Required in depth knowledge of nutrition principles and its applications to the Women Infants and Children (WIC). Must be responsive to the identified needs and interests of participants especially those whose nutrition or health concerns require an advanced level of nutrition expertise (High Risk) according to the core competencies associated with Participant Centered Nutrition Assessment (PCNA).
Responsible for the overall coordination, planning, and development of the nutrition treatment plan for the participant in the WIC Program by performing the following duties
Key Responsibilities
- Provide comprehensive nutrition education, counseling, and support to WIC participants, including pregnant and postpartum women, breastfeeding mothers, infants, and young children.
- Conduct nutrition assessments, determine program eligibility, identify nutritional risks, and develop individualized care plans for participants, including high-risk cases.
- Provide guidance, oversight, training, and mentorship to Nutrition Assistant staff and support daily WIC program operations.
- Promote breastfeeding education and support, including breast pump issuance and serving as a Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE), as assigned.
- Deliver participant-centered nutrition counseling using effective communication techniques while respecting cultural and socioeconomic differences.
- Assess participants' nutritional and health needs, monitor progress, document outcomes, and provide appropriate referrals to healthcare and community resources.
- Prescribe, authorize, and issue WIC food packages and review medically documented formula requests in consultation with healthcare providers.
- Ensure accurate documentation, participant certifications, and compliance with NYSDOH and NYWIC policies and procedures.
- Assist in planning, implementing, and evaluating nutrition education programs, staff training, and quality improvement initiatives.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals, community organizations, and WIC staff to ensure effective service delivery and participant satisfaction.
- Attend required NYSDOH meetings, professional development sessions, and training programs.
- Perform additional duties as assigned to support the overall operations and goals of the WIC program.
Minimum Qualifications
Education:
- Registered Dietician Nutritionist (RD/RDN) Bachelors, Masters, or PhD in nutrition from accredited college or university. Continuing Education Requirement: 12 hours annually. Experience: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Interpersonal Skills: Ability to interact with Clients and staff through active listening, Proper business language and tone of voice to obtain information and/or completing tasks.
- Reasoning Ability: Ability to apply common sense to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
- Language Skills: Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of an organization.
- Mathematical Skills: Ability to add subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals, ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
- Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representatives of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee regularly sits. The employee frequently is required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; to talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and or/move up to 10 pounds.
- Computer Skills: The knowledge and ability to use computers and related technology effectively with regards to several specific application systems and software.