Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Chief Departmental Human Resources Administrator

Recruitment #22-0465-02

Introduction

READ THIS ENTIRE BULLETIN FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REAPPLY FOR THIS RECRUITMENT

THIS IS A REOPENING OF A CONTINOUS EXAMINATION. If you have previously applied or started an application for the Chief Departmental Human Resources AdministratorExamination #22-0465-02, and choose to reapply, please contact the examination analyst, Sam Gee at samson.gee@acgov.org  to have your previous application released back to you.

The scores and dispositions of candidates for this examination will be merged with previous exam participants. If you have previously submitted an application and choose to reapply, your new score/disposition will replace your current disposition.

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. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.


Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

DESCRIPTION

The Community
The County of Alameda is the geographic center of the San Francisco Bay Area, located on the east side of the Bay across from the San Francisco Peninsula. Commonly referred to as the “East Bay,” the region has been the fastest growing in the San Francisco Bay Area for more than two decades. The East Bay is popular due to its desirable location, incredible diversity, ideal climate, broad economic base, welcoming communities, and business opportunities. The County itself is one of the most culturally diverse regions in the country. Alameda County offers a variety of popular destinations including theatre, world-class symphony performances, dining, and many top-rated accommodations.

The County is also home to many popular attractions including, The Oakland Museum, Chabot Space and Science Center, the Oakland Athletics, and Livermore and the Tri-Valley Wine Country. In addition, there are numerous parks, trails, and championship golf courses to enjoy. The University of California, Berkeley and California State University, East Bay are just two of the distinguished academic institutions serving Northern California. Urban transportation options are extremely accessible including the Oakland International Airport, the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system, and the San Francisco Bay ferry system. For more information on this charming county, please visit the County of Alameda’s website at https://www.acgov.org



The County
Established in 1853, Alameda County has a population of over 1.6 million residents making it the second largest county in the Bay Area and the seventh largest in the State. The County encompasses 14 cities including Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro, and Union City as well as 6 unincorporated communities and rural areas that span a total of 738 square miles. Alameda County employs approximately 9,000 employees working in 21 different agencies and departments and has an annual budget of over $3 billion. As a major urban County, Alameda delivers a full spectrum of services, including general government and internal services, health care, social services, public works, criminal justice, and other public safety services for its community. The County celebrates the rich diversity of its workforce, which in large measure, is a reflection of the cultural and ethnic diversity of the community it serves. The County’s mission is to enrich the lives of its residents through visionary policies and accessible, responsive, and effective services. Its vision is to be recognized as one of the best counties in which to live, work, and do business.



The Social Services Agency (Current Vacancy)
The Alameda County Social Services Agency (SSA) is comprised of over 2,500 employees working collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations, neighborhood groups and policy makers to serve the needs of the community. SSA has a proposed FY22/23 Budget of over $906 million and is comprised of four operating departments: Agency Administration & Finance; Adult & Aging Services; Children & Family Services; and Workforce & Benefits Administration. The Department of Agency Administration & Finance (AAF) provides employees and operating departments with strategic direction, support and the necessary tools, resources and services to achieve the Agency’s mission.

The Department of Adult & Aging Services (AAS) provides a coordinated, consumer focused, accessible, high-quality service delivery system that protects, supports and advocates for dependent adults, particularly those with disabilities, as well as the vulnerable elderly and aging population. The Department of Children & Family Services (CFS) provides children in Alameda County with the opportunity to grow and develop in a safe, healthy, nurturing, and stable home. CFS strives to ensure children receive the support and security that a family, extended family, or alternate family can provide. The Department of Workforce & Benefits Administration (WBA) promotes self-sufficiency and provides continuing economic assistance through public and private sector partnerships while fostering a workforce development system which supports individuals and families. WBA administers mandated public assistance programs and provides the required employment and supportive services for individuals in Alameda County.

The Human Resources Division is part of the Agency’s Administration & Finance Department and is split into five service units, which include Administration, Payroll, Recruitment, Employee & Labor Relations, and Training.  The Human Resources Division serves SSA, and includes payroll, recruitment, testing, consultation and leadership on employee and labor relations issues, administers civil rights programs and language access for customers as well as internal staff, and coordinates the Agency’s Health & Safety programs.  The Social Services Human Resources Division works in collaboration  with the Human Resource Services Medical Leaves & Accommodation Services (MLAS) to provide Reasonable Accommodations, Workers Compensation, and other medical leaves of absence to SSA employees. 

Additionally the Training and Consulting Team (TACT) plans, develops, coordinates, and implements agency-wide staff training and development programs. The SSA Administration & Finance Department has a proposed FY22/23 budget of $114.4 million. The Position SSA’s Chief Departmental Human Resources Administrator (Chief Departmental HR Administrator) will lead, plan, organize, manage, and direct the Human Resources Management Program of SSA and will provide human resources expertise and workforce management consultation to agency/department executives. In addition, the Chief Departmental HR Administrator will represent and safeguard the best interests of SSA by actively participating in labor negotiations.  This position requires a local government professional with experience in employee and labor relations, recruitment and selection, classifications, training and experience working with reasonable accommodations.

* This Chief Departmental Human Resources Administrator classification salary range, for the Social Services Agency, includes 8% in additional compensation. This additional compensation is called a “footnote” and is paid above the base salary range maximum ($146,931.20) as posted on the official Alameda County website. This additional compensation is awarded to certain positions who are expected to perform duties above and beyond the scope and duties detailed in the standard Countywide Chief Departmental Human Resources Administrator classification job specification.


