitors use of appropriate supplementation.
Coordinate and manage quantity food production and distribution such as developing and managing training table menus and catering.
Coordinate nutrition for domestic and/ or international travel, for example, catering, hotels, airlines, competition, for individuals and teams.
Recommend appropriate pre-exercise, during, and post-exercise fluids and snacks for individual training, team practice, and competition.
Coordinate nutrition during summer training.
20% Assessment & Analysis
Assess and analyze dietary practices, body composition, and energy balance (intake and expenditure) of athletes in the context of athletic performance and health.
Attend Team practices weekly to gain a better understanding of training cycle, current team issues, which will feed development of education materials such as handouts, deliverables, demos, or group presentations. Connect with ATCs and Strength Coaches at practice.
Document nutrition services provided and evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition strategies towards meeting desired outcomes using the Nutrition Care Process.
Observe and assess cadet-athletes for potential eating disorders and other nutritional concerns in coordination with other members of the sports performance and sports medicine team.
10% Other Duties as Assigned
Maintain dietetic registration and acquires/maintains other required credentials (CSSD), continuing education requirements and contact hours.
Maintain up to date knowledge of current food, nutrition, and health issues and research related to sports nutrition.
Conduct self in a manner that demonstrates adherence to standards of professional performance.
Utilize effective written and oral communication skills to promote and maintain effective working relationships with all significant parties.
What We Can Offer
$70,000 - $74,000
This job posting contains a pay range, which represents the range of salaries that AWPAA believes, in good faith, at the time of this posting that it might be willing to pay for the posted position. AWPAA expects to hire for this position near the middle of the range. Only in truly rare and exceptional circumstances, where an external candidate has experience, credentials or expertise that far exceed those required or expected for the position, would AWPAA consider paying a salary or rate near the higher end of the range.
Who We Are
USMA is renowned as the world’s preeminent leadership development institution. Located on the banks of the Hudson River in West Point, NY, it is approximately one hour from New York City. The mission of USMA is "to build, educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets to be commissioned leaders of character committed to the Army Values and ready for a lifetime of service to the Army and Nation." This position will be housed within the AWPAA, which is a non-profit corporation organized to manage and support the 30 intercollegiate athletic programs at the Academy. The AWPAA mission is to recruit, educate, train and inspire leaders of character who are committed to the Army Values through an extraordinary NCAA Division I athletic experience.