Description
Who we are. We protect lives.The Georgia Department of Public Health is the lead agency entrusted by the people of Georgia to proudly protect lives and promote healthy lifestyles in diverse communities statewide. We are committed to preventing disease, injury, and disability; promoting health and well-being; and preparing the State of Georgia for responding to disasters.
What we offer. As a member of the Georgia Department of Public Health team, you will join a passionate group of individuals who are dedicated to making an impact. No matter your role, you will individually contribute to protecting the lives of all Georgians while receiving a wide range of benefits, so you can:
- Make a Professional Impact – Build your career where it matters and protect lives in the community where you live, work, and play
- Enjoy Workplace Flexibility – Experience flexibility in how you work so you can be your best self for you and Georgia Residents
- Work with a Dynamic and Diverse Team– Collaborative and inclusive way of working where employees share ideas and leverage collective strengths
- Achieve Career Longevity – Countless opportunities for continuous learning/development that support a long-term career
- Take Part in a Hands-on Working Culture – Unique culture of active engagement and problem-solving, no matter your role
- Feel Pride in Where you Work – Be part of making an impact in public health alongside dedicated people just like you
Job Responsibilities
The WIC Buddy Specialist leads the local agency’s WIC Buddy Program, matching WIC mothers to support one another’s breastfeeding journeys. The WIC Buddy Specialist manages the overall local agency specific duties related to the program, such as promotion of the WIC Buddy Program, matching participants as they are enrolled in the program, distributing, and collecting buddy consent forms and communicating with WIC participants regarding their participation in the WIC Buddy Program. The WIC Buddy Specialist supports the monitoring of set program performance measures and works with the Local Agency’s Breastfeeding Program Coordinator, Nutrition Services Director and/or designee to implement project reinforcement and/or improvement plans.
- Monitors and coordinates the local agency activities of the WIC Buddy Program
- Markets and promotes the WIC Buddy Program
- Recruits WIC participants to participate in the WIC Buddy Program
- Actively monitors the clinic’s on-site list/daily schedule to recruit eligible participants
- Informs WIC staff and participants about the WIC Buddy Program to include the overall program expectations and promotional activities
- Coordinates and schedules paired WIC Buddy connections
- Distributes and collects WIC Buddy consent forms
- Promotes the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (PC) program and refers participants to the PC Program
- Participates on assigned committees and workgroups, as needed
- Utilizes reports to promote, recruit and maintain Buddy Program activities
- Assesses WIC Buddy matching criteria to identify potential WIC Buddy pairs
- Maintains regular contact with each WIC Buddy pair according to their preference
- Manage and monitors the local agency’s Georgia WIC Buddy Tracker to include updating WIC Buddy participants matching criteria, dates of contacts with WIC Buddy pairs, and documentation of food package type
- Completes quarterly Buddy Program Reports
- Participates in Buddy Program meetings and/or calls
Minimum Qualifications
- High School Diploma or GED
- One (1) year competency as a WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
- Completion of the WIC Breastfeeding Curriculum Level I and II
- Has one or more of the following skills and/or experience:
- Caseload management
- Counseling skills
- Supporting mother-baby dyad
- Breastfeeding promotion
- Developing, implementing, and facilitating training
- Organizational skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams etc.)
- Knowledge of GA-WIC policies and procedures
Preferred Qualifications:
(Preference will be given to applicants who in addition to meeting the minimum qualificationpossesses the following)
- Two years at an accredited college or university with at least fifteen (15) credit hours in a social service-related field
- Expertise with social marketing campaigns, management of professional social media platforms and social media analytics
- Experience with data collection and data management
- Experience with the Peer Counselor Database System (PCDB)
- Excellent judgment and creative problem-solving skills
- Ability to coach others to set priorities.
- Strong meeting planning and facilitation skills
- Analytical skills with ability to create relevant reports for a variety of stakeholders
- Able to work effectively in a high stress, changing environment
- Bilingual Skillset
Additional Information
Georgia Department of Public Health Commissioner and leaders encourages all employees to engage in regular wellness activities and to make lifestyle choices that promote health and well-being.
The use of wellness breaks during the workday is authorized to support this philosophy and assist employees in meeting their wellness goals. A maximum of 30 minutes in a given workday may be used to engage in wellness activities, generally in the form of two 15-minute breaks or one 30-minute break.
Employment Information
Current State employees are subject to State Personnel Board rules regarding salary.
DPH accepts educational credential recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) and/or the US Department of Education (DOE) will be considered. DPH will contact educational institutions to verify degree, diploma, licensure, etc.
The candidate selected for this position may be subject to pre-employment drug screening and a criminal background check.
As an employee of DPH, in the event of an identified emergency you may be required, as a term and condition of employment, to assist in meeting the emergency responsibilities of the department.
If you require accommodations under the American Disability Act (ADA), email request by the closing date of this announcement to: DPH-HR@dph.ga.gov.
DPH is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Due to the volume of applications received, we are unable to provide information on application status by phone or e-mail. All qualified applicants will be considered, but may not necessarily receive an interview. Selected applicants will be contacted by the hiring agency for next steps in the selection process. Applicants who are not selected will not receive notification.
This position is subject to close at any time once a satisfactory applicant pool has been identified.