Purpose of Job
The purpose of this classification is to plan, organize, coordinate, and evaluate the nutritional component of public health services for the Health Department.
Essential Functions
The Nutritionist is responsible for the following essential functions:
Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff, processing employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, disciplining, and completing employee performance appraisals.
Serves as nutrition professional for the Health Department, responsible for planning, managing, implementing, and evaluating community nutrition, breastfeeding, worksite wellness and chronic disease prevention programs and services and for coordinating nutrition services with other health services.
Establishes joint or coordinated programs with local health care facilities, food assistance programs, child day care services, meal programs for the elderly, and other health and human services and educational institutions in the community.
Oversees the work of support staff.
Conducts community assessment of the county’s nutrition and diet-related health problems and available resources to determine nutrition needs in the population; develops operational plans for nutrition service delivery; utilizes Health Department management and client information systems to monitor and evaluate nutrition programs and to document activities and outcomes.
Interprets and disseminates current scientific information regarding food, nutrition, diet, and health to professionals working in the department, related health and human services agencies, educational institutions, and the general public.
Plans, directs, arranges, and evaluates educational programs for professionals, paraprofessionals, volunteers, peer counselors, clients, and the public.
Speaks on nutrition and health through group programs, school programs, and local newspapers, radio and television stations.
Selects and/or develops, evaluates, and revises nutrition education materials for use by the Health Department; utilizes available nutrition curriculum for training health and human service professionals, teachers, and students.
Provides expert nutritional case consultation to Health Department care providers and professionals in local health care facilities; evaluates consultation to determine its effectiveness in accomplishing objectives.
Occasional local and overnight travel required.
Respond to and report immediately if called upon by local, regional, or central office supervisors, as part of a coordinated emergency response by the Knox County Mayor’s Office
Ensure regular, punctual attendance during scheduled work hours.
Perform other duties as required