    

The Ideal Candidate
The Social Services Agency Director seeks a strong Human Resources professional with County or City government experience and a track record of working in labor/employee relations, recruitment and benefits.  The ideal candidate is politically astute, compassionate, personable, and an excellent communicator.  This leader will foster a culture of respect, teamwork and collaboration.  The next Chief Departmental HR Administrator will work closely with the Agency Director through a transitional period within the department and continue to build the Human Resources Division team to improve cross divisional communication and collaboration, as the staff continue to provide quality services to Agency employees.

The ideal candidate is a teambuilder and will embrace and be committed to goals and values of achieving equity, diversity, and inclusion. This ideal candidate is an exceptionally bright and straightforward collaborative leader, with the ability to establish a relationship of confidence and trust with the Director, Agency Executive Team, department staff, County colleagues and employees. The next Chief Departmental HR Administrator is a dedicated civil service professional who aspires to a position of leadership, is creative and an intuitive thinker, a proactive problem solver with the ability to detect problems and issues, identify and facilitate win-win solutions, and is an outstanding communicator, both verbal and written. 

The Agency Director seeks a strategic thinker and partner who is nimble when working with Union representatives and brings innovative approaches to talent management, succession planning, and recruitment strategies to attract and retain a high-performing and diverse workforce.


MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I

The equivalent of two years of experience in the class of Departmental Human Resources Manager in the Alameda County classified service.

Or II

The equivalent of three years of experience in the class of Departmental Human Resources Officer or in an equivalent or higher-level classification performing human resources related activities in the Alameda County classified service, one year of the experience must include professional level supervisory experience.

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 III

Education:

Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited college or university.

AND

Experience:

The equivalent of five years full time professional level human resources experience that provided a combination of the following experience: training and development, health and safety, labor relations, interpreting labor agreements, handling of employee grievances and disciplinary actions, advising employees and management on human resources and labor relations issues, developing and implementing human resources policies and procedures, classification studies, compensation studies, or participation in the selection of employees for a variety of occupational classes. Three years of the required experience must have been in a supervisory capacity.

Substitution: (A graduate degree in Human Resources Management, Public or Business Administration may be substituted for two years of the required experience)

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

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

NOTE: The level and scope of the following knowledge and abilities are related to duties listed under the "Examples of Duties" section of this specification.

Knowledge of:

Strategic Management
• Strategic planning process & implementation.
• Management functions, i.e., Planning, Organizing, Directing & Controlling.
• Organizational analysis and development and leadership competencies.
• HR policies, programs, and services with Diversity imbedded.

Recruitment & Staffing
• Public human resources administration including job analysis and position classification, conducting audits, wage and salary administration, recruitment and personnel selection, employer-employee relations, and training.
• Federal, State and local laws, rules and guidelines relating to the hiring process and other areas of human resources related activities.
• Internal workforce assessment techniques & employment policies, practices, & procedures.
• Successful recruiting strategies to attract diverse and high caliber candidates.

Training & Development
• Performance Management and Appraisal methods.
• Techniques to assess training program effectiveness, including use of applicable metrics.

Employee & Labor Relations
• Labor relations laws, practices, and trends.
• Progressive discipline.
• Grievance resolution.
• Consultative and coaching skills with managers.
• Investigative and interview techniques
• Relative Memorandums of Understanding for individual departments.

Workers’ Compensation and Long Term Leaves
• State and Federal disability laws and leave provisions and regulations
• County policies and procedures, administrative code, Civil Service Rules/Regulations
• EEO concepts and guidelines for compliance relative to employee/applicant disabilities


Health & Safety
• Federal, State and Local workplace health, safety, security & privacy laws & regulations.
• Enforcing procedures of workplace safety, health & security.
• Awareness of potential violent behavior and workplace violence conditions.

Administrative
• Computer applications and hardware and software related to the work.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.

 

Ability to:

• Demonstrate commitment to the county’s mission, credo, and goals.
• Be visionary, strategic, and innovative, working with change.
• Collaborate with other agencies and departments to meet overall countywide needs while leveraging financial and other resources.
• Create employee programs that will demonstrate to the community the organization’s commitment to Diversity.
• Use business acumen to build a strong organization that delivers results.
• Use interpersonal skills to communicate effectively.
• Promote personal and professional growth for self and others.
• Provide the highest level of service delivery to diverse customers.
• Work effectively as a member and leader of diverse teams.
• Plan and organize.
• Exercise management control.
• Provide leadership.
• Supervise staff.
• Demonstrate interpersonal sensitivity.
• Be flexible.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

The examination will consist of the following steps:

  1. A review of candidates' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements.
  2. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process; review of candidates’ work experience and background to select the best qualified applicants to continue in the process.
  3. Those candidates scoring highest on the screening for best qualified will move on to the next step in the examination process, an oral interview which will be weighted as 100% of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

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.


CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

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

Deadline for Filing:

8/31/23

Review of Applications for Minimum Qualifications:

9/7/23

Review of Applications for Best Qualified:

9/21/23

Oral Panel Interview/Examination:

10/5/23

*WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN*

updated 8/17/23

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
  • 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 @jobaps.com, @acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com 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

Noreply@jobaps.com 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.

Sam Gee | Human Resources Division Manager
Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
samson.gee@acgov.org
www.acgov.org/hrs

 

Disaster Service Worker:  All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect.  Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Employment Opportunity: 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.