Job Description

Requisition No: 851605 

Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: SENIOR PUBLIC HEALTH NUTRITIONIST SUPV - 64049806

 Pay Plan: Career Service

Position Number: 64049806 

Salary: $55,000 - $65,000 

Posting Closing Date: 07/12/2025 

Total Compensation Estimator 

Open Competitive Job Posting

Your Specific Responsibilities:

The incumbent, a Senior Public Health Nutritionist Supervisor , is an employee of the Florida Department of Health in DeSoto County, representing the agency and its mission and values. This position will oversee the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program at the DeSoto County Health Department. The incumbent is part of the organization and is expected to promote cooperation, courtesy, and teamwork in a diverse environment. The position is under the direct supervision of the Administrative Services Director II-SES. This position spends more than 50% of the time engaged in supervisory responsibilities. This includes communicating with, motivating, training, and evaluating employees in addition to planning and directing employees’ work. The incumbent has the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline subordinate employees or effectively recommend such action. The incumbent will also be required to develop performance expectations, meet with staff regularly to discuss performance, complete performance reviews, maintain vacation and work schedules, ensuring proper coverage, and complete timesheets.

This is work providing direct services, supervising nutrition and/or one or more nonprofessional staff, and coordinating the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) with the DeSoto County Health Department. Provides nutrition assessment and counseling to WIC participants. Determines nutrition risk/eligibility criteria for applicants. Prepares high risk care plans as needed.

Monitors the WIC Program per specified objectives and/or federal state and county rules and regulations. Plans, promotes, coordinates, implements, and evaluates the WIC Program countywide under the direction of the Administrative Services Director II. Analyzes public health statistics and community needs, to develop nutrition objectives and project priorities. Assesses the existing objectives and begins new objectives based on identified needs within monetary constraints. Ensures all program requirements are met and all WIC monthly reports are completed. 

Prepares and administers the WIC budget; prepares reimbursement documents for county health department trust fund; Independently orders special formula & compiles with the Prompt Compliance Payment Section 215.422, Florida Statutes & Chapter 3A-24, Florida Administrative Code; recruits, employs, assigns and manages WIC Program personnel and recommends transfers, promotions and separation from service; assures ongoing training for employees; plans and directs work for professional and para-professional nutrition staff and other support staff; assures good communication through regular supervisor and staff meetings.

As Acting Breastfeeding Coordinator and Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator, coordinates, oversees and evaluates the WIC breastfeeding and peer counselor programs. Provides breastfeeding support to women during the prenatal and postpartum period. Refers clients to the Designated Breastfeeding Expert (DBE) or the breastfeeding peer counselors (PC) as needed. Plans and develops ongoing staff breastfeeding trainings.

Assists with the integration of WIC services with other county health department programs and community agencies. Participates in the formulation of policies and procedures as well as the process of implementation throughout the county health department. Ensures compliance with the current Department of Health security polices by fulfilling information custodian responsibilities for the assigned data set. 

Serves as nutrition advisor for the county and community agencies. Serves on community councils, committees, and collaborates with organizations to represent and support WIC, nutrition, and public health services provided by the department. Ensures the promotion of WIC and nutrition programs through various public relations activities. Notifies the public and agencies serving potential WIC clients of significant program changes. Responsible for initiating outreach activities and ensuring referrals from other social service programs are properly addressed.

Promotes and participates in a culture of organizational continuous quality improvement, participates in required training, and quality improvement projects as outlined in the annual performance expectations. Projects will exhibit linkage to the Florida Department of Health DeSoto Strategic Plan and Public Health Accreditation sustainability. 

Promotes and participates in community outreach events and/or presentations as outlined in the annual performance expectations. Each event and/or presentation must include programmatic information. Documentation is provided to and notated on Employee Activity Records (EARs).

Provides direct participation and supervision of the Healthy Babies initiative through the Maternal and Child Health program. Responsible for expending funds, budget monitoring and quarterly reporting on goals and objectives. Promotes breastfeeding to ensure better health for infants and children. Improve barriers to better health for women and increase education to improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of the science and current practice of nutrition or dietetics.
• Knowledge of the concepts and theories of nutrition or dietetics as they relate to growth, development, health, or disease.
• Knowledge of nutritional and dietary assessment techniques.
• Knowledge of the methods of compiling, organizing, and analyzing data.

• Skill in Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and computer navigation.
• Skill in determining nutrition-related needs of clients and how to respond to those needs.
• Skill in analyzing and explaining rules, regulations, laws, policies, and standards.

• Ability to use various communication channels to provide education/training to audiences of varying literacy and comprehension levels.
• Ability to perform supervisory duties to include, but not limited to: recruitment, training, discipline, and timely approval of EARs and timesheets.
• Ability to communicate effectively.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others.
• Ability to learn and navigate Florida’s WIC Information System and EBT (Florida WiSE) computer application.
• Ability to plan, organize, and evaluate a nutrition program or project.
• Ability to learn and remain in compliance with all Florida Department of Health policies and internal operating procedures, Florida Statutes, and WIC Procedure Manual DHM 150-24, while completing job duties.
• Ability to process and handle confidential information with discretion. Incumbent may have access to records containing social security numbers in the performance of job duties.

Qualifications:

Minimum –

• Master’s degree in Nutritional Sciences, Community Nutrition, Clinical Nutrition, Dietetics, Public Health Nutrition, or Home Economics with emphasis in Nutrition per WIC Federal Regulation, CFR, Title 7, Part 246. This occupation requires that the incumbents meet the requirements outlined in Chapter 468, Part X, Florida Statutes, or be eligible to practice dietetics in accordance with Chapter 64B8-40 to 45, Florida Administrative Code.
• Valid State of Florida License as a Dietitian/Nutritionist issued by the Division of Medical Quality Assurance.
• A valid Florida driver’s license is required to obtain reimbursement for travel according to policy.
• 1-3 years’ experience working as a registered dietitian.

Preferred – The preferred candidate has experience working in the WIC program.

Florida Department of Health Mission, Vision, and Values:

Mission:

To protect, promote & improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county & community efforts.

Vision:

To be the  Healthiest  State in the Nation.

Values:

I  nnovation: We search for creative solutions and manage resources wisely.

C ollaboration: We use teamwork to achieve common goals & solve problems.

A ccountability: We perform with integrity & respect.

R esponsiveness: We achieve our mission by serving our customers & engaging our partners.

E xcellence: We promote quality outcomes through learning & continuous performance improvement.

Where You Will Work:

DeSoto County Health Department

Arcadia, Florida

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. The State’s total compensation package for employees features a highly competitive set of employee benefits including:

• Annual and Sick Leave benefits;
• Nine paid holidays and one Personal Holiday each year;
• State Group Insurance coverage options, including health, life, dental, vision, and other supplemental insurance options;
• Retirement plan options, including employer contributions

(For more information, please click );

• Flexible Spending Accounts;
• Tuition waivers;
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit  .

Please be advised:

Your responses to qualifying questions for this position must be verifiable by documentation provided through the electronic application process.

This position requires a security background check and/or drug screening and participation in direct deposit. Any misrepresentations or omissions will disqualify you from employment consideration. Note: You will be required to provide your Social Security Number (SSN) in order to conduct this background check Successful completion of a drug test is a condition of employment for safety-sensitive positions.

Male applicants born on or after October 1, 1962, will not be eligible for hire or promotion unless they are registered with the Selective Services System (SSS) before their 26th birthday, or have a Letter of Registration Exemption from the SSS. For more information, please visit the SSS website:  

If you are a retiree of the Florida Retirement System (FRS), please check with the FRS on how your current benefits will be affected if you are re-employed with the State of Florida. Your current retirement benefits may be canceled, suspended or deemed ineligible depending upon the date of your retirement. 

The successful candidate will be required to complete the Form I-9 and that information will be verified using the E-Verify system. E-Verify is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to verify employment eligibility.

Incumbents may be required to perform emergency duty before, during, and/or beyond normal work hours or days.

All Florida Department of Health positions require the incumbent to be able to learn and communicate effectively, orally and in writing, in English. Applicants who do not meet this requirement will not be considered.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace. 

Applicants requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-877-562-7287). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation. 

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act. 

Florida has the third largest population of veterans in the nation with more than 1.5 million service men and women. The Florida Department of Health (department) is committed to serving members of the United States Armed Forces, veterans and their families by encouraging them to apply for vacancies that fit their area of knowledge and/or expertise. Through the Department's VALOR program, which expedites licensing for military veterans, the Department also waives initial licensing and application fees for military veterans who apply for a health care professional license within 60 months of an honorable discharge. These initiatives help ensure that the transition from military service into the workforce is as smooth as possible and reflects our appreciation for the dedication devoted to protecting our country.

The State of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Affirmative Action Employer, and does not tolerate discrimination or violence in the workplace.

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.

VETERANS’ PREFERENCE. Pursuant to Chapter 295, Florida Statutes, candidates eligible for Veterans’ Preference will receive preference in employment for Career Service vacancies and are encouraged to apply. Certain service members may be eligible to receive waivers for postsecondary educational requirements. Candidates claiming Veterans’ Preference must attach supporting documentation with each submission that includes character of service (for example, DD Form 214 Member Copy #4) along with any other documentation as required by Rule 55A-7, Florida Administrative Code. Veterans’ Preference documentation requirements are available by clicking here . All documentation is due by the close of the vacancy announcement. 

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