PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITION CONSULTANT III (SPECIALIST) JC-528547

About the Department

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) centers equity, diversity, and inclusion in its mission to advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. The Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) is a national nutrition-safety-net program with 50 years of research demonstrating cost-effective benefits: healthier infants, more nutritious diets, improved child health care, and higher academic achievement. WIC provides families with healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to health care and community services. WIC serves babies and children up to age five, pregnant women, new mothers, and caregivers such as dads, grandparents, and foster parents. Nearly one million Californians receive WIC benefits each month through 84 local agencies operating at over 500 sites and approximately 3,800 authorized grocers. In 2019–2020, WIC implemented an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card (the California WIC Card) and a new management information system (WIC WISE) to improve service efficiency.

About the Team

Over 200 state staff work in CDPH’s WIC Division, headquartered in Sacramento. WIC supports a hybrid workforce with a modest stipend for remote work and provides employees with a computer or laptop, camera, and large monitor. The division is organized into branches: Local Policy and Health Programs, Local Services, Vendor Management, Communications/Food/Vendor Policy, Data and Integrity, Systems Integration, and Operations. These branches employ support staff, analysts, specialists, researchers, and nutritionists to serve WIC families, partners, and ensure effective program administration.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert technical assistance to local WIC agencies on nutrition services, operations, and best practices.
• Monitor agency adherence to the WIC Policy and Procedures Manual (WPPM), Nutrition Services Plan (NSP), and Nutrition Services Standards; conduct on-site evaluations and recommend corrective actions.
• Develop and implement statewide education, breastfeeding, and training campaigns, including Participant-Centered Services, WIC Web Information System Exchange (WISE) education, WIC Nutrition Assistant training, and the California Baby Behavior Campaign.
• Research medical and behavioral literature to design and revise curriculum, educational materials, and staff training modules.
• Prepare reports, memoranda, and budget proposals on complex public health nutrition topics.
• Provide legislative bill analysis on nutrition and breastfeeding issues to inform policy decisions.
• Evaluate local agency implementation of federal and state WIC policies and recommend improvements.
• Monitor and analyze national and state public health indicators relevant to WIC populations; identify emerging risks and recommend strategies to address them.
• Serve as liaison to other preventive health programs within state and local health agencies; provide leadership on nutrition and program issues to reduce risk factors and strengthen inter-program collaboration.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to advance public health nutritional goals and ensure alignment with CDPH strategic priorities.
• Travel statewide up to 25% to conduct on-site evaluations, provide technical assistance, and support program implementation.

Requirements

• Possession of a valid certificate of registration with the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association.

Pay

Monthly salary range: $6,927.00 – $9,460.00. New state employees are hired at the minimum salary of the classification or the minimum of the alternate range, when applicable.

Schedule

This is a permanent, full-time position. The position is eligible for telework (hybrid) at the discretion of the department, with a requirement to maintain California residency. Travel up to 25% may be required, with reimbursement subject to regulations and bargaining unit provisions. The position is subject to the Personal Leave Program (PLP) 2025, which temporarily reduces monthly base pay by 3% in exchange for 5 hours of leave credits through June 2027.