Associate Director, Nutrition & Wellness

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is seeking an Associate Director, Nutrition & Wellness to join our Science and Health Care team. Reporting to the Senior Director of Nutrition & Wellness, the Associate Director supports the advancement of the American Diabetes Association's nutrition and wellness priorities through partnership management, program implementation, stakeholder engagement, and cross-functional collaboration. This role is responsible for managing key components of the Better Choices for Life® program and related Nutrition & Wellness funded initiatives.

The Associate Director manages partnerships, funded projects, compliance activities, research translation efforts, and program operations that position the Association as a trusted authority in food, nutrition, and diabetes care. This individual collaborates closely with Corporate Relations, Marketing, Community Engagement, and external partners to execute strategic priorities, support revenue-generating opportunities, and deliver measurable impact. The ideal candidate is a collaborative, results-oriented professional with experience managing partnerships, implementing complex initiatives, translating evidence into practice, and engaging diverse stakeholders across healthcare, food, wellness, and nonprofit sectors.

Responsibilities

Partnership Management & Program Growth

• Manage day-to-day operations, client relationships, and implementation activities for the Better Choices for Life® program and related nutrition and wellness initiatives.
• Support the identification, cultivation, and management of partnerships that align with the Association's mission, scientific standards, and revenue objectives.
• Collaborate with Corporate Relations and internal stakeholders to support sponsorship, funding, and engagement opportunities.
• Serve as a nutrition subject matter expert during partner/sponsor evaluations and program implementation.
• Coordinate development and execution of sponsored nutrition and wellness content, campaigns, and engagement activities across multiple platforms.

Nutrition Standards, Scientific Integrity & Compliance

• Review products, services, and partnership opportunities against established nutrition and wellness criteria to support compliance with Association standards.
• Monitor ongoing partner, product, and program compliance with ADA nutrition standards, sponsorship requirements, contractual obligations, and approved use of ADA intellectual property; proactively identify risks, address compliance concerns, and coordinate corrective actions with internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain evidence-based eligibility criteria, policies, and procedures supporting nutrition-related partnership programs.
• Develop educational resources, stakeholder communications, and internal guidance related to nutrition standards and compliance requirements.
• Monitor emerging nutrition science, food & retail industry trends, and regulatory developments and provide recommendations to leadership.

Measurement & Reporting

• Track and report program outcomes, partnership performance, and impact measures.
• Analyze data and develop reports, presentations, and recommendations for leadership and external stakeholders.
• Support development and maintenance of dashboards and performance measurement tools.
• Assist with consumer insights, outcomes measurement, and evaluation activities to better understand the needs of people living with diabetes.

Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Nutrition, Public Health, Health Sciences, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in nutrition, wellness, healthcare, nonprofit programs, partnership management, or project leadership.
• Experience working with food and wellness industry partners.
• Expertise in diabetes prevention, management, research translation, and nutrition science.
• Knowledge of sponsorship compliance, scientific substantiation, and health-related claims review.
• Experience managing partnerships, sponsorship activities, grants, or funded programs.
• Experience coordinating complex projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of the food, health, wellness, and healthcare landscape.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presentations, reports, and stakeholder communications.
• Experience tracking outcomes, performance metrics, and program evaluation activities.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and ability to leverage emerging technologies.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with consumer insights or outcomes evaluation.
• Experience supervising consultants, vendors, interns, or project teams.
• Experience working in a cross-functional remote environment.

Why Work Here
The American Diabetes Association ® (ADA) offers a rewarding career working for one of the premier voluntary health organizations in the world supporting people living with diabetes and/or obesity. Our employees consistently say that our mission, culture, work-life balance, and total rewards package are what they like most about working at the ADA. benefits and our culture:

• Industry competitive base pay. Base offers are determined by several factors including but not limited to your relevant work experience, education, certifications, location, internal pay equity, etc.
• A culture of recognition including new hire welcome announcements, service anniversary awards, referral bonuses, monthly All Employee Assembly, appreciation awards
• Generous Paid Time Off, including holidays, vacation days, personal days and sick days
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), disability & life insurance, pet insurance, and retirement savings
• Guided by our mission, we provide full diabetes supply coverage through our medical benefits program
• A company focus on offering mental health programs and work/life balance with most of our employees working remote
• Joining our dedicated team affords the gratification of knowing beyond a doubt that you will impact the lives and well-being of millions

About the Organization
The American Diabetes Association ® (ADA) is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people living with diabetes thrive. Since 1940, we have driven discovery and research to prevent, manage, treat, and ultimately cure diabetes. We advocate for policy changes and improved access to quality care for all people living with diabetes and/or obesity. Through the Obesity Association, a division of the ADA, we are also working to reduce the prevalence of obesity—a leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes.