SENIOR HUMAN SERVICES ANALYST

THE JOB:  The Senior Human Services Analyst is the super-journey level position in the Human Services Analyst series within the Human Services Department. The Department’s mission is to “strengthen our community by protecting the vulnerable, promoting self sufficiency, alleviating poverty, and improving the quality of life”.  The Department provides a variety of services to the community including: employment and benefits services, child welfare, and adult and long term care services.  The incumbent will supervise the Quality Improvement/Quality Assurance functions within the Planning and Evaluation Unit.  Responsibilities include oversight of all state and federally mandated quality assurance functions across all Human Service Department services (e.g. CalFresh, MediCal, IHSS), and data collection and analysis in other program areas as well as measurement of customer experience.

The Senior Human Services Analyst works with a variety of stakeholders to develop, put into practice, and evaluate solutions that enable the Department to more effectively and efficiently serve the community.   Among other things, job duties may entail working with the media as the Public Information Officer, supervising a Quality Improvement team for a program division, implementing performance based contracts for key services, development of operational and dashboard reports from complex data systems, interpreting state regulation changes and writing local policies and procedures.  In general, this position is responsible for critically analyzing business needs, policies, procedures, structures, staffing, and budget to make recommendations to enhance performance. This critical analysis may include data extraction, data analysis and reporting, process analyses and workflow descriptions, reviewing research on best practice, writing grants, and strategic planning.  This position also interprets client, staff, and management’s business needs and translates them into written and graphical reports, application development requirements, vendor contracts, and/or new business processes. The Senior Human Services Analyst is also responsible for evaluating or monitoring efficacy including basic evaluation design, instrument development, data collection, and some statistical analysis. This includes developing an efficient process for continual monitoring of performance and outcomes for quality assurance purposes and effectively communicating the results to a wide variety of stakeholders.

THE REQUIREMENTS: Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying.  A typical way to obtain these would be:

One year of experience at a level equivalent to Associate Human Services Analyst with

 Santa Cruz County

SPECIAL REQUIREMENT: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License or the employee must be able to provide suitable transportation that is approved by the appointing authority.

Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of human services, basic community needs, and community resources; program evaluation processes.  Working knowledge of analytical and research techniques; the functions and services of a local human resources agency; contract law and procurement procedures; grant proposal writing and budgeting; administrative theories and techniques; basic statistics. Some knowledge of the principles of supervision, training and basic budgetary techniques.

Ability to:  Define complex problems, design efficient and organized plans to collect and format data, establish facts and draw logical conclusions; create and determine acceptability of social science research hypotheses by drawing from accepted theories, practices, principles and empirical data in the social science field; develop effective strategies for solving a wide variety of complex problems; prepare and present a variety of clear and concise oral and written reports; train, schedule, supervise and evaluate subordinate staff; establish and maintain effective working relationships with others contacted in the course of work; interpret legislation and regulations, administrative policies and procedures; and analyze and prepare grant proposals, contracts and related budgets.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS:

VACATION – 16 days 1^st year, increasing to 31 days per year after 15 years service. Available after 1 year service.

ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE – One week advanced upon appointment; two weeks accrued each year; can be taken in cash or time off.

HOLIDAYS – 12.5 paid holidays per year.

SICK LEAVE – Six days per year; after 6 months.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE – 3 days paid in California, 5 days paid out-of-state.

MEDICAL PLAN – The County contracts with PERS for a variety of medical plans.  For most plans, County contributions pay a majority of the premiums for employees and dependents.

DENTAL PLAN – County pays for employee and dependent coverage.

VISION PLAN – County pays for employee coverage.  Employee may purchase dependent coverage.

RETIREMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY – Pension formula 2% at age 60 or 2% at age 62 as determined based on provisions of the CA Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013(PEPRA). Pension benefit determined by final average compensation of three years.  County pays a portion of retirement contribution and participates in Social Security. 

LIFE INSURANCE – County paid $50,000 term policy.  Employee may purchase additional life insurance.

LONG TERM DISABILITY PLAN – Plan pays 66 2/3% of the first $13,500, up to $9,000 per month maximum.

DEPENDANT-CARE PLAN – Employees who make contributions for child or dependent care may elect to have their contributions made utilizing “pre-tax dollars.”

H-CARE PLAN – Employees who pay a County medical premium share of cost may elect this pre-tax program.

HEALTH CARE FLEXIBLE SPENDING ALLOWANCE (HCFSA) – Employees may elect this pre-tax program to cover qualifying health care expenses.

FLEXIBLE HEALTH ALLOWANCE (FHA) – A portion of the County’s contribution to employee health insurance that allows employees to have health plan purchase options. Employees who are enrolled in a County medical plan can participate in this program.

EMPLOYEE CREDIT UNION – Offers systematic savings and low interest loans.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION – A deferred compensation plan is available to employees.

AUTOMATIC CHECK DEPOSIT – Required for all employees in this bargaining unit.

THE EXAMINATION: Your application and supplemental application will be reviewed to determine if you have met the education, experience and/or licensing requirements as stated on the job announcement.  If you meet these criteria and are one of the best qualified, you may be required to compete in any combination of written, oral and/or performance examinations or a competitive evaluation of training and experience as described on your application and supplemental application. You must pass all components of the examination to be placed on the eligible list.  The examination may be eliminated if there are ten or fewer qualified applicants.  If the eligible list is established without the administration of the announced exam, the life of the eligible list will be six months and your overall score will be based upon an evaluation of your application and supplemental application. If during those six months it is necessary to administer another examination for this job class, you will be invited to take the examination to remain on the eligible list.

HOW TO APPLY: Apply Online Now!  Click on the link below; or print out an application and supplemental questionnaire and mail/bring them to: Santa Cruz County Personnel Department, 701 Ocean Street, Room 310, Santa Cruz, CA 95060.  For information, call (831) 454-2600. Hearing Impaired TDD# (831) 454-2123. Applications will meet the final filing date if received:  1) in the Personnel Department by 5:00 p.m. on the final filing date, 2) submitted online before midnight of the final filing date.  Following a review for minimum qualifications, applicants who are selected to move forward in the recruitment process will be notified that they must submit a completed conviction history questionnaire in order to continue to the examination phase of the process.

Women, minorities and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. If you have a disability that requires test accommodation, please call (831) 454-2600.

To comply with the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, Santa Cruz County verifies that all new employees are either U.S. citizens or persons authorized to work in the U.S.

Some positions may require fingerprinting and/or background investigation.

NOTE: The provisions of this bulletin do not constitute an expressed or implied contract.

An Equal Opportunity Employer