WIC Benefits Specialist

POSITION TITLE: WIC Benefits Specialist

LOCATION: HFNYC’s Bronx Office and at community partner agencies across NYC

DESCRIPTION:

Hunger Free New York City (HFNYC) works to build a nonpartisan, grassroots movement aimed at enacting policies and programs to end hunger in New York City, ensuring that all New Yorkers have sufficient access to nutritious food.

The New York State (NYS) Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), administered by the NYS Department of Health (NYSDOH), provides breastfeeding support, nutrition counseling, health education, healthcare referrals, and nutritious foods to approximately 449,000 women, infants, and children each month. This is done through 92 local providers, including hospitals, local health departments, and community-based organizations, across 400 service sites.

The fundamental goal of WIC is to promote the health and well-being of income-eligible families with young children. Participants receive individually tailored food prescriptions for specific types and brands of foods that meet strict nutrition requirements. Currently, it is estimated that 775,000 women, infants, and children in New York State are potentially eligible for the WIC program, yet only 449,000 are actually receiving the benefits.

• Assist in determining the eligibility of potential WIC participants (pregnant women, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants, and children) through screenings according to program standards and connect eligible clients with their local WIC office.
• Conduct outreach efforts both in person and virtually to connect with low-income individuals, community agencies, and the general public.
• Establish and strengthen collaborations with community providers, explain program services, and solicit referrals.
• Achieve program targets and assist in meeting all reporting requirements.
• Attend required training, webinars, and conferences.
• Perform other duties as assigned (e.g., referrals to other benefit programs such as SNAP, Fair Fares, S-EBT, School Meals, Summer Meals, food pantries, and soup kitchens).
• Participate in events, including late-night and weekend hours as necessary.
• Work 35 hours per week.
• Complete other tasks as needed

• Prior experience with WIC or other nutrition assistance programs is preferred but not required.
• An interest in learning the most up-to-date information on food and nutrition programs.
• Multilingual reading, comprehension, and writing skills are highly desirable (Spanish, Bengali, Mandarin/Cantonese, Haitian Creole, French, Urdu, Arabic).
• Strong interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to work constructively and collaboratively with diverse groups.
• Active involvement in community activism or advocacy is a plus.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with Salesforce is a plus.
• Excellent verbal communication skills.
• Willingness to travel throughout New York City using public transit or other methods.
• A genuine desire to help others and an eagerness to learn.

• Must be able to frequently remain in a stationary position. 
• Occasionally moves about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, other offices, etc.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.

Submit a resume and cover letter. Applications not containing both a resume and a cover letter will not be reviewed.

HFNYC is an equal opportunity employer. People of diverse races, sexual orientations, ages, faiths, economic and social backgrounds, genders, physical abilities, and national origins are strongly encouraged to apply.

Salary : $26