Nutrition Assistant

Full Job Description

Public Health - Seattle & King County is seeking a Nutrition Assistant to provide services at our WIC clinics as a part of our Federal Way and Midway team. The Nutrition Assistant will provide services to clients participating in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program, assess eligibility, and provide nutrition education to individuals and families - both through individual appointments and in a group or classroom setting. The Nutrition Assistant works closely with Registered Dietitians, Public Health Nurses, Social Workers, Community Health Workers in the Maternity Support Services and Infant Case Management (MSS/ICM) programs, and with healthcare workers from community partners. The successful candidate will exhibit effective customer service skills, have the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with our clients from various cultures, and communicate effectively with English as a Second Language (ESL) clients with the assistance of an interpreter. The candidate will also exhibit flexibility in managing tasks such as teaching classes, providing administrative support, and assisting with certification appointments.

Commitment To Equity and Social Justice
Named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the most influential civil rights leaders in our nation's history, King County is a vibrant international community with residents that represent countries from around the world. It is a region with increasing diversity that cherishes the traditions of many cultures.

The county government has a deep commitment to equity and social justice and advancing practices, strategies, and policies that promote fairness, justice, and opportunity for all – in our workplaces and our communities. With this commitment, King County has adopted a pro-equity agenda to advance regional change and ensure that residents from all communities are incorporated into our emergency planning and public outreach efforts.

We recognize that structural racism consists of principles and practices that cause and justify an inequitable distribution of rights, opportunities, and experiences across racial groups. Since declaring Racism is a Public Health Crisis in June 2020, King County and Public Health committed to being intentionally anti-racist and accountable to Black, Indigenous and People of Color communities.

To learn more, please visit: http://www.kingcounty.gov/elected/executive/equity-social-justice.aspx.

Requirements

• Gather and assess information for determining health and nutrition risk factors, program eligibility, client education, and referrals
• Provide group nutrition education and individual nutrition education, which includes breastfeeding support
• Obtain and document anthropometric measurements for infants, children and adults, which includes obtaining blood samples for hemoglobin testing
• Respond to telephone inquiries – screen, schedule, and interview diverse clients to determine the appointment type and appropriate provider
• Document client information and services, and manage appointment schedules in various electronic records, including Cascades and Epic, to support both the WIC and MSS/ICM programs.
• Provide direct customer service to a diverse clientele, providing WIC services, issuing and educating on the use of WIC checks, determining appointment types
• Conduct WIC outreach and program tasks, such as generating end of day reports and client letters
• Participate in WIC-related committees, including breastfeeding promotion activities, clinic health and information fairs, and the WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
• Order and maintain program supplies and educational materials
• Participate in quality assurance activities
• Complete annual WIC trainings, and continuing nutrition and breastfeeding education requirements
• Use Microsoft Outlook and other electronic communication tools to coordinate work, and training requirements
• Ability to work with a variety of computer programs, including, but not limited to, Microsoft Suite – Teams, Word, Excel, and Outlook
• Ability to lift and lower a child weighing up to 35 pounds onto a surface more than 4 feet high with or without accommodation
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

Required:

• Ability to complete the Washington State WIC paraprofessional competencies within 6 months of hire
• Ability to obtain Washington State Medical Assistant-Registered or Phlebotomist certification within 30 days of hire to perform hemoglobin/hematocrit testing on WIC participants
• Ability to obtain a Washington State food worker card
• Ability to apply nutrition and health promotion knowledge/practices in working with clients from diverse backgrounds to make positive changes in health behaviors
• Working knowledge of basic nutrition theory and practice, medical terminology, asepsis practices, and universal precautions
• Demonstrated ability to provide direct client services in a health care setting
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills related to basic cooking and food demonstration techniques
• Ability to understand various perspectives and listen to others without conveying judgment.
• Excellent problem solving, priority setting, and organizational abilities.
• A current BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED certification before hire

Desired:

• Working knowledge of WIC
• Some experience working with mothers and babies
• Bilingual
  
  

Additional Information

Forbes named King County as one of Washington State's best employers.

Together, with leadership and our employees, we're changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation's best places to live, work and play.

Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer

No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class.

Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully.

If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.

The following items are required to be considered for this vacancy:

• NEOGOV Job Application (The responses on your job application should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)
• Supplemental Questions (The responses to the supplemental questions should be thorough and complete and will be used in the screening process)

Please note: Cover letters, resumes, and additional attachments will not be reviewed as part of the evaluation process if not outlined as a required application material as outlined above.

Your application may be rejected as incomplete if you do not include the relevant information in the application. Cover letters and/or resumes are not accepted in lieu of a completed application.

Applications and/or Supplemental Questionnaires that state "see my resume" or "see my personnel file" are considered incomplete and will not be accepted.

Necessary Special Requirements

• The selection process may include evaluation of application materials and supplemental questions, interviewing, and testing. You must completely fill out the application with your relevant education and work experience.
• The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of Basic Life Support (BLS) / CPR
• The selected candidate must be able to pass a thorough background investigation, but findings may not necessarily disqualify an applicant for employment.
• For more information on our selection process, please refer to www.kingcounty.gov/depts/health/jobs/hiring. For tips on interviewing, please visit https://www.kingcounty.gov/~/media/audience/employees/learning-and-development/Interview_Tips.ashx?la=en.
• Employees are required to protect the privacy and security of protected health information as defined in State and Federal Law.
• Public Health relies on office automation (Microsoft Office) and web-based enabled tools, therefore candidates must be proficient and comfortable with computer use to perform functions associated with on-going work.
• Employees are required to adhere to OSHA/WISHA guidelines including but not limited to completing their mandatory trainings on time and obtaining required immunizations.
• Regular and reliable attendance, effective communication skills, and development of effective working relationships are requirements of all Public Health positions.

When Public Health responds to an emergency, and in accordance with relevant CBA language and/or KC policy and procedures, we may assign duties outside your regular job description.

This may involve responding at any time, including nights and weekends, with possible deployment to locations other than the department.

• If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.

Work Schedule

This is a full time, career service position. Standard schedule is Monday-Friday from 8-5. The candidates may need to work weekend and evening hours to meet business needs.

Work Location

This is a hybrid position between the following locations:

• Midway site: 26401 Pacific Highway South, Des Moines, WA 98198

• Federal Way site: 33431 13th Place South, Federal Way, WA 98003

The candidate may need to work at other sites to meet business needs.

Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Union Membership

This position is represented by PROTEC 17 Labor Union.

Contact

For questions about this recruitment, please contact Sarah Dunkinson (sdunkinson@kingcounty.gov).