WIC PROGRAM REPRESENTATIVE 22181

7/16/90 B

This is the first level class in the WIC Program series. Positions in this class are responsible for functions of the federally funded program administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health. The Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program assures that proper nutritional resources are available to women, infants and children to reduce infant mortality and increase infant birth weight. Positions are assigned to a geographical region and have responsibility for all administrative activities associated with the program. Incumbents represent the central office by functioning as the principle point of contact for program policies, procedures and operations for health districts and by administering all vendor activity. This class is distinguished from the WIC Program Senior Representative by the latters' responsibility to monitor program compliance and vendor activities on a statewide basis.

Complexity of Work: Performs work of moderate difficulty ensuring administrative program compliance, and the training and contractual aspects of the WIC program to health districts, benefit recipients and vendors. Trains vendor staff regarding the program's administrative methods, applicable regulations and financial processes; evaluates health districts and vendors to assure adherence to all program criteria; and identifies fraud and abuse by participants and vendors. Specific duties include selecting and rejecting food and formula vendors; conducting on-site audits of contractor to assure fiscal and policy application compliance; studying statistical data and allocating finances staff and resources to support program services; formulating WIC resource allocations to health districts and presenting recommendations to the Regional Medical Director; resolving disputes of policy or its application regarding hearings with recipient and vendors; investigating and resolving allegations of misconduct by vendors and participants and determining need for civil or criminal prosecution; coordinating informal hearings and providing testimony informal court proceedings; training vendors and health district staff about the program policy and procedure and evaluating management's use of allocated program resources; providing for and ensuring security and proper documentation of accounting vouchers and program funds. This class assures timeliness of services; coordinates program participation with other federal, state and local programs; and coordinates civil rights and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) fair hearings in compliance with policy and procedures.

Supervision Given: Supervision is typically not a factor.

Supervision Received: Receives general supervision from a Regional Medical Director. As the principal WIC administrative point of contact for field offices and vendors, incumbents must independently plan, schedule and prioritize work.

Scope: Exercises WIC program authority over all health districts and vendor operations in an assigned region to assure accuracy and reliability.

Impact of Actions: Activities affect contractor authorizations to operate in both the WIC and Food Stamp programs within a geographic region of the state.

Personal Contacts: Frequent internal contacts with agency WIC central office, regional and health district medical directors on assigning budget funding levels, providing recommendations and consultation on district budgets, assigning caseload allocations, recommending and assigning staffing levels coordinating participant fair hearings, court actions, EEO complaints and vendor administrative appeals. Frequent external contacts are made with contractors, attorneys, client advocates, advisory board members, and others with import matters discussed and decisions made by the incumbent concerning the administrative aspects of the WIC program and contract authorization.

Knowledge: Working knowledge of administrative and business management practices and principles concerned with contract law and compliance, program monitoring, evaluation, development and the formulation and presentation of management recommendations; of the clientele served; and of the basics of statistical analysis.

Skills: None identified for this class.

Abilities: Demonstrated ability to independently apply and interpret program regulations; to provide administrative determinations and recommendations to officials, participants, organizations, businesses and health professionals; to communicate effectively orally and in writing with business and health professionals on all levels; and to train and provide work direction to others.

QUALIFICATION GUIDE*

Licenses or Certification: None.

Education or Training: Graduation from high school with additional course work or training in business administration, public administration, finance or a related field.

Level and Type of Experience: Experience in public administration, program monitoring and program management.

An equivalent combination of training and experience may be substituted for formal education.

This class was revised as part of a classification review of the Public Health Nutrition series, effective July 16, 1990.