Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Senior Program Specialist (Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health)

Recruitment #14-0307-02

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 must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Postmarks are not accepted.  Applications will only be accepted on-line.

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. Postmarks are not accepted.  Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

DESCRIPTION

HEALTH CARE SERVICES AGENCY
Alameda County's Health Services Program is administered by the Health Care Services Agency and includes the following program areas: Behavioral Health Care, Public Health, Environmental Health, and Agency Administration/Indigent Health. The ultimate mission of the Health Care Services Agency is to provide fully integrated health care services through a comprehensive network of public and private partnerships that ensure optimal health and well-being and respect the diversity of all residents. Health Care Services Agency currently has multiple career opportunities for experienced licensed professionals to become part of a service delivery team dedicated to the optimal health and well being of Alameda County residents.

 

PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT (PHD)

Alameda County Public Health Department has worked for over 80 years to improve the health and safety of its residents and the neighborhoods they live in. Traditional public health concerns such as disease outbreaks, environmental hazards and access to health care have been joined by contemporary concerns: bioterrorism, crime, violence, and substance abuse. Each of these poses a threat to public health and wellness. And each calls for short and long-term solutions that lie well outside traditional public health boundaries.

THE POSITION
Under direction, to plan, supervise, review and evaluate the work of program operational support or service delivery staff; to provide program planning, technical assistance, review and evaluation functions to direct client service delivery programs; to act as County liaison with service providers and funding sources and ensure that program regulations and procedures are followed; and to do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES
This first-level supervisory class provides administrative supervision and work coordination to a small client delivery staff and/or directs the work of technical or office employees providing program support. In addition, incumbents provide professional level technical programmatic services in a wide variety of client service areas. All positions are typically characterized by the following elements:

• Supervision of program support and/or service delivery staff;
• The need for technical knowledge in the service delivery area to which assigned;
• The fact that client services are provided by CBO's, other contract providers and/or County
   staff; and
• The focus of responsibilities being related to program development and implementation,
   rather than to the provision of administrative or support to County departments.

This class is distinguished from Supervising Program Specialist which provides supervision to other Program Specialists in addition to providing direct program review and evaluation.

 

VACANCIES

The current vacancies are in the Public Health Department's Family Health Services Division and have a specialty designation of MCAH (Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health) with the following requirement:  Two years maternal child & adolescent health experience required.

 

The Building Blocks for Health Equity (BB4HE) Senior Program Specialist functions as the manager for the BB4HE unit, which is located in the Maternal, Paternal, Child and Adolescent Health Unit.  BB4HE aims to address the social conditions that influence the health of women, children and families by building partnerships with a wide array of community organizations from multiple sectors; developing innovative neighborhood-based approaches to improving maternal and child health; and redesigning and enhancing health department services so that they better meet the basic needs of families - toward a vision that all children in Alameda County have the best start in life.  The main role of the Senior Program Specialist is to provide leadership to and management of the Building Blocks for Health Equity Unit.

 

Home Visiting/Family Support Senior Program Specialist is responsible for the supervision of staff and for managing the day-to-day operations and activities of home visiting/family support programs within the Maternal, Paternal, Child and Adolescent Health unit.  The home visiting/family support programs serve low-income, multi-stressed pregnant women and families with young children who have medical and social risk factors.  Services provided include:  evidence-based care management, care coordination, outreach, group education sessions and women's health promotion activities.  The Home Visiting/Family Support Senior Program Specialist is responsible for the implementation of these services, assuring quality care and fidelity to program models.

 

IDEAL CANDIDATE
In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, the ideal candidates will possess at least two years maternal, child and adolescent health experience along with a high level of knowledge and expertise in the maternal child health field, including familiarity with life course perspective, social determinants of health and health equity and strengthening families frameworks and/or experience with home visiting programs serving low income women children and families, especially from underserved and marginalized populations.  Critical attributes that successful candidates would possess for these positions include:

  • Experience with maternal, child and adolescent health public health program planning, development and oversight, which includes serving as a technical expert on maternal child health, early childhood best practices and programs addressing the social determinants of health. 
  • Strong supervisory skills and a demonstrated ability to inspire, train, coach, counsel and manage subordinate staff in order to optimize individual performance.
  • Exceptional communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences and in a variety of contexts.
  • The ability to work cooperatively with internal and external partners to accomplish the objectives of building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships and partnerships.
  • Exceptional organizational skills, including the ability to independently prioritize tasks and not only work on multiple projects simultaneously, but also be able to provide status updates on projects at a moment’s notice.
  • Desire to pursue and plan for ongoing professional development.
  • Experience with data collection and standards to ensure data accuracy and validity in order to facilitate the development and usage of data for planning, reporting, and recommendations for quality improvement that will support the health of children and families in Alameda County. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

The equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university (180 quarter units or 120 semester units) with major coursework in business, public administration, social science or a field related to the program area to which assigned.

Education:

(Additional experience in providing direct services to clients or in program planning and evaluation may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.)

AND

Experience:

The equivalent to two years of full-time professional level work with independently planning and evaluating client service delivery programs at a level equivalent to or higher than Program Specialist or Program/Financial Specialist in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

SPECIALTY DESIGNATION:  Maternal, Child & Adolescent Health:  2 years maternal child & adolescent health experience required.

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.

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, funding sources and administrative requirements in the program area to which assigned.
• Principles and practices of program planning and evaluation.
• Principles and practices of direct client service delivery.
• Practices and techniques of programmatic analysis and report preparation.
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard 
   office equipment.
• Basic budgetary and financial record keeping techniques.
• Basic supervisory principles and practices.

Ability to:

• Plan, supervise, review and evaluate the work of others.
• Train others in work procedures.
• Plan, monitor and evaluate program and service delivery effectiveness in the programmatic area to which
   assigned.
• Identify programmatic and operational problems, investigate and evaluate alternatives and implement effective
  solutions.
• Interpret, explain and apply complex regulations, policies and procedures.
• Prepare clear, accurate and effective reports, correspondence, policies, informational brochures and other written
  materials.
• Represent the department and the County in meetings with others and make effective presentations to diverse
  groups.
• Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines.
• Maintain accurate records and files.
• Exercise sound independent judgment within established policies and guidelines.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.

Licenses:

Specified positions may require possession of a valid California driver's license. Specified positions may also require licensure or certification in the programmatic area to which assigned.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

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)  The oral interview which will be weighted at 100% of the candidate's final score and 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 components.


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 many 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.

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:

5:00 p.m., Monday, July 28, 2014

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

Monday, August 11, 2014

Review of Supplemental Questionnaires for Best Qualified:

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Panel Interviews:

October 2 & 3, 2014


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 & Welfare Benefits

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
  • Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
  • Vision
  • Basic Life Insurance 
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
  • County Allowance
  • Health Flexible Spending Account
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
  • Accident, Critical Illness & Hospital Indemnity
  • Long Term Care Insurance
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Short-term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Retirement Plan – (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 11 paid holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Management Paid Leave**
  • Group Auto/Home
  • 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 insure 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. All notices are generated through an automated email notification system. Replies to the email box 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.

 

Annette Sandoval, Human Resources Analyst II

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

51-272-6434

 

Alameda County is an Equal Opportunity Employer