Human Resource Services
Alameda Skyline

Career Development Specialist I

Recruitment #23-6787-01

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.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Languages:

Qualified bilingual persons who speak English and are also fluent in: Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Korean, Mien, Tagalog, Amharic, Farsi, Dari, Tigrigna, Russian, Romanian or Sign Languages are especially encouraged to apply.  There is an additional bi-weekly compensation for persons in positions designated bilingual.  Qualified candidates may be tested to demonstrate language proficiency. 

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line. 

DESCRIPTION




THE AGENCY

The Alameda County Social Services Agency (SSA) is comprised of approximately 2,400 men and women working collectively and in partnership with community-based organizations, neighborhood groups and policy makers to serve the needs of the community. SSA provides services through its administration and operating departments. Administration includes Finance, Government and Community Relations, and Human Resources. SSA’s operations includes Adult and Aging Services, Children and Family Services, and Workforce and Benefits Administration. 
 
The Social Services Agency assists one out of four of Alameda County's residents. The mission of the Social Services Agency is to promote the economic and social well-being of individuals, families, neighborhoods, and communities. 
 
To learn more about the Alameda County Social Services Agency, please visit the website 

THE POSITION
Career Development Specialist I incumbents provide direct employment services to recipients of public assistance benefits administered by the Social Services Agency.  The employment services include skills assessment, resume preparation, interviewing skills development along with identifying employment opportunities and training programs.  Career Development Specialist I also provide technical assistance to designated contractors in the areas of job and career development; participating in monitoring and negotiating contracts.  The current openings are located in Oakland and Hayward.


THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate for the position of Career Development Specialist I will have exceptional knowledge of organizational and administrative concepts relevant to economic development and employment and training needs of public assistance recipients.  Incumbents will also need a thorough understanding of providing service to long-term unemployed and/or dislocated workers.  The ideal candidate will have work experience tracking industry trends, coordinating and building relationships with employers, community organizations and training institutions to address the needs of Social Services Agency clients.  In addition, the ideal candidate will possess, but not limited to the following critical attributes:

  • Experience providing vocational counseling and case management.
  • Exceptional communication skills; both written and oral, demonstrated ability to work well with diverse cultural and socio-economic groups.
  • Excellent negotiation, facilitation and collaboration skills.
  • Outstanding analytical skills and the ability to gather data, plan strategically and reach sound conclusions, make logical recommendations and identify alternative solutions for businesses and workers.
  • Flexibility and adaptability.
  • General knowledge of public assistance programs and regulations.
  • Proficient computers skills, using windows based software to enter data or case dictation accurately into a computer.

For more information about the job classification, visit: Career Development Specialist I.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Either I

Education:

The equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year university (180 quarter units or 120 semesters units) with major coursework in business or public administration, counseling, planning, social or behavioral science or a closely related field. (Additional administrative experience as outlined below may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.)

And
Experience:

The equivalent of two years of full-time responsible experience in planning, evaluation, development, or operation of Employment Programs in a recognized public or private agency or organization.

Or II

Experience:

The equivalent of one year of experience as an Employment Counselor, or an equivalent or higher employment services classification in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts.)

License:

Possession of a valid California Motor Vehicle Operator's license is required.

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 competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Vocational counseling and case management principles and techniques.
• Employment and training needs of public assistance recipients and the long-term unemployed and dislocated worker.
• Public and private employment and training resources in Alameda and surrounding counties.
• Local labor market resources.
• Negotiating, facilitating, and collaborating. Record keeping and reporting of client and program level data and information.

Ability to:

• Speak and write effectively.
• Present oral and written reports.
• Interact with clients, workforce development and education professionals, and employers.
• Collect and organize, maintain, and effectively use data.
• Secure electronic reporting systems.
• Use computers, software, and modern office equipment.
• Work effectively with a wide variety of people.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
1. A review of applicants' applications and supplemental questionnaires 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 testing.
2. A review of candidates' Supplemental Questionnaires to determine the best qualified. Those candidates considered the best qualified will move on to the final step in the examination process.
3. An oral examination 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 STEPS.

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 e-mail 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:    

5:00PM, Wednesday, April 5, 2023

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

April 26, 2023 

Screening for Best Qualified:

May 17, 2023

Civil Service Oral Examination:

Week of June 19, 2023

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 statues. 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 statues.

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) 
  • 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
  • Catastrophic Sick Leave
  • 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.

 

Conclusion

All notices related to County recruitments for which you have applied will be sent/delivered via email. Please add @jobaps.com, @acgov.org, Noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org and Noreply@jobaps.com 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 boxes Noreply@jobaps.com and noreplyalamedacountyhr