Nutrition Assistant I

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Applications will only be accepted on-line.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Applications will only be accepted on-line. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

HEALTH CARE SERVICES AGENCY
Alameda County's Health Services Program is administered by the Health Care Services Agency and includes the following program areas: Behavioral Health Care, Public Health, Environmental Health, and Agency Administration/Indigent Health. The ultimate mission of the Health Care Services Agency is to provide fully integrated health care services through a comprehensive network of public and private partnerships that ensure optimal health and well-being and respect the diversity of all residents. Health Care Services Agency currently has multiple career opportunities for experienced licensed professionals to become part of a service delivery team dedicated to the optimal health and well-being of Alameda County residents.

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT (PHD)  
Alameda County Public Health Department has worked for over 80 years to improve the health and safety of its residents and the neighborhoods they live in. Traditional public health concerns such as disease epidemics and outbreaks, environmental health, health education and access to care and support have been joined by contemporary concerns: poverty, crime, violence, bioterrorism and natural disasters. Each of these poses a threat to public health and wellness and calls for short and long-term solutions that lie well outside traditional public health boundaries.  For more information about our Alameda County Public Health Department, please visit the Alameda County Public Health Department Website and latest Annual Budget document found on www.acgov.org

THE POSITION
Nutrition Assistant Is work, under general supervision, learning to perform nutrition assessments, consultation and follow up for community members who are at a lower nutritional risk. Additionally, Nutrition Assistant Is determine eligibility for nutrition assistance programs, perform nutrition education in group settings and on an individual basis, and perform other related duties as required.

THE VACANCIES
The current vacancies for this position are in located in the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program. However the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies in other program areas.

WIC
The Women Infant and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Education Program is a supplemental food and nutrition program for low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women and children under age five who have a nutritional risk. The goal of the WIC program is to decrease the risk of poor birth outcomes and to improve the health of participants during critical times of growth and development. To meet this goal, we provide nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion, medical care referrals, and specific supplemental nutritious foods.

IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, critical attributes to the success of the Nutrition Assistant I include:

• Knowledge of the basic principles of health promotion, disease prevention and preventative health care as well as the ability to provide nutrition and breastfeeding education and services.
• Proven success as a team player with excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to interact with others in a way that gives them confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization.
• Possession of a customer-focused approach; actively seeking information to understand the customer’s circumstances, problems, expectations and needs, and ensuring that the customer’s needs are a priority.
• Commitment to serving both internal and external customers, holding self accountable for quality outcomes, and providing clients with appropriate guidance, feedback and resources.
• Cultural sensitivity and ability to work effectively with individual from diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, abilities, motivations and backgrounds.
• Ability to work cooperatively with others to accomplish objectives, build and maintain mutually-beneficial partnerships, leverage information and achieve results.

Either I

Experience:

The equivalent of one year of full-time experience in the class of Specialist Clerk I, or an equivalent or higher level classification, in the Alameda County classified service performing duties such as client education, customer service, intake, peer counseling, obtaining personal history data, need assessments, program placement, or screenings and referrals.

And

Education:

The equivalent of an Associate’s degree in nutrition, public health nutrition, dietetics, food science, health science, biochemistry, biology, health education, or a related field from an accredited college or university.

Or II


Education:

Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition, public health nutrition, dietetics, food science, health science, biochemistry, biology, lactation, health education, or a related field from an accredited college or university.

Or III

Experience:

The equivalent of two years of full-time experience performing duties such as client education, customer service, intake, peer counseling, obtaining personal history data, need assessments, program placement, or screenings and referrals.

Substitution:

Completion of a Nutrition Assistant or Dietetic Technician certificate program from a university, community or technical college may be substituted for one year of the required experience in pattern III above.

Licenses and Certificates:

Positions in Women Infant and Children's nutritional programs (WIC) must be certified as a WIC Nutrition Assistant by the State of California, Department of Health Services prior to being flexibly promoted to the Nutrition Assistant II level.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Appropriate nutrition practices for women, infants or children at low risk for a nutrition-related problem.
• Principles of counseling.
• Interviewing and intervention techniques.
• Availability of community and governmental services and resources.
• Computer based applicant tracking systems.
• Nutrition program eligibility requirements.
• Certification and screening process and food instrument functions.
• Basic principles of health promotion, disease prevention and preventive health care.

Ability to:

• Conduct dietary recall nutritional assessments, “low risk” consultation and follow up.
• Communicate clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Follow prescribed policies and procedures.
• Recognize circumstances of vulnerable populations that affect healthy equity.
• Explain and provide services in a manner that is compatible with the needs and preferences of diverse community members.
• Understand and incorporate the Agency and Department’s core values and ethical standards of practice into all interactions with individuals, organizations, and communities.
• Understand and accept cultural, racial and economic differences in attitudes toward health problems.
• Gain confidence and obtain personal history data from clients of diverse backgrounds.

The examination will consist of the following steps: 1) A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. 2) A review of candidates’ Supplemental Questionnaires to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process. 3) An oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises. CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION. We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs. 

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.

TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:                                                       5:00pm, Friday, August 25, 2017
Minimum Qualification Review:                                        Monday, September 11, 2017
Review of SQ for Best Qualified:                                    Thursday, September 28, 2017
*Panel Interviews:                                                            Wednesday, October 18, 2017
                                                Thursday, November 2nd & Friday, November 3rd, 2017
                                                Monday, November 6th & Tuesday, November 7th, 2017
*Updated 10/6/2017
*Updated 10/12/2017

Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes.

For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.    

Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being.  These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
• Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

• Short-term Disability Insurance
• Long-Term Disability Insurance
• Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
• Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

• 11 paid holidays
• Vacation and sick leave accrual
• Vacation purchase program
• Management Paid Leave**
• Group Auto/Home
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Guaranteed Ride Home
• Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
• Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
• Child Care Resources
• 1^st United Services Credit Union 

*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement.  This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.

** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.

Please take the steps recommended above to insure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.

NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Lindsay Christopher, Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
510-272-6393
Lindsay.christopher@acgov.org

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer