Staff Development Specialist

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. 

Application and Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Application and Supplemental Questionnaire must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit a complete application by the last day to file will result in disqualification. 

Qualified bilingual persons who speak English and are also fluent in: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Korean, Mien, Tagalog, Amharic, Farsi, Dari, Tigrigna, Russian, Romanian or Sign Languages are especially encouraged to apply.  There is an additional bi-weekly compensation for persons in positions designated bilingual.  Qualified candidates may be tested to demonstrate language proficiency. 

Applications will only be accepted on-line.

THE POSITION:

Staff Development Specialists will perform training and staff development activities in areas including but not limited to management development, automation, clerical, eligibility and social work. They will assess training needs, develop programs, and evaluate program effectiveness. Positions of Staff Development Specialist are found in the Social Services Agency, Health Care Services Agency, the Probation Department and the Alameda County Library. Click on link to view complete Staff Development Specialist Job Specification

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/.  

THE DEPARTMENT:

The Staff Development Training and Consulting Team (TACT) operates as a consolidated staff development department providing training to the entire Alameda County Social Service Agency. TACT is dedicated to the mission of addressing agency-wide training needs through comprehensive curriculum design in order to provide personal and professional development opportunities, which improves the performance of all Social Service employees.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST IDEAL CANDIDATE: In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:

• Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences and in a variety of contexts.

• Excellent classroom delivery skills, curriculum design, and demonstrated work experience planning and coordinating training programs;

• Demonstrated ability to conduct needs assessments, program evaluation, and group facilitation.

• Consistent adherence to established standards, completion of projects within stringent time schedules; handling multiple tasks at once, prioritizing, and demonstrating excellent follow-through on each task assigned, and performing well under pressure.

• Working with the State with certification, the Board of State and Community correction

• The operation and application of automated systems and software programs (Microsoft Office Suite)

• Principles of adult learning concepts/adult learning theory.

• Experience working with grants, including interpretation and implementation

• Experience working with the Board of State and Community Corrections and the Standards & Training for Corrections (STC)

• Experience working with a learning management system (LMS)

Staff Development Specialist-Child Welfare Trainer Option vacancy

The Ideal Staff Development Specialist performing the role of “Child Welfare Trainer” in addition to meeting the minimum qualifications detailed under the Staff Development Specialist, the Child Welfare Trainer will have specialized work experience, education and skills unique to Child Welfare and the position of “Child Welfare Trainer”: 

-A master's degree from an accredited college or university in Social Work or in Counseling or Clinical Psychology, with a specialization in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling, based on a two-year program (72 quarter or 56 semester units) or possession of an MFCC license.  

-Minimum of two years work experience providing social casework services in a professional capacity in the field of child welfare or family services in a public or private human services agency.

-The work experience must include knowledge of the state regulations, Welfare and Institutions Code governing Juvenile Court Dependency, local Juvenile Court rules and county procedures, policies and practices specific to Child Welfare, service delivery and computerized case management systems, e.g. CWS/CMS. 

-Working knowledge and familiarity with the goals of public or private human services agencies as they relate to Child Welfare and related community needs.

The Child Welfare Trainer will be compensated an additional 5 percent when assigned to positions designated as “Child Welfare Specialty” and are required to supervise new staff and perform training specific to Child Welfare.    

VACANCIES:

The current vacancies are within the Social Services Agency.  However, the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used by any department needing to fill a vacancy.

Either I

The equivalent of one year of experience in the classification of Supervising Eligibility Technician or in an equivalent or higher-level classification in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.) (Completion of one or more courses of study in methods, principles, practices and techniques of Adult Education is desirable).

Completion of the Alameda County Management Academy “Management & Supervision Certificate Program” may substitute for six (6) months of the required qualifying experience for the internal patterns.

Or II

The equivalent of three years of full-time experience which involved planning, developing, conducting and evaluating adult education and training programs. (A bachelor's degree in teacher education or industrial training or a closely related field may be substituted for two years of the required experience.)

License:

Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Principles of adult education and training.
• Teaching methods and procedures.
• Public and community resources and services.
• Provisions of the California Welfare and Institutions Code, the Social Security act and other pertinent legislation in the field of public welfare and social services.
• Operation and application of automated systems and software programs.
• Consultation techniques.

Abilities:

• Prepare and present lesson plans.
• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative relationships with other employees.
• Analyze and evaluate training needs and make appropriate recommendations.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of training activities.
• Facilitate and lead groups.
• Communicate verbally.
• Operation and application of automated systems and software programs.
• Be flexible with multiple projects and priorities at the same time.
• Consultation techniques.

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF the following steps: 1) A review of candidates' applications 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 examination process. 2) A review of candidates’ Supplemental Questionnaires to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process. 3)  An oral interview 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 recruitment.

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.

To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website, www.acgov.org/hrs. 

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

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

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
• 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
• 1^st 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.

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 bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Montrice Goodman, Human Resources Analyst
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
510-208-3954; Email: Montrice.Goodman2@acgov.org

www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.