Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Personal Computer & Network Systems Analyst, ACERA

Recruitment #19-1366-01

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION

The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.  Applications will only be accepted online.

ONLINE APPLICATIONS ONLY

DESCRIPTION

THE AGENCY

The Alameda County Employee's Retirement Association (ACERA) is a retirement system organized under the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, which provides retirement, disability and death benefits to the employees, retirees and former employees of the County of Alameda, and certain other participating public employees. The retirement plan provides lifetime benefits to members of the retirement system who meet the minimum age and length-of-service requirements and is a significant and fundamental part of the comprehensive benefits package ACERA provides to eligible employees . Current Services Over the years, ACERA has expanded its member services to include employees of the Alameda County-based Superior Court of California and the five special districts of the County, as well as to administer retiree health care, dental care, vision care, and supplemental cost-of-living benefits.

MISSION

To provide ACERA members and employers with flexible, cost-effective, participant-oriented benefits through prudent investment management and superior member services. Commitment (Board and Staff) To carry out our Mission through a competent, professional, impartial and open decision making process. In providing benefits and services, all persons will be treated fairly and with courtesy and respect. Investments will be managed to balance the need for security with superior performance. We expect excellence in all activities. We will also be accountable and act in accordance with the law.

 THE POSITION

Under direction, to assist in the development of personal computer and network implementation standards at ACERA. 

This position is responsible for providing personal computer and network systems solutions, and database administration for an environment with multiple databases. The Personal Computer and Network Systems Analyst, ACERA may supervise other journey-level or technical staff. This class is distinguished from the lower level class of Personal Computer and Network Systems Specialist, ACERA in that the latter performs journey-level, day-to-day professional and technical system administration duties for a limited number of specified computer systems. It is further distinguished from the higher level class of Retirement Chief Technology Officer, ACERA in that the latter administers the Project and Information Services Department, directing all Division personnel and functions.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will have demonstrated a track record of success in the following areas:

  • Performing data administration by creating, maintaining, and defining database structures, data and security management;
  • Strategic problem solving skills; capable of identifying and understanding issues, problems, and opportunities; adept at comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions and choosing an appropriate course of action or solution; and skilled at resolving problems by taking action consistent with known facts, constraints, and probable consequences;
  • Excellent project management skills; able to design, implement, manage and prepare reports for ongoing projects; and coordinate the related resources, personnel and activities for successful project completion;
  • Strong technical knowledge and skill in the areas of information systems technology with the desire and drive to keep up with current developments and trends in related technology systems;
  • Possess understanding of information security, including software and hardware; identifies issues and takes initiative to resolve all security issues;
  • Successfully develops and maintains effective relationships with others; and relates well to people with diverse cultures, interpersonal styles, abilities, motivations, or backgrounds;
  • Experience with designing and creating operational and analytical reports. Ability to use reporting requirement received from stakeholders to extract data from source systems, query for desired solution datasets and develop reports to present the results in operational form for day to day usage and analytical form for prediction of trends:
  • Experience with MS SQL 7.0. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I

Experience:

The equivalent of one year full-time experience in the classification of Personal Computer and Network Systems Specialist, ACERA or an equivalent or higher information systems classification in the Alameda County service,

Or II

Experience:

The equivalent of three years of full-time experience which included PC/LAN, network design, planning and implementation, and problem resolution. One year of experience must have included finance and accounting software packages and/or pension administration systems, and Help Desk experience.

Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) highly desirable, as is experience with MS-SQL 7.0.

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

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

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. 

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Advanced computer technology.
• Concepts of network architecture.
• Local area network administration.
• Database administration standards.
• Basic principles of pension administration systems.
• Current trends in data processing technology equipment, applications and system software.

Skills and Abilities:

• Strong problem solving.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Sound judgment and decision making skills.
• Maintain effective working relationships with subordinate staff, managers, contracted personnel and vendors, and industry peers.
• Effective communication skills.

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.

The examination will consist of the following steps:

  1. A review of the candidates’ application 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 candidates’ final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

Candidates must attain a qualifying rating on each portion of this recruitment. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED EXAMINATION STEPS.

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

 Last Day to File:                                                            Monday, September 16, 2019

 Review of Minimum Qualifications:                            Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Panel Interviews:                                                            Week of October 14, 2019

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 insure 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.

Anna Montoya, Human Resources Analyst III
Human Resource Services Division, County of Alameda
510-272-6459
www.acgov.org/hrs

Alameda County has a diverse workforce, that is representative of the communities we serve, and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance and business need. Alameda County does not discriminate in employment on the basis of, race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors protected under federal, state and local law. Alameda County celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive, and welcoming workplace environment.