Variable Hour Bilingual & Non-bilingual WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Current Washington County Employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity.

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About the Opportunity:

Washington County Public Health Division is seekingBilingual (Spanish/English), (Ukrainian/English), (Dari/English) and Non-bilingualBreastfeeding Peer Counselorsto join ourWomen, Infants & Children (WIC) Program.

In this role, you will provide parent-to-parent support to prenatal and postpartum WIC parents by providing basic breastfeeding information and encouragement. You will counsel prenatal and postpartum participants both virtually and face-to-face and refer participants to the Breastfeeding Peer Counseling Coordinator/International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) or other designated staff, or other appropriate health or social service agency, including outside community breastfeeding resources, for situations outside the peer counselor's scope of practice. You will also support participants outside of usual clinic hours and the WIC clinic environment.

To review more details of the duties and other information about this position, please use this link:WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor.

Work Schedule: This position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule which includes reporting to the office as needed. When working in-person at the work sites/offices, this position may report and travel to multiple WIC sites located in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard. Additionally, due to the nature of the duties, this position requires working evenings and weekends to provide text message support on a rotation basis.

The opportunity is avariable hour position.The variable hour positions are at-will and working hours vary each week depending on the needs, limited up to 20 hours per week. Additionally, the variable hour positions are eligible for sick time accruals, but arenot eligiblefor vacation accrual, paid holiday, or other customary benefits including health insurance such as medical, dental, and vision.

About the program:
The WIC program focuses on nutrition education, breastfeeding support, health and diet screening, growth monitoring, and program referrals for pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, infants, and children up to 5 years of age. WIC serves families from various cultural and ethnic traditions, languages, backgrounds, and abilities. It is designed to promote positive health outcomes, strengthen life course nutrition and health, and reduce the differences in health outcomes and access of the populations we serve.

Washington County is committed to building a workforce that reflects the community we serve. In that spirit, we encourage applicants of various backgrounds and experience to apply.

To find more about our program, visit:Women, Infants & Children.

An ideal candidate would have:

• Ability to speak, read and write in Spanish, Ukrainian, or Dari fluently (Not required)

• Ability to advocate for various communities in Washington County, Clackamas County, Marion County, Tillamook County, Polk County, and Columbia County (Washington County serves as a "hub" agency providing services to agencies outside of our borders).

• Familiarity of WIC services or, preferably, current/previous WIC participants

• Skills to communicate and share information using digital platforms and in-person

• Knowledge of or ability to navigate community systems of support, such as healthcare, community referrals, language/community-based resources, social media groups, etc.

• Skills to provide emotional support during challenging or difficult times

• Time management and organizational skills to document meeting notes, manage workload and deadline, and prioritize tasks

Bilingual Positions:
Designated bilingual positions require the incumbents to possess Spanish bilingual skills, including precise writing skills (including spelling, grammar, and punctuation), fluent speaking skills, and the ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.Upon successfully passing the applicable proficiency assessment test(s) in a selected language, positions that are eligible for the bilingual differential pay will offerin an amount of 5% of the base pay rate, or a flat rate of seventy-five ($75) per pay period, whichever is greater.Pay periods are every two weeks.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Possession of a high school diploma or equivalentANDmeets WIC Policy 716 and USDA program requirements(Details listed below).

ADDITIONAL LICENSES, CERTIFICATES, PHYSICAL ABILITIES AND SPECIALTY REQUIREMENTS

• Work or volunteer experiences related to public services, customer support, connection to community resources, or peer support may be considered towards the salary placement.

• Some positions may require fluency in another language, which may include oral and written proficiency.

• Must successfully pass a background check.

This position has specific bona fide occupational qualifications (BFOQ). BFOQ is a legal exception that permits employers to make hiring decisions based on specific characteristics such as gender, age, or religion that might otherwise be considered discriminatory.

• The characteristic is essential to the business's operation or role.

• It directly relates to the core functions and duties of the job.

• There are no reasonable alternatives to meet the job's requirements.

Per Oregon WIC Policy 716 and USDA program requirements, applicants must:

• Be a paraprofessional, not licensed or credentialed as healthcare, nutrition, or lactation consultant professionals, such as IBCLCs, registered dietitians, nurses, and other licensed and credentialed health professionals. Credentials as Community Healthcare Workers (CHW), Certified Lactation Educators (CLE), Certified Lactation Counselors (CLC), and doulas are eligible to apply.

• Have experience with breastfeeding at least one (1) baby for six (6) months of duration or longer.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Washington County is an equal opportunity employer committed to using a merit-based system in which recruiting, selecting, and advancing employees is based on knowledge, skills, and abilities. Our organization embraces innovation, collaboration, and work-life harmony. We promote employee development and offer an award-winning benefits and wellness program as well as an opportunity to serve and support our vibrant community.

Steps of the process:

1. Apply today!In lieu of a resume, we ask that you complete and submit an online application, which will be used to screen for minimum qualifications (MQs) and to determine starting pay in accordance with the provision of the Oregon Equal Pay Law.

2. MQ Review:Human Resources will screen applications for MQs beginning the week after the posting closes. Additional preferred qualification(s) screening may be applied depending on the number of applications received.

3. Panel Interview(s):Candidates who pass the screening step(s) will be invited to participate in a panel interview.

4. Reference Checks:We will conduct reference checks for the final candidate(s), generally 3-4 professional references.

5. Conditional Offer of Appointment:Human Resources will conduct a salary analysis for the final candidate(s) and the hiring manager will extend a conditional offer of appointment.

6. Post-Offer Check:The final candidate will require to successfully clear a third-party background check as a pre-employment condition. If offered for a bilingual position, additional oral and written bilingual proficiency tests are required.

7. Start Date:A start date will be determined after all pre-employment condition(s) have been met.

Please note:candidates that are successful in the evaluation process may have their applications referred for additional vacancies in the same classification, or job family.

Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act
Reasonable accommodation is available to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing this application or participating in the selection process for this recruitment. To obtain confidential assistance please contact Human Resources 503-846-8606, or e-mail:Careers@WashingtonCountyOR.Govat least 48 hours before any step in the recruitment and selection process for which you feel you need accommodation.

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