JC-497779 – Participant Analysis, Research, and Evaluation Section Chief

Overview

The Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC) has been part of the nation’s nutrition safety net for 50 years.

Extensive research has found WIC to be a cost-effective investment that leads to healthier infants, more nutritious diets, health care for children, and subsequently higher academic achievement for students. WIC helps families receive healthy food, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare and other community services.

Like other divisions within the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), WIC builds its program by addressing social determinants of health. WIC impacts the life course by promoting health practices that can ultimately improve life outcomes often experienced by vulnerable communities.

WIC serves babies and children up to age five, pregnant women, and new mothers. Dads, grandparents, foster parents of young children, and working families are welcome at WIC too!

Monthly, nearly one million WIC participants can find support at one of 83 local agencies which offer services at around 500 sites throughout California. WIC participants can redeem their food benefits at approximately 3,700 grocers that are authorized to serve WIC families.

In 2019 – 2020, the WIC Division implemented an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card called the California WIC Card and a new management information system known as WIC WISE, that allows WIC participants to be served more efficiently. The CDPH WIC Division works continuously to improve its operations and system to better support families and its partners.

About the CDPH/WIC Family

Over 200 state staff work at CDPH’s WIC Division, headquartered at the Natomas campus in Sacramento.  WIC is committed to a hybrid workforce and the state provides a modest stipend for those who fully and partially work from home. Staff are provided with a computer or laptop, camera, and large screen to conduct their work. We build our unit teams virtually and maintain contact with stakeholders by being on camera to solidify our relationships.

The WIC Division is led by senior managers administering a Local Policy and Health Programs Branch, Local Services Branch, Vendor Management Branch, Communications, Food, and Vendor Policy Branch, Data and Integrity Branch, Systems Integration Branch, and the Operations team.  Through these branches, our support staff, analysts, specialists, researchers, and nutritionists serve the needs of WIC families, supports our program partners, and ensures the California WIC Program is administered appropriately and effectively.

The salary information listed on this advertisement may not reflect recent salary increases from salary adjustments or changes in the fiscal year.

Department Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov

Incumbents in one of these classifications, where a Master’s Degree is required to meet the minimum qualifications, shall receive an educational pay differential equivalent to 2% of their monthly base pay. Those where a Doctoral Degree is a required to meet the minimum qualifications, shall receive an educational pay differential equivalent to 3% of their monthly base pay. Individuals with both a Master’s and Doctoral Degree will be given the best benefit in relation to salary shall only be eligible for only one amount.

The candidate works under the general direction of the Chief, Data and Integrity Branch, Research Scientist Supervisor II (RSS II). The Research Scientist Supervisor I (Social/Behavioral Sciences) (RSS I) will lead the Participant Analysis, Research and Evaluation (PARE) Section in the research analysis, monitoring, evaluating, reporting, and dissemination of WIC participant and local agency data to support efforts to maximize the retention and recruitment of WIC-eligible individuals, address racial and health equity issues and maximize participant health outcomes. The RSS I will serve as stewardship of WIC data, to ensure it remains accessible, usable, safe and trusted. The RSS I will develop and invest in the talent, using a strength-based approach. The RSS I will support and collaborate on program integrity initiatives to monitor program activities to safeguard the WIC program from program abuse. The RSS I will collaborate with and build data literacy with internal and external partners to support data-informed decision making. The RSS I actively participates as a member of the WIC Division management team and contributes to strategies and initiatives to support data-informed decision making at the Division level.

This position may be eligible for telework. The amount of telework permitted is at the discretion of the Department and is subject to change, consistent with CDPH’s Telework Program. All employees who telework are required to be California residents in accordance with Government Code 14200. Candidates who reside outside of the state of California may be interviewed; however, the selected candidate must have a primary residency in the state of California prior to appointment (and continue to maintain California residency) as a condition of employment. Failure to meet this requirement may result in the job offer being rescinded.

Travel may be required for this position. Reimbursement for travel takes into consideration an employee’s designated headquarters, as reflected in the duty statement, and is subject to regulations and bargaining unit contract provisions. All commute expenses to the designated headquarters office will be the responsibility of the selected candidate.

Minimum Requirements

You will find the Minimum Requirements in the Class Specification.

RESEARCH SCIENTIST SUPERVISOR I (SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES)
Desirable Qualifications

In addition to evaluating each candidate’s relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate:

Ability to work both independently and in a team environment
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential issues
Ability to communicate effectively with staff at various levels, external agencies, and the general public
Demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills including reviewing and editing documents
Public health and program planning, management, and evaluation of public health or community programs.
Analyzing complex situations and providing guidance to subordinates and colleagues.
Managing, prioritizing, and meeting multiple deadlines in a fast-paced work environment.
Leading workgroups, projects, teams, and other managers.
Communicating effectively with various levels of staff and the general public.
Creating processes and procedures based on policies and regulations.
Analyzing and evaluating the impact and effectiveness of program, policies, regulations, and/or procedures as they relate to community outreach programs.
Collecting, analyzing, and interpreting various forms of data.
Ability to handle sensitive and confidential issues.
Experience In:

Facilities management, business operations, and procurement administration
Coordinating with others to accomplish work-related assignments
Managing, prioritizing, and meeting multiple deadlines in a fast-paced work environment
Knowledge Of:

State and federal policies and regulations as it related to the WIC program or other public assistance programs
Project management methodology
Data-driven decision-making techniques.
Public health principles.
Leadership techniques.
How To Apply

Complete Application Packages (including your Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) and applicable or required documents) must be submitted to apply for this Job Posting. Application Packages may be submitted electronically through your CalCareer Account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. When submitting your application in hard copy, a completed copy of the Application Package listing must be included

https://calcareers.ca.gov/CalHrPublic/Jobs/JobPosting.aspx?JobControlId=497779

At the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), equity, diversity, and inclusion are at the core of our mission to advance the health and well-being of California’s diverse people and communities. We are genuinely and strongly committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of inclusion and connectedness where we can grow and learn together with a diverse team of employees. In recruiting team members, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring to us and the work we do.