Salary:  $53,560-$65,395 approximately per year; plus $5239 annual cash benefit allowance; 2% salary increase effective 10/10/05.

Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Deadline: 8/19/05 – 5:00pm; postmarks not accepted. File on-line application and supplemental questionnaire at: www.sbcountyjobs.com or obtain and file application and supplemental questionnaire at: Santa Barbara, 8am-5pm, 1226 Anacapa St.; Santa Maria, 8am-4pm, 2125 S. Centerpointe Pkwy., Room 114; Lompoc, bulletins and applications available only for pickup at: Fourth District Supervisor’s Office, 401 E. Cypress Ave.

The Position

Santa Barbara County is seeking an experienced professional with excellent people skills and a background in agriculture, forestry, natural resource management, environmental science or a related field to help us protect our area’s oak trees while respecting the property rights of landowners. The position is based in Santa Maria, with County-wide responsibilities that will require travel between various County offices.

The primary role of this highly visible position is to provide administrative oversight of the County’s Oak Tree Protection and Regeneration Program. The successful candidate will work with landowners and other interested parties regarding the self-regulatory elements of the County’s Oak Tree Ordinance and provide community outreach and technical assistance to aid in the conservation, replanting, and regeneration of valley oaks and blue oaks. Immediate challenges for the position are to:

1. establish effective working relationships with agricultural groups, growers, landowners, and community/environmental groups;
2. develop a pilot program to implement the Oak Tree Ordinance countywide, and
3. secure grant funding to make resources available to ensure the success of the County’s Oak Tree Protection and Regeneration Program.

The Ideal Candidate

Excellent written and oral communication skills, the ability to facilitate consensus among disparate groups on complex issues, a history of successful grant-writing, and experience designing and implementing Geographical Information Systems (GIS) are highly desirable qualifications.

Employment Standards

1. Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college with specialization in one or more disciplines in agricultural, biological, horticultural, or environmental sciences, or a related field such as forestry, natural resource management, or ecology, and three years of increasingly responsible professional journey-level experience, in a position related to agriculture, forestry, natural resource management, or environmental science that included program coordination involving public education and outreach; or,
2. a combination of training, education, and experience that is equivalent to the employment standard listed above and that provides the required knowledge and abilities.

Additional Requirement: Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License.

To review the complete job description for this position, visit www.sbcountyhr.org.

Selection Procedure

1. Review applications to determine those candidates who meet the employment standards.
2. Supplemental Questionnaire Ranking. Responses to the required supplemental questionnaire will be evaluated and scored. Candidates’ final score and rank on the eligibility list will be determined by their responses to the supplemental questionnaire. This process may be eliminated if there are fewer than eleven qualified applicants.

Applicants are encouraged to provide their e-mail address on their application to enable the Human Resources Department to communicate more quickly with them via e-mail regarding the status of their application and the recruitment process. The County of Santa Barbara will not release any applicant’s e-mail address to a third party.

Applicants must receive a percentage score of at least 70 on the supplemental questionnaire ranking to be placed on an employment list. An adjustment may be made to raw scores based on factors listed in Civil Service Rule VI. Those candidates who are successful in the selection process will have their names placed on the employment list for a minimum of three months. At the time the employment list is established, all candidates will receive written notice of their score on the exam(s), rank on the employment list, and exact duration of the employment list. If you waive employment consideration on three separate occasions during the life of this employment list, the Human Resources Department will remove your name from the list. The Human Resources Department will notify you by mail if your name is removed.

Appointee must pass a post-offer medical evaluation or examination and submit written documentation of his/her legal right to work in the United States. The appointee must satisfactorily complete a one-year probationary period.

The County of Santa Barbara is an equal opportunity employer with an affirmative action plan. Requests for accommodation from disabled applicants will be considered. Women, members of minority groups, persons with disabilities and Vietnam-era veterans are encouraged to apply.

Benefits

• $5239/year benefit allowance.
• Twelve days vacation per year with increases up to 25 days depending upon length of employment; credit for previous public agency service towards accrual rate.
• Eleven holidays per year.
• Twelve days sick leave per year with unlimited accumulation.
• Flexible Spending Plan: Choices include: pre-tax health, life and accident insurance premiums, and health care and dependent care spending accounts.
• Choice of medical plans (with vision care) - County contributes toward the employee’s premium.
• Choice of dental plans - County contributes toward the employee’s premium.
• County pays up to $650 per year toward employee’s retirement contribution.
• 2.0% at age 57 fixed benefit retirement plan.
• Long-term disability insurance.
• $20,000 term life insurance.
• Reimbursement of required professional license and/or certification fees.
• Benefits are pro-rated for part-time positions.

The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors has adopted state legislation that allows active members of the Santa Barbara County Employee Retirement System with at least five years of system service credit to purchase up to five years of additional retirement credit.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: In addition to the excellent benefits detailed in the previous section, some positions may receive non-monetary benefits such as: casual dress/casual Fridays/flexible work schedules/telecommuting. When employees join the County of Santa Barbara, they will receive specific information about these and/or other non-monetary benefits offered within their department, division, work area, or position assignment.

REPRESENTATION: This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit 24, which is represented by the Service Employees International Union, Local 620, for all matters relating to employer-employee relations as defined by Government Code Sections 3500-3511.

AGENCY SHOP: This classification is subject to an agency shop provision as defined by Government Code 3502.5. Employees are required to either: (1) become a member of Service Employees International Union, Local 620 and pay dues, (2) pay an agency shop fee equal to or less than membership dues, or (3) if qualified for a religious exemption, pay the fee amount to a charitable fund. Such dues, fees or charitable contributions will be automatically deducted from the employee’s paycheck.

Santa Barbara County …

An Invitation to Work in Paradise

Santa Barbara County government is a service-oriented organization consisting of 21 departments with a workforce of approximately 4200 employees. The annual operating budget is approximately $661 million. County services are provided to some 415,000 people of diverse socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds who reside in a geographic area of over 2774 square miles.

Santa Barbara is one of the most beautiful areas in California. The County includes agricultural areas surrounding the cities of Lompoc, Santa Maria, Guadalupe, and Buellton, and the Danish influence of Solvang in the Santa Ynez Valley, in addition to the South Coast cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Carpinteria and the adjacent communities of Montecito, Summerland, and the unincorporated area of Isla Vista. Within driving distance of their worksites, County employees can enjoy the rural or urban lifestyle of their choice.. Santa Barbara offers a mild coastal climate. The county seat is 92 miles northwest of Los Angeles and 332 miles south of San Francisco.

The Santa Barbara community is rich in educational and cultural opportunities. The University of California, Westmont College, The Fielding Institute, Antioch University, Music Academy of the West, and Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts are some of the universities and professional schools in the area. Museums, galleries, symphony orchestra, and theater are available.