About This Job
The mission of the Louisiana Department of Health is to protect and promote health and to ensure access to medical, preventive, and rehabilitative services for all residents of the State of Louisiana.
Learn More About Louisiana Department Of Health
Make a meaningful impact in your community as a Health Educator with the Louisiana WIC Program in Region 9. Based primarily in Tangipahoa Parish, this role empowers families by providing nutrition assessments, certification services, breastfeeding support, and engaging education to promote healthier outcomes for women, infants, and children.
As a Competent Professional Authority (CPA), you’ll play a vital role in determining eligibility, delivering one-on-one and group nutrition education, supporting outreach efforts, and responding to public health needs. If you are passionate about health, motivated to serve others, and ready to make a difference across your region, we encourage you to apply.
An Ideal Candidate Should Possess The Following Competencies:
Accepting Direction: The ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
Acting with Ethics and Integrity: The ability to make choices that reflect ethical standards, integrity and honesty, regardless of circumstances or personal benefit.
Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
Demonstrating Accountability: The ability to take ownership of actions, behaviors, performance, decisions, and outcomes.
Displaying Professionalism: The ability to uphold workplace standards through consistent conduct, responsible communication, and consideration for others.
Focusing on Customers: The ability to understand and meet the needs, preferences, and experiences of internal and external customers.
Following Policies and Procedures: The ability to follow, reinforce, adapt, or develop policies and procedures to maintain compliance with federal and state legal requirements, State Civil Service rules, and organizational policies.
Solving Problems: The ability to identify root causes, analyze relevant data, and apply practical or innovative solutions to challenges.
Minimum Qualifications
Four years of experience working as a WIC Clinic Nutrition Educator or in patient care; OR
Twelve semester hours in food and nutrition or dietetics plus three years of experience working as a WIC Clinic Nutrition Educator or in patient care; OR
An associate's degree in nutrition, dietetics, human ecology, family and consumer science, health promotion, pre-medicine, or nursing plus two years of experience working as a WIC Clinic Nutrition Educator; OR
A bachelor's degree in nutrition, dietetics, human ecology, family and consumer science, health promotion, pre-medicine, or nursing.
Job Specification
The official job specifications for this role, as defined by the State Civil Service, can be found here.
Job Duties:
Job Duties and Other Information
- Provides WIC certification and re-certification services to clients as a Competent Professional Authority (CPA).
- Conducts nutritional assessments, including evaluation of anthropometric measurements, lab values, and nutrition, medical, and social histories to determine program eligibility.
- Delivers nutrition education through one-on-one sessions and group classes tailored to client needs.
- Offers breastfeeding education and support to prenatal and breastfeeding participants in the parish health units.
- Assists with formula inventory management, ensuring accurate tracking and availability of WIC-approved products.
- Loads WIC EBT cards and maintains the security and proper use of client benefits according to policy.
- Participates in community outreach efforts to promote WIC services and encourage program participation.
- Maintains accurate client records and documentation in accordance with agency and program requirements.
- Attends and completes mandatory agency and program-specific trainings to stay current on policies and best practices.
- Responds to public health emergencies within Region 9 or statewide as needed, supporting the health and safety of the community.
Position-Specific Details:
Location: Office of Public Health / Region 9-BRCO / Tangipahoa Parish
Appointment Type: This position may be filled as a Job appointment (temporary appointment that may last up to 48 months)
Cost Center: 3262108009
Position Number(s): 50348211
How To Apply:
No Civil Service test score is required in order to be considered for this vacancy.
To apply for this vacancy, click on the “Apply” link above and complete an electronic application, which can be used for this vacancy as well as future job opportunities. Applicants are responsible for checking the status of their application to determine where they are in the recruitment process. Further status message information is located under the Information section of the Current Job Opportunities page.
- Information to support your eligibility for the position must be included in the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education). Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completed education and experience sections. Applications may be rejected if incomplete.
Contact Information:
Paul Tran
Paul.Tran3@la.gov
LA Department of Health (LDH)
Division of Human Resources
PO Box 4818
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
225-342-6477
This organization participates in E-verify, and for more information on E-verify, please contact DHS at 1-888-464-4218.
LDH supports Louisiana’s commitment to being a State as a Model Employer (SAME) by promoting the recruitment, hiring, and retention of individuals with disabilities.
Information on the Louisiana Works, Louisiana Rehabilitation Services is available here.
Louisiana State Government represents a wide variety of career options and offers an outstanding opportunity to
make a difference through public service. With an array of career opportunities in every major metropolitan center and in many rural areas, state employment provides an outstanding option to begin or continue your career.
As a State Employee, You Will Earn Competitive Pay, Choose From a Variety Of Benefits, And Have Access To a Great Professional Development Program:
Insurance Coverage More information can be found at https://info.groupbenefits.org/
Parental Leave – Up to six weeks paid parental leave
More information can be found at https://www.civilservice.louisiana.gov/Parental-Leave/Default.aspx
Holidays and Leave – State employees receive the following paid holidays each year:
- New Year's Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day,
- Mardi Gras,
- Good Friday,
- Memorial Day,
- Independence Day,
- Labor Day,
- Veteran's Day,
- Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
- Additional holidays may be proclaimed by the Governor
State employees earn sick and annual leave which can be accumulated and saved for future use. Your accrual rate increases as your years of service increase.
Retirement – State Of Louisiana Employees Are Eligible To Participate In Various Retirement Systems (based On The Type Of Appointment And Agency For Which An Employee Works). These Retirement Systems Provide Retirement Allowances And Other Benefits For State Officers And Employees And Their Beneficiaries. State Retirement Systems May Include (but Are Not Limited To):
- Louisiana State Employees Retirement System (www.lasersonline.org). LASERS has provided this video to give you more detailed information about their system
- Teacher's Retirement System of Louisiana (www.trsl.org),
- Louisiana School Employees Retirement System (www.lsers.net), among others
01
ADi - 26: Accepting Direction - How well do you accept guidance, follow instructions, and adjust when given feedback?
- I resist direction, ignore feedback, and need reminders to complete tasks.
- I follow direction with reminders and often need clarification or support.
- I follow direction reliably, adjust to feedback, and complete tasks on time.
- I adapt quickly, follow through, and help others adjust as needed.
02
ADi - 26: Accepting Direction - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
03
CE - 26: Communicating Effectively - How well do you share information and ideas in ways that others can understand, relate to, and act on?
- I communicate unclearly, use poor tone, and ignore the audience.
- I share main ideas clearly and adapt to the audience when reminded.
- I communicate clearly, listen actively, and explain complex ideas well.
- I craft messages that connect, inspire, and drive action across audiences.
04
CE - 26: Communicating Effectively - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
05
DPf - 26: Displaying Professionalism - How well do you meet expectations for workplace behavior, communication, and responsibility—especially when under pressure?
- I miss deadlines, act unprofessionally, or avoid responsibility for my actions or workplace expectations.
- I meet basic standards for work quality, behavior, and communication when given occasional reminders or support.
- I meet expectations, follow policies, and communicate respectfully and clearly—even in difficult situations.
- I model professionalism and ethics, adapt under pressure, and build trust through consistent and responsible behavior.
06
DPf - 26: Displaying Professionalism - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
07
SP - 26: Solving Problems - How do you approach challenges and work toward effective solutions?
- I focus on surface issues, miss root causes, or struggle to follow through on solutions.
- I gather some information, but my solutions may not be fully thought through or feasible.
- I analyze problems thoroughly, identify root causes, and follow through with realistic, adaptable solutions.
- I anticipate and solve complex problems, develop innovative solutions, and improve systems based on outcomes and feedback.
08
SP - 26: Solving Problems - Explain your selection by providing specific examples from your experience. Tip: Use the STAR method (situation, task, action, result) to explain how you have demonstrated this competency. Examples from work, military service, volunteering, education, or other life experiences are all valid.
09
This position will be filled as a Job appointment only. Job appointments may last up to 48 months. Acknowledge by checking “Yes” that you understand this is a temporary position.
10
To ensure compliance with LDH Nepotism Policy#41, if you have any immediate family members that are currently employed by LDH, please list the name and relationship. Please type “N/A” if no immediate family members are employed by LDH.
