Nutrition Consultant

CDPH is currently hiring two (2) Public Health Nutrition Consultant III (Specialist) positions within our Center for Family Health's (CFH) Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Division! In these roles, you will serve as highly skilled nutrition and program services professionals that will be responsible for assessing the effectiveness and quality of nutrition and program services provided by WIC local agencies to pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children, and evaluating the implementation of federal and state policies by WIC local agencies.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensures that local WIC agencies provide effective participant-centered nutrition and program services by providing technical assistance and monitoring overall WIC agency operations and practices; developing policies, procedures, and guidance that pertain to nutrition services; and developing and implementing the WIC Program’s Nutrition Services Plan (NSP), the WIC Policy and Procedures Manual (WPPM), and any federal or state regulations that govern nutrition and program services, such as the Nutrition Services Standards

• Evaluates nutrition and program effectiveness using national, state, and local data to make recommendations for improvements to WIC local agencies and WIC Division management

• Performs on-site program technical assistance and evaluations of WIC local agencies for implementation and adherence to the WPPM and NSP

• Leads the development, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive, complex, and difficult statewide education, breastfeeding and training campaigns, projects, and initiatives, such as Participant-Centered Services, Education and Training Areas of the WIC Management and Information System (WIC WISE), WIC Nutrition Assistant training, and the California Baby Behavior Campaign

• Researches medical and behavioral literature, and develop, revise and edit education materials and curricula, reports, memorandums, issue papers and budget proposals on complex subjects pertaining to public health nutrition policy and other needs of the California WIC Program and CDPH

• Provides legislative bill analysis on nutrition and breastfeeding related issues

• Monitors, analyzes, and makes recommendations on national and state public health status indicators of the population served by the WIC Program

• Reviews trends in program and nutrition-related issues in local WIC agencies and advise the WIC Division and WIC local agencies on high-priority issues

• Serves as liaison with other preventive health and health programs within state and local health agencies, departments, and programs and provides overall leadership on nutrition and program issues to reduce nutrition and program risk factors

Telework Policy and Residency Requirement:

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework permitted is at the discretion of the Department and is subject to change, consistent with CDPH’s Telework Program. All employees who telework are required to be California residents in accordance with Government Code 14200. Candidates who reside outside of the state of California may be interviewed; however, the selected candidate must have a primary residency in the state of California prior to appointment (and continue to maintain California residency) as a condition of employment. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the job offer being rescinded.

Minimum Qualifications:

Possession of a master's degree in nutrition, dietetics, institutional management, or public health nutrition, or other nutrition field and four (4) years of increasingly responsible professional experience in nutrition or dietetics gained after obtaining eligibility for registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, at least 2 years of which shall have been as a nutrition consultant in a public health agency or as an institutional dietary consultant. Experience gained in California state service applied toward this pattern must include 2 years performing the duties of a classification with a level of responsibility equivalent to Public Health Nutrition Consultant II.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Experience in (1) managing, prioritizing, and meeting multiple deadlines in a fast-paced work environment, (2) coordinating with others to accomplish work-related assignments, and (3) communicating effectively with various levels of staff and the general public

• Knowledge of (1) state and federal policies and regulations, (2) project management methodology, and (3) information gathering techniques

• Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills, including reviewing and editing documents

• Ability to handle sensitive and confidential issues

• Experience with program monitoring and compliance

About California Department of Public Health (CDPH)

At CDPH, equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the core of our mission to advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. We are genuinely and strongly committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness where we can grow and learn together with a diverse team of employees. In recruiting for team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do. The Human Resources Division (HRD) partners with CDPH’s programs and management to provide guidance and consultative services on HR matters that are necessary for the Department to carry out its mission to deliver quality public health services.

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