Job Description

Note: This job will be posted through 11:59 PM of the day prior to the end date listed.

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

Job Type:

Regular

Pay Range:

$18.33 - $22.32 Hourly

Department:

Health & Human Services (HHS)

FLSA Exemption Status:

Non-Exempt

About the Opportunity:

Washington County Public Health Division is seeking a Bilingual (Spanish/English) Breastfeeding Peer Counselor to join our Women, 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.

Bilingual Positions:

Designated bilingual positions require that the incumbent have knowledge of another language (primarily Spanish) besides English. It is required to possess 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 assessments in a selected language, positions that are eligible for the bilingual differential pay will offer in 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.

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.

Ideal Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs):

• Ability to advocate for various communities in Washington County, Clackamas County, Tillamook County, Columbia County and Polk County
• 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

To review the complete classification, including the full list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with this position, use this link: WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Classification Specification

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience

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

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to pass both written and oral Spanish fluency assessments.
• Must successfully pass a background check post offer.
• Work or volunteer experiences related to public services, customer support, connection to community resources, or peer support may be considered towards the salary placement.

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.

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.

APPLICATION:

Please complete your job application in English. Applications submitted in other languages cannot be reviewed.

Selection Process:

You can review our standard selection process here.

Our commitment to you:

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.

Veterans' Preference:

If you are a Veteran and would like to be considered for Veterans' preference for this recruitment, please review the instructions using this link: Veterans' Preference Points.

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 email: Careers@WashingtonCountyOR.gov at least 48 hours before any step in the recruitment and selection process for which you feel you need accommodation.

Status of Your Application:

You will be advised by email of your status at each step in the application process, from initial application to final employment disposition. Please note that Washington County communicates with all candidates via email.

Notice: Washington County is currently undergoing a comprehensive classification and compensation study. The purpose of this project is to create new job descriptions and create new classification and compensation systems. Outcomes of the project will include changes to classification titles, which could impact compensation structures. No one will have their pay rate lowered because of this project. For represented positions, appropriate bargaining processes will be utilized prior to implementation.

Questions?

Recruiter:

Yeji Seo

Email Address:

Yeji_Seo@washingtoncountyor.gov