Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Benefits Administration Supervisor (Promotional)

Recruitment #18-0262-01

Introduction

YOU MUST BE AN ALAMEDA COUNTY EMPLOYEE TO APPLY

THIS IS A NEW PROMOTIONAL ASSEMBLED EXAMINATIONThe eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year but can be extended. Qualified applicants must be current county employees and have completed the equivalent of six months of continuous service following a regular appointment in the Alameda County classified service (non-classified includes the District Attorney’s Office, the Medical Center, and the Superior Court) by Monday, October 29, 2018. A regular appointment does not include provisional, TAP (Temporary Assignment Pool), or STEP-UP appointments.
 

DESCRIPTION

THE AGENCY

The Human Resource Services Department provides state and local mandated support services to all County agencies, departments and to some special districts regarding: merit-based examinations, position classification, salary administration, grievance resolution, disciplinary appeals, labor negotiations, unemployment insurance, employee benefits, disability case management, training and organizational development and provides departmental personnel support services.  The Department further supports the Civil Service Commission and its implementation of the Civil Service Rules.  We pride ourselves in delivering high quality and timely human resource services in partnership with County agencies, departments and special districts to enable our customers to reach their organizational goals. 

THE POSITION

Under direction, to supervise and review the work of a group of employees processing benefits and reconciling benefit payments; to assist in planning, developing and evaluating the Employee Benefits program; to assist the Human Resources Division Manager over Benefits and to act in his/her absence; and perform other duties as related.    The Benefits Administration Supervisor is a first level supervisor located in the Employee Benefits Center Division of the Human Resource Services Department.  The incumbent of this class is responsible for supervising a group of employees who administer benefits and other services to Alameda County employees.  The class of Benefits Administration Supervisor is distinguished from the Human Resources Division Manager, Benefits in that the former class is responsible for supervising the day to day operations of the Employee Benefits Center and the latter has responsibility for developing, planning and organizing the Employee Benefits Center and the Disability Programs Division which provides employee benefits, services and disability leave administration. 

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will be:

  • Prepared for advancement having achieved sufficient technical knowledge and skill in the operations, programs and services of the Employee Benefits Division and who is experienced applying sophisticated knowledge of human resource policies and procedures to advise and assist diverse stakeholders;

  • Capable of training, coaching, counseling, and supervising staff and benefit program activities in a centralized division responsible for providing countywide benefit programs administration and services;

  • Able to adapt easily to change and maintains effectiveness when leading and experiencing major changes in work responsibilities, structures, processes, requirements, or cultures;

  • An effective communicator who takes responsibility for understanding and interacting with others and is able to manage conflict and maintain effective relationships;

  • A tactical decision maker and creatively solves problems by adeptly obtaining information and identifying and understanding issues, relationships, challenges, and opportunities;

  • Focused on improving the benefits administration and related human resource services based on changing needs and ensuring the customer’s perspective remains a driving force behind operational decisions and activities;

  • A strategic collaborator with the ability to plan and organize work for self and others in order to ensure that work is completed efficiently and achieves desired outcomes; and

  • Someone who possesses an air of confidence and creates a good first impression by professionally commanding attention and earning the trust and respect of others. 

To view the Benefits Administration Supervisor job description, Click Here

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EITHER I

- Experience:  

The equivalent of three years full-time experience in the class of Employee  Benefits Specialist or in an equivalent or higher level classification supervising employees processing benefits in the Alameda County classified service.    Completion of the Alameda County Management Academy “Management & Supervision Certificate Program” may substitute for six (6) months of the required qualifying experience.  

OR II

- Experience:  

The equivalent of five years full-time experience supervising a minimum of three full-time employees who process employee benefits in a benefits program or department of a private or public organization.  

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

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following core competencies:

Knowledge of:  

  • Principles of employee supervision and training
  • Elements of Benefit Administration
  • Computer skills such as Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, and Outlook.
  • Research and statistical applications  

Ability to:  

  • Communicate effectively both orally and in writing with employees, department personnel and customers.
  • Communicate with diverse groups of people by demonstrating effective interpersonal skills and sensitivity.
  • Make fair, sound and efficient personnel and business decisions.
  • Analyze and problem-solve in evaluating business processes.
  • Plan and organize effectively all business practices of the department.
  • Provide sound leadership to all employees that includes coaching and team building.
  • Maintain and nurture interpersonal relations with employees and departmental contacts.
  • Demonstrate flexibility in all areas of business matters.

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. 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.

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:

Monday, October 29, 2018

Review of Application for Minimum Qualifications:

October 31, 2018

Oral Examination:

Week of November 12, 2018



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 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 & Well-Being

  • Medical – HMO & PPO Plans
  • Dental – HMO & PPO Plans
  • Vision or Vision Reimbursement
  • Share the Savings
  • Basic Life Insurance 
  • Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)
  • Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance 
  • County Allowance Credit
  • Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance
  • Short-Term Disability Insurance
  • Long-Term Disability Insurance
  • Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services
  • Employee Assistance Program

For your Financial Future

  • Retirement Plan - (Defined Benefit Pension Plan)
  • Deferred Compensation Plan (457 Plan or Roth Plan)

For your Work/Life Balance

  • 11 paid holidays
  • Floating Holidays
  • Vacation and sick leave accrual
  • Vacation purchase program
  • Management Paid Leave**
  • Catastrophic Sick Leave
  • Employee Mortgage Loan Program
  • Group Auto/Home Insurance
  • Pet Insurance
  • 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 ensure 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. 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 bulletin for the recruitment for which you have applied: 

Monique Hill, Personnel Services Manager

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda

(510) 208-4841; E-mail monique.hill@acgov.org

www.acgov.org/hrs