Introduction
THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.
Applications and Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.
Applications will only be accepted on-line.
DESCRIPTION
THE AGENCY
The Alameda County Social Services Agency (SSA) is comprised of 2,200 men and women working collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations to serve the needs of the community. Services are provided through four departments: Administration and Finance, Adult and Aging Services, Children and Family Services, and Workforce and Benefits Administration. To learn more about the Alameda County Social Services Agency, please visit the website at https://www.alamedasocialservices.org/.
PUBLIC AUTHORITY FOR IN HOME SUPPORT SERVICES:
The Public Authority for In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) in Alameda County is a public agency whose mission is to improve the planning and delivery of IHSS in Alameda County. IHSS is a publicly-funded program which helps low-income people with disabilities, including the elderly, to remain in their own homes by paying for domestic and personal services. The Public Authority for IHSS provides the following services in Alameda County:
- A registry that provides lists of screened workers to IHSS recipients/consumers and seniors seeking to hire home care workers/personal assistants;
- Enrollment of eligible IHSS homecare workers in medical, dental and vision plans;
- Training for providers and consumers;
- Consumer advocacy opportunities through our Advisory Board.
THE POSITION
Under general supervision, to do difficult clerical work, requiring the exercise of considerable initiative and judgment, within the framework of County or department policies and procedures; and to do related work as required.
DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
This is a specialized clerical class. Incumbents of positions in this class perform duties requiring the exercise of initiative and judgment significantly beyond that of the journey-level class of Clerk II. The majority of the duties assigned must fall into one of the following four categories:
1. Positions responsible for regularly eliciting information from or giving information to people in various stressful situations. The stressful situations mainly occur in "direct (face-to-face) personal" contact. Positions also fall into this category when, because of the situation and the type of clientele, the actual threat of bodily harm exists on a regularly recurring basis. Often the Specialist Clerk I is the public's initial contact with the County system. Such positions may be found in the Health Care Services Agency, Probation Department, Public Defender's Office, Social Services Agency, and the Sheriff's Office.
2. Positions responsible for independently resolving problems for which there is no immediate policy or clear precedent. Such positions may function in an isolated location or field office, or function as "Office Coordinators" for units with no ongoing, on-site clerical supervision.
3. Positions which require a specialized knowledge (as opposed to a general or a working knowledge) of broad and complex procedures, systems, rules, codes, and policies in order to perform their assigned duties. Such positions normally require a minimum of six months to one year of training in order to make independent decisions and determinations based on this specialized department and program knowledge.
4. Positions which require, as a major portion of the job, independent liaison activities (typically oral) with other agencies or other County Departments as a representative of the County. Incumbents of such positions regularly initiate action and have the authority to deviate from usual methods when independently performing duties. Often in these situations, supervision is not immediately available.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Qualified applicants must possess a minimum of one-year full time experience working for a Public Authority.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications below, ideal candidates will possess strong office support skills and experience, relevant computer applications knowledge and experience, as well as demonstrated success in the following areas:
- Actively participated as a valued member of a work team.
- Maintained effectiveness when experiencing major changes in priorities, procedures and/or responsibilities.
- Assimilated and applied newly learned information on the job.
- Provided exceptional service to internal and external customers.
- Maintained quality performance while under pressure or opposition.
- Ensured the quality and accuracy of your work products.
- Utilized effective approaches for choosing a course of action.
- Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
- Excellent oral and written communication.
THE VACANCIES
There are various vacancies in the Alameda County Social Services Agency. However, the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used by any department needing to fill a vacancy.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
EITHER I:
Experience: The equivalent of one year of experience in the class of Clerk II or in an equivalent or higher level clerical class in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)
OR II:
Experience: The equivalent of two years of full-time clerical experience.
Special Requirement: Qualified applicants must possess a minimum of one-year full time experience working for a Public Authority.
License: Some positions may require a valid California Driver’s license.
NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.
KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:
Knowledge of:
• Modern office practices and procedures, including business correspondence, filing, and standard office equipment operations.
• Specialized program knowledge of work requiring the application of a variety of rules, procedures, codes, calculations, and systems is required in some positions.
• Techniques and practices for dealing with individuals from various socio-economic and ethnic groups, in person, via telephone, and through correspondence (may include contacts with irate and hostile individuals).
Ability to:
• Analyze and problem solve.
• Communicate orally and in writing.
• Make decisions and take initiative.
• Demonstrate interpersonal sensitivity.
• Adapt to challenging situations.
• Plan, organize and coordinate work.
• Work independently.
SELECTIVE CERTIFICATION CRITERIA:
1. For positions requiring the ability to type at a speed of not less than 40 net words per minute from clear copy. Typing must occupy more than 10 percent of working time. Typing may be on a typewriter, or a personal computer.
