New

Bilingual & Non-bilingual Breastfeeding Peer Counselor-Women, Infants & Children (WIC)

Washington County, OR
$17.85 - $21.73 Hourly
medical insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, long term disability, job share
United States, Oregon, Hillsboro
155 North 1st Avenue (Show on map)
Sep 13, 2025
THE POSITION Washington County Public Health Division is seeking Bilingual (Spanish, Ukrainian, or Dari/English) and Non-bilingual Breastfeeding Peer Counselors to join our Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program. The opportunity is a variable hour position. The variable hour positions are at-will and working hours vary each week depending on the needs, limited up to 20 hours per week. Additionally, the variable hour positions are eligible for sick time accruals, but are not eligible for vacation accrual, paid holiday, or other customary benefits including health insurance such as medical, dental, and vision. 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. About the Opportunity: In this role, you will deliver parent-to-parent support to prenatal and postpartum WIC parents by providing basic breastfeeding information and encouragement. Primary duties may include, but are not limited to: Provide breastfeeding counseling and instruction for pregnant and breastfeeding WIC participants for an assigned peer counseling caseload on a periodic basis. Provide virtual and in-person services to help prevent and handle common breastfeeding concerns. Assist participants in exploring and addressing barriers to breastfeeding by assessing issues that may complicate breastfeeding and identifying sources of support for the participant. Refer participants according to clinic established protocols to the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC) Coordinator for follow up with appropriate community resources. Attend and assist with prenatal classes and breastfeeding classes and support groups; and encourage participants to attend prenatal classes. Assist in the creation of breastfeeding-related promotional and educational video content. Assist participants during postpartum period in preventing common concerns and identifying breastfeeding problems for appropriate referral to the BFPC Coordinator. Assist participants in maintaining breastfeeding by suggesting ways to incorporate breastfeeding into daily routines; counsel on methods of maintaining milk production and breast pump usage. Maintain various records and chart notes; record advice given to WIC participants; and document methods and reasons for referrals in participants' files. Assist WIC staff in promoting breastfeeding peer counseling through special projects; promote and support activities within the community including outreach with mother/infant programs, physician offices, hospitals, and local coalitions. This position may be eligible for a hybrid work schedule. When required to work in-person at the work sites/offices, this position may report and travel to multiple WIC sites located in Beaverton, Hillsboro, and Tigard. An ideal candidate would have: Experience in counseling and providing breastfeeding information or education to WIC participants. Training or experience in the WIC Program (Current/past WIC participants). Ability to speak, read and write in Spanish, Ukrainian, or Dari fluently is preferred. Ability to represent various Washington County communities and/or familiarity of WIC services. Training and experience with participant-centered counseling and assessment techniques for participants with various backgrounds. Experience in delivering trainings, presentations, and/or public speaking. Direct breastfeeding experience or formal lactation education. Bilingual Positions: Designated bilingual positions require the incumbents to possess Spanish, Ukrainian, or Dari bilingual skills, including 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 assessment test(s) 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. ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES Classification descriptions are typically written broadly. To review this classification, please use this link: WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Education and Experience: Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent; AND One year of knowledge and experience with breastfeeding. Additional Requirements: Some positions in this classification may require fluency in another language, which may include oral and written proficiency. Please be advised that this position is required to pass a criminal background check post offer. Please be clear and specific in the applicable sections of the employment application about how your background is relevant. This information must also be consistent with your supplemental question responses. Please note: Answers to the supplemental questions are typically evaluated separately* from your application.* SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION 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. Steps of the process: Apply today! In lieu of a resume, we ask that you complete and submit an online application, which will be used to screen for minimum qualifications (MQs) and to determine starting pay in accordance with the provision of the Oregon Equal Pay Law. MQ Review: Human Resources will screen applications for MQs beginning the week after the posting closes. Additional preferred qualification(s) screening may be applied depending on the number of applications received. Panel Interview(s): Candidates who pass the screening step(s) will be invited to participate in a panel interview. Reference Checks: We will conduct reference checks for the final candidate(s), generally 3-4 professional references. Conditional Offer of Appointment: Human Resources will conduct a salary analysis for the final candidate(s) and the hiring manager will extend a conditional offer of appointment. Post-Offer Check: The final candidate will require to successfully clear a third-party background check as a pre-employment condition. If offered for a bilingual position, additional oral and written bilingual proficiency tests are required. Start Date: A start date will be determined after all pre-employment condition(s) have been met. Please note: candidates that are successful in the evaluation process may have their applications referred for additional vacancies in the same classification, or job family. Status of Your Application You will be advised by e-mail 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. If you "opt out" or "unsubscribe" from email notifications from NEOGOV it will impact our ability to communicate with you about job postings. Veterans' Preference If you are a Veteran and would like to be considered for a 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 e-mail: Careers@WashingtonCountyOR.Gov at least 48 hours before any step in the recruitment and selection process for which you feel you need accommodation. Questions (?) Regarding This Recruitment Yeji Seo, Talent Acquisition Business Partner Yeji_Seo@WashingtonCountyOR.Gov Additional Resources: New to GovernmentJobs.com? Visit https://www.GovernmentJobs.com/home/ApplicationGuide for a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on the application process. For technical support, contact Government Jobs' Live Application Support at 855-524-5627. * Washington County is a drug-free workplace *