Position: WIC Nutritionist

Primary Location: Harwich Port

Employment Status: Full Time, Non-Exempt (Hourly)

Reports To: Director of WIC/Senior Nutritionist

Description Updated: July 2021

Summary/Objective

At Outer Cape Health Services (“OCHS”) we recognize that proper nutrition is essential to a patient’s good health and development, prevent long-term illnesses, and aid in heathy childhood growth. Working under the direction of the WIC Director/Senior Nutritionist, the Women, Infants, and Children (“WIC”) Nutritionist provides nutrition services to low-risk and high-risk applicants and participants, determines eligibility, assures quality in delivery of services of the program, and performs other office duties as needed in furtherance of the program.

Essential Functions

• Provide nutrition care and advice to high-risk women, infants and children (“WIC”) including all aspects of:

  • Anthropometric and hematological data collection,

  • Dietary and nutritional risk assessments and food package prescription,

  • Nutrition and breastfeeding counseling, advice and education,

  • Documentation and data entry in WIC computer system and on appropriate paper records of participant nutrition, health, and medical information.

  • Referrals to other health and social services, and

  • Following-up on nutrition education.

• Participate in the planning, development and evaluation of:

  • Educational materials and group nutrition education sessions,

  • Participant counseling and education strategies.

  • Nutrition in-services and outreach activities.

  • Nutrition policies, procedures, and service standards.

  • Trains on appropriate documentation and data entry in WIC computer system and on appropriate paper records of participant nutrition, health, and medical information.

• Assist in conducting quality assurance activities.

• Track and follow-up on Special Requests for Medical Foods and Formula, immunization records, anthropometric and hematology data by contacting participants and health professionals as needed with signed medical release forms.

• Communicate with health care community on issues pertaining to participants’ needs and ability to articulate program goals and policies to participants, health care providers, community agencies, and vendors.

• Provide nutritional care for low-risk applicants and participants.

• Assist with appointments for WIC Smart online, telephone appointments, group education, and individual appointments.

• Train and aid in quality assurance of other nutrition staff, as needed.

Miscellaneous Duties

• WIC reception work, including answering phones, directing calls, answering questions, and scheduling appointments.

• WIC program operations, including eligibility screening and verifications.

• File management and notifications to participants.

• Computer management.

• Availability and flexibility to work at multiple WIC sites and during evening and weekend clinic hours, as needed.

• Adhere to OCHS’s policies and procedures.

Core Competencies

• Functional knowledge

  • Nutrition

  • Public health nutrition

  • Problem solving

  • Project management

  • Performance Management

  • Computer & internet knowledge

• Interaction and Collaboration

  • Strong interpersonal skills

  • Ability to show appropriate compassion

  • Ability to work with wide demographic of patients, of varying ages

  • Building trust

  • Strengthening collaborative relationships

• Results and Detail-Oriented

  • Thoroughness

  • Accuracy

  • Attention to detail

• Communication

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills

  • Building trust with participant population

• Self-Management/Personal Skills

  • Ability to maintain confidentiality

  • Results oriented

  • Problem solving

  • Multi-tasking

  • Flexibility

Required Qualifications, Education, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in public health nutrition, nutrition, foods and nutrition, or nutrition education.

Preferred Qualifications, Education, and Experience

• Master’s degree in public health nutrition, nutrition, or food and nutrition.
• Registration with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, or licensure with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Dietitians and Nutritionists
• 1 year of experience in clinical or community nutrition

Physical and Mental Job Requirements

• Use of and/or subject to:
  • Vehicle
  • Light equipment
  • Computers/monitors
• Physical requirements:
  • Occasional lifting/carrying up to 20lbs
  • Occasional bending
  • Occasional kneeling
  • Occasional reaching
  • Frequent sitting
  • Occasional walking
  • Occasional repetitive motion
  • Frequent handwriting and typing
  • Frequent speaking
• Mental requirements:
  • Understand and apply routine verbal and/or written instructions
  • Understand and apply non-routine verbal and/or written instructions
  • Understand complex problems and collaborate to explore alternative solutions
  • Organize actions to complete sequential and/or routine tasks
  • Organize and prioritize individual work schedule to manage multiple patients, tasks, and/or projects
  • Make decisions that have an impact on the health and wellbeing of patients
  • Communicate and exchange routine/basic information
  • Communicate and explain a variety of information
  • Memorization/concentration
  • Learning/knowledge retention
  • Emotional/behavioral self-regulation
  • Interacting with others

Work Environment

• The functions of this role are conducted in an office environment at multiple locations.

Hours of Work

• This role is paid on an hourly basis.

AAP/EEO Statement

Outer Cape Health Services is committed to a firm policy in favor of equal employment opportunity and will abide by all applicable state and federal regulations by not discriminating against any applicant or employee on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, sex, age, national origin, citizenship status, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability or veteran status. Our commitment to equal employment opportunities shall include employment, upgrading, promotion, demotion, transfer, leaves or other absences from work, layoff, compensation and benefits, selection for training or other education, professional opportunities and conflict resolution.

It is also the policy of OCHS to take affirmative action to employ and to advance in employment, all persons regardless of their status as woman, minority or individuals with disabilities or protected veterans, and to base all employment decisions only on valid job requirements.

Please inform us of any necessary accommodations required during the application process and/or at any time during employment.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.