2. For positions requiring the ability to type at a speed of not less than 40 net words per minute from clear copy, and to take shorthand at a speed of not less than 80 words per minute and transcribe it accurately. Taking and transcribing shorthand must occupy more than 10 percent of working time.
3. For positions requiring the ability to type at a speed of not less than 40 net words per minute from clear copy, and to transcribe dictation from dictating equipment. Transcription must occupy more than 10 percent of working time. (Candidates indicating a willingness to use dictating equipment will be certified to those positions where using the equipment is required, without having to take a performance test.)
ALTERNATE RANGE CRITERIA:
For positions requiring incumbents to take and transcribe dictation via shorthand or dictating machine recording; these duties must occupy more than 10 percent of working time.
DEFINITIONS USED IN CRITERIA #3 OF "DISTINGUISHING FEATURES":
Specialized Knowledge:
Indicates that a minimum of six months to one year of specialized education or equivalent on-the-job training is necessary to acquire this specialized knowledge.
General Knowledge:
Indicates that information concerning a few of the more easily understood aspects from a variety of sources or complete understanding of all aspects from one source is required in order to perform the duties.
Working Knowledge:
Indicates an understanding of the usual finer points of general knowledge and an understanding of the details from a variety of sources is required in order to perform the duties.
Clerical work:
Work involving internal and external communications, recording and retrieval of data, and/or information and other paper work required in an office. No specialized education or training is required.
EXAMINATION COMPONENTS
THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
- A review of candidates' applications and supplemental questionnaire to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the testing;
- A screening for best qualified. Only those candidates determined best qualified will move to the next step in the testing process;
- An oral examination which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.
Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this examination.
WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.
Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. For more information on the Civil Service Selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs.
Selection Plan
Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.
TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN
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Deadline for Filing:
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Monday, March 18, 2019
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Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications:
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Thursday, April 4, 2019
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Review of Applications for Best Qualified:
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Thursday, April 18, 2019
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Oral Interviews:
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Week of May 6, 2019
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WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN
Alameda County and the Human Resource Services Department will make reasonable efforts in the examination and/or selection process to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities and/or medical conditions in accordance/compliance with the State Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Alameda County’s Reasonable Accommodation Policy and applicable statutes. To request an accommodation due to a disability/medical condition during this or other phases of the examination/selection process, please contact the assigned Human Resources Representative listed on the job announcement before the last date of filing. Alameda County requires applicants to provide supporting documentation to substantiate a request for reasonable accommodation. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, applicants must have a disability/medical condition pursuant to the ADA, FEHA and applicable statutes. For more information regarding our Reasonable Accommodation procedures, please visit our website: www.acgov.org/hrs.
BENEFITS
Alameda County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many different employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall well being. These benefits include but are not limited to*:
For your Health & Well-Being
- Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
- Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
- Vision or Vision Reimbursement
- Share the Savings
- Basic Life Insurance
- Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
- Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance
- County Allowance Credit
- Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
- Short-Term Disability Insurance
- Long-Term Disability Insurance
- Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
- Employee Assistance Program
For your Financial Future
- Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
- Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)
For your Work/Life Balance
- 11 paid holidays
- Floating Holidays
- Vacation and sick leave accrual
- Vacation purchase program
- Management Paid Leave**
- Catastrophic Sick Leave
- Employee Mortgage Loan Program
- Group Auto/Home Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Commuter Benefits Program
- Guaranteed Ride Home
- Employee Wellness Program (e.g. At Work Fitness, Incentive Based Programs, Gym Membership Discounts)
- Employee Discount Program (e.g. theme parks, cell phone, etc.)
- Child Care Resources
- 1st United Services Credit Union
*Eligibility is determined by Alameda County and offerings may vary by collective bargaining agreement. This provides a brief summary of the benefits offered and can be subject to change.
** Non-exempt management employees are entitled to up to three days of management paid leave. Exempt management employees are entitled to up to seven days of management paid leave.
Conclusion
All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @acgov.org and alamedacountyHR@acgov.org as accepted addresses to any email blocking or spam filtering program you may use. If you do not do this, your email blocking or spam filtering program may block receipt of the notices regarding your application for recruitments. You are also strongly advised to regularly log into your County of Alameda online application account to check for notices that may have been sent to you. All email notices that will be sent to you will also be kept in your personal online application account. You will be able to view all of your notices in your online application account by clicking on the "My applications" button on the Current Job Openings page.
Please take the steps recommended above to ensure you do not miss any notices about a recruitment for which you have applied. The County of Alameda is not responsible for notices that are not read, received or accessed by any applicant for a County recruitment.
NOTE: All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box alamedacountyHR@acgov.org are routed to an unmonitored mailbox. If you have questions please go to our website at www.acgov.org/hrs. You may also contact the Human Resources Analyst listed on the job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.
Monique Hill, Personnel Services Manager
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
(510) 208-4841 or email Monique.hill@acgov.org
www.acgov.org/hrs
Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer
