OPS HEALTH EDUCATOR - 64953185 1 1 1

Requisition No: 848156 

Agency: Department of Health

Working Title: OPS HEALTH EDUCATOR - 64953185 1 1 1

Position Number: 64953185 

Salary:  Hourly rate $17.00 

Posting Closing Date: 03/17/2025 

Thank you for your interest in career opportunities with the Florida Department of Health in Hardee County.  If you are looking to establish a successful career in Public Health, you have come to the right place.  Many of our innovative and successful health programs are recognized throughout Florida.  We hope you decide to join our team!  Applicants will be contacted directly if selected for an interview.

The incumbent is part of a global public health organization and is expected to support the Florida Department of Health- Hardee County mission to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts and its vision to be the healthiest state in the nation.  Furthermore, the incumbent is expected to incorporate the agency values of Innovation, Collaboration, Accountability, Responsiveness and Excellence in all aspects of work. 

Your Specific Responsibilities:

The incumbent serves at the Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Coordinator/Policy Manager for the Tobacco Prevention & Control Program within the Health Promotion Division.  As such, the incumbent is expected to perform functions requiring independent judgement which include the following:

Coordinate and oversee the youth component of the Tobacco Prevention and Control Program known as Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT)

• Recruit and maintain middle and high school youth for participation in Hardee County SWAT.  SWAT is composed of school-based teams and county teams;
• Assist students in recruiting SWAT school advisors (adults) if necessary;
• Train and monitor SWAT school advisors in duties/responsibilities each year and assist SWAT school advisors in getting SWAT started in the school each year; if necessary
• Train youth in tobacco prevention issues; partner with community agencies to train youth advocates;
• Train youth in leadership skills trainings such as presentation skills, public speaking, educating decision makers, etc.
• Conduct approved SWAT orientation for both school-based and community-based clubs and chapter;
• Organize and attend SWAT events and countywide youth meetings and facilitate youth participation in local, state and BTFF required SWAT meetings, events and trainings.
• Assist youth in organizing, implementing and evaluating school-based and countywide youth meetings/projects/activities;
• Provide or arrange transportation for SWAT members to meetings and events as needed;
• Chaperone SWAT activities and events and recruit and organize additional adult chaperones for SWAT events as need;
• Coordinate youth activities with other entities of the partnership and community;
• Maintain and submit quarterly reports documenting SWAT activities and participation;
• Maintain and submit BTFF required activity reports for Automated Tobacco Activity Collection System (ATACS)
• Participate in monthly Statewide and Region 3 conference calls; and
• Participate in Tobacco-Free Hardee meetings at least once per quarter.
• Complete activities associated with all goals found in the workplan.
• Provides administrative and fiscal support for tobacco prevention program.
• Assists in developing and submitting a tobacco prevention workplan focusing on promoting cessation, reducing exposure to secondhand smoke, and on preventing youth and college age initiation.
• Coordinates program activities with the Chronic Disease staff, Healthy Start, WIC, and other health department staff as needed.
• Promotes youth empowerment by increasing skills, knowledge of tobacco issues and prevention; and advocacy training.
• Promotes a tobacco-free lifestyle in the community.
• Represents the CHD and the tobacco prevention and control program on local committees, boards, and coalitions.
• Assists with assembling and disassembling events hosted by the tobacco prevention program.

Tobacco Policy Coordination

• Ensures deliverables are met for assigned policy initiatives for the grant.
• Serves as the point of contact for assigned policy initiatives.
• Participates in efforts to develop and submit the tobacco prevention work plan in a timely manner following Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida’s requirements.
• Collaborates with regional tobacco grantee peers to plan and implement regional activities to support SWAT and Bureau of Tobacco Free Florida (BTFF) policies.
• Collects, analyzes, and presents data to ensure program outcomes.
• Provides support to team member(s) working on other policy initiatives
• Promotes the Florida Quit Your Way and refers community members to tobacco cessation services offered at the local level.
•  Promotes a tobacco-free lifestyle in the community.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of tobacco prevention and use reduction in the area of cessation, secondhand smoke, and youth prevention;
• Ability to plan, implement, and evaluate public health programs in tobacco prevention and control;
• Knowledge of the organization and administration of tobacco-related programs and services; ability to identify tobacco-related prevention and control services and needs;
• Knowledge of methods of compiling and organizing and analyzing data for the purpose of monitoring and evaluating;
• Ability to work with youth and adults; ability to develop local partnerships or to work with already existing partnerships;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others;
• Ability to adjust actions in relation to others' actions; skilled in written and oral communications;
• Ability to prioritize and organize work assignments and work independently with minimal supervision;
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously;
• Knowledge of how to find information and identify essential information;
• Ability to apply rules, regulations policies and procedures;
• Skill in operating  a personal computer utilizing word processing, data processing and graphic programs. 

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma
• Valid Florida Driver's License

Other job-related requirements for this position:

Incumbent may be required to work before, during and/or beyond normal work hours or days in the event of an emergency.  Emergency duty required of the incumbent includes working in special needs or Red Cross shelters, or performing other emergency duties including, but not limited to, responses to or threats involving any disaster or threat of disaster, man-made or natural. 

THIS IS A TOBACCO FREE POSITION.  Smoking and use of other tobacco products causes serious health conditions.  The Hardee County Health Department promotes non-smoking and abstinence from all tobacco products.  We routinely counsel our clients not to start smoking or to quit smoking.  This position specifically requires that you abstain from the use of tobacco and tobacco products in any form and that you agree to support and promote the Hardee Health Department’s position against tobacco use.  The use of personal transportation is needed to conduct activities of the position; therefore reliable transportation with appropriate auto insurance and a valid Florida Driver’s License is required.

CONFIDENTIALITY: “Incumbent may have access to records containing Social Security numbers in the performance of their job duties.”

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:

Wauchula, FL

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:

Working for the State of Florida is more than a paycheck. As an OPS employee, the benefits below are available:

• State of Florida 401(a) FICA Alternative Plan (mandatory)
• Participation in state group insurance (upon meeting eligibility requirements.  Consult with People First and/or the serving HR office)
• Workers’ Compensation (mandatory, if needed)
• Reemployment Assistance (Unemployment Compensation) (mandatory, if needed)
• Deferred Compensation (voluntary)
• Employee Assistance Program (voluntary)
• And more!

For a more complete list of benefits, including monthly costs, visit www.mybenefits.myflorida.com.

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: http://www.sss.gov 

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.

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.    

If there are any problems applying online, please call People First Staffing Administration: (877) 562-7287.

Service Center hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., ET. TTY users, call (866) 221-0268.

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.