Program Specialist - Promotional

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Human Services Department's (HSD) Administrative Services Unit has requested a department promotional certification to fill two Time-Limited Program Specialist positions, one monolingual (English) and one fluent bilingual (English/Spanish), which are currently funded through 6/30/2029. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Human Services Department employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised positions. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

Program Specialists within the Human Services Department are responsible for independently ensuring the legal and regulatory integrity of public assistance programs by conducting comprehensive reviews of eligibility determinations, investigating civil rights complaints, resolving administrative appeals, and representing the County in State Hearings. They will serve as the County's subject matter experts in the interpretation and application of complex federal and state laws, exercising independent judgment to determine whether County actions comply with applicable regulations, directing corrective actions when errors are identified, negotiating and executing binding settlement agreements, and ensuring consistent and equitable administration of public benefit programs. Additional responsibilities include:

• Serving as the County's designated Appeals Representative before Administrative Law Judges by preparing Statements of Position, presenting evidence, examining witnesses, interpreting applicable laws and regulations, and defending or resolving County actions during State Hearings
• Analyzing and applying complex laws, regulations, and policies governing Medi-Cal, Covered California, CalFresh, CalWORKs, IHSS, Foster Care, Adoption Assistance, CAPI, Refugee programs, Housing Support Programs, and other public assistance programs, including Affordable Care Act provisions and related IRS regulations
• Independently investigating allegations of discrimination involving County-administered public assistance programs by gathering evidence, interviewing involved parties, and interpreting civil rights laws
• Coordinating appeals involving multiple agencies, including Covered California, by collaborating with state representatives, resolving jurisdictional issues, developing joint hearing strategies, and co-presenting cases during dual-jurisdiction hearings created under the Affordable Care Act
• Researching statutes, regulations, case law, All County Letters, and policy guidance

The ideal candidates will possess many of the following:

• The demonstrated ability to research, interpret, and apply complex federal, state, and county laws, regulations, policies, and legal precedent governing multiple public assistance programs, civil rights requirements, and administrative hearings
• Sound professional judgment with the ability to independently evaluate facts, interpret regulations, make legally defensible decisions, negotiate binding settlements, and determine appropriate corrective actions without routine supervisory oversight
• Experience conducting comprehensive investigations by gathering and evaluating evidence, interviewing involved parties, identifying root causes, resolving conflicting information, and developing well-supported findings and recommendations
• Strong public speaking skills with the ability to effectively develop and/or make presentations
• Advanced knowledge of federal and state public assistance laws and regulations, including Medi-Cal, Affordable Care Act (ACA), CalFresh, CalWORKs, In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), Foster Care, Adoption Assistance, CAPI, Refugee Assistance, Housing Support Programs, and other California Department of Social Services programs
• Experience providing technical leadership by directing corrective actions, advising management and staff on regulatory compliance, and promoting consistent application of laws and policies across programs
• Experience collaborating with external agencies, including Covered California, the California Department of Social Services State Hearings Division, and other state partners in dual-jurisdiction hearings and interagency case resolution
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to deal with distraught clientele
• A passion for helping the most vulnerable individuals of our community
• Experience with Microsoft Office, including Word, Access, Outlook, and Excel

Experience: Any combination of training and experience, which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. One year of experience as a Social Service Supervisor, Eligibility Supervisor or clerical supervisor within the Human Services Department; or two years as an Eligibility Worker III or a Social Worker III in Sonoma County or one year of experience supervising child support staff or two years lead work experience in a Child Support Program would provide such opportunity.

Education: Any combination of education and training which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, coursework in social work, public administration, business administration, economics, psychology, sociology, law, paralegal, or a closely related area would provide this opportunity.

Considerable knowledge of: regulations and procedures in TANF, CalWORKS/SonomaWORKS, Medi-Cal, Food Stamps and other Human Services or Child Support programs; principal sources of information necessary to establish eligibility for various public assistance programs or child support programs; methods and techniques used in researching, analyzing and presenting economic assistance information.

Working knowledge of: rules and regulations governing all Human Services and Child Support department services and programs; appropriate techniques for providing in-service training to adults; departmental computer applications and systems; principles of employee supervision; written and oral communication techniques, including language mechanics, syntax, and principles of English composition.

Ability to: read, review, research, and analyze information including complex rules and regulations; design and conduct an effective training program on a variety of issues; plan, organize and prioritize work assignments; develop rapport and work cooperatively with all levels of department staff and the general public; analyze problems and complaints and identify solutions; prepare, interpret and evaluate a variety of narrative and statistical data and reports; understand, interpret and apply procedures, laws, rules and regulations as they apply to assigned area; ensure proper compliance with federal, state and local guidelines, policies, goals, rules and regulations; train staff; analyze appeals; present statement of fact, law, and argument clearly and logically in both oral and written form.

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluated and taken into consideration throughout the entire selection process.
• You should list all employers and positions held within the last ten years in the work history section of your application. Be as thorough as possible when responding to the supplemental questions.
• You may include history beyond ten years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, list out each position separately.
• Failure to follow these instructions may impact your competitiveness in this process or may result in disqualification.

Please visit Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that state, "See Resume" or "See Application" may be considered insufficient and therefore may not be scored.

The selection procedure will consist of the following examination:

An Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) will be conducted to evaluate each applicant's application and supplemental questionnaire for satisfaction of minimum qualifications (pass/not pass); and for educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities which relate to this position. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate's personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant's name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examination process.

Each applicant will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance of work history, related experience, and achieved level of education and/or training as described in the application and responses to the supplemental questions.

Candidates demonstrating possession of the minimum qualifications will be placed on an employment list in order of most qualified to least qualified based on the achieved score received in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.

Additional Information

A background investigation is required prior to employment. Candidates referred to departments for a selection interview are typically required to sign authorization and release forms enabling such an investigation. Failure to sign prescribed forms will result in the candidate not being considered further for that vacancy. Reference information will not be made available to candidates.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

How to Apply

Applications are accepted online at: www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: EP
HR Tech: VH