Sheriff's Program and Financial Specialist

THE AGENCY

The Alameda County Sheriff's Office is a full-service law enforcement agency accredited through the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and the American Correctional Association (ACA). Additionally, the agency's health care provider, Prison Health Services, has dual accreditation through the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the California Medical Association (CMA).  Together these form what is referred to as the "Triple Crown" of accreditation (ACA, NCCHC/CMA and CALEA) awarded by the National Sheriff's Association.  Additionally, the Sheriff's Office Crime Lab is nationally accredited by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors (ASCLD).  The Sheriff's Office Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit has also been awarded national accreditation through the Bomb Squad Commanders Advisory Board.

The Sheriff's Office has a current adjusted net budget of approximately $363 million and has over 1600 authorized positions, including in excess of 1000 sworn personnel. The agency's Chief Executive Officer is Sheriff Gregory J. Ahern, who is assisted in the operation of the agency by Undersheriff Richard T. Lucia, Assistant Sheriff's Brett Keteles and Casey Nice.

The Sheriff of Alameda County is responsible for a vast array of tasks and duties, including the following:

• Providing security to the Consolidated Superior Courts
• Operating the Coroner's Bureau
• Operating a full service Criminalistics Laboratory
• Performing Civil Process
• Operating a County Jail (Santa Rita)
• Operating the County Office of Emergency Services
• Providing patrol and investigative services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County
• Pursuant to contractual agreements, providing patrol and investigative services to the City of Dublin, Peralta Community College District, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum complex, Oakland International Airport, Highland County Hospital, Social Services, and to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District
• Conducting a basic academy pursuant to Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) requirements.
• Providing Fish and Game enforcement
• Project Director of the Narcotics Task Force
• Serving as the Executive Director of the Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Task Force
• Operating a Marine Patrol Unit in the San Francisco Bay waters.

For additional information, you may visit the Sheriff's Office website at:  http://www.alamedacountysheriff.org/ 

THE POSITION  

Under direction, provide professional, financial and administrative services to the divisions to which assigned; develop, implement and manage contract services; act as County facilitator with contractors, other County departments and governmental agencies; recommend and assist with the implementation of program, policy and procedure modifications; plan, design and conduct operational, policy and programmatic studies; and do related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING FEATURES

These positions are located in the Management Services Division of the Sheriff's Department, and report directly to the Sheriff's executive management team. These positions independently perform sophisticated research and operational policy analysis designed to maximize resources and operational effectiveness. These positions also exercise authority for decisions to insure administrative, financial and analytical services to an agency with a gross budget in excess of 100 million dollars. All positions are typically characterized by the following elements:

• The focus of responsibilities is of a dual nature, related both to operational/program development and expansion and to the provision of financial services to the units to which assigned.

• Areas of responsibility typically include budget development, control and administration for multiple divisions, contracts and grants management, financial analysis, marketing and business plans, purchasing capital acquisitions and LAN administration.

This class is distinguished from the Administrative Services Officer classification, which has responsibility for supervising the performance of administrative, budget, fiscal, personnel, business management services, management analysis, contract/grant management and program systems, and organizational studies. It is further distinguished from the Administrative Specialist I/II and the Financial Services Specialist I/II in that the AS I/II performs professional-level administrative, operational and organizational services to County Departments, and the FS I/II provides professional-level financial services in budget developing and processing, contract negotiation and administration and grants management.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications, ideal candidates will have successfully demonstrated the following critical attributes: 

• Applying financial concepts and practices
• Taking action to successfully build productive working partnerships
• Seeking alternate methods to achieve goals when met with obstacles
• Identifying key issues and concerns and recommending or taking appropriate action to solve  problems
• Taking action to accomplish tasks by maintaining an exceptional level of quality
• Effectively managing time and resources to ensure that work is completed efficiently

Either I

The equivalent of three years of full-time experience in the class of Administrative Specialist I/II, Financial Services Specialist I/II or equivalent or higher level in the Alameda County classified service (non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts).

Or II

Education:

Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four year college or university (180 quarter units or 120 semester units) with major course work in business or public administration, or a field related to finance, accounting, budget, grants, contracts.

(Additional experience as outlined below may be substituted for the education on a year for year basis.)

AND

Experience:

The equivalent of three years of full time professional level experience in independently providing complex administrative or management services, including planning, organizing and conducting high level administrative, organizational or other related studies in a public agency.

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

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:

• Principles, practices, funding sources and administrative requirements in the program/operation area to which assigned.
• Principles and practices of program/operation planning and evaluation.
• Practices and techniques of administrative and financial analysis and report preparation.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.
• Budgetary, contract and grant administration and financial record keeping and reporting practices.
• Basic principles and practices of contract and grant administration.
• Oral and written communication.

Ability to:

• Plan and conduct complex financial, revenue and strategic planning analyses.
• Identify administrative, financial and operational problems, investigate and evaluate alternatives and implement effective solutions.
• Provide sound technical advice on financial and administrative matters to the program/operation and/or unit to which assigned.
• 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.
• Develop and prepare innovative marketing strategies.

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 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 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 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 statues.  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 & Welfare Benefits

• Medical – HMO & PPO Insurance
• Dental – PPO & DHMO Insurance  
• Vision
• Basic Life Insurance 
• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage) 
• County Allowance (Employer Credit)
• 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 Insurance
• Commuter Benefits Program
• Group Legal
• 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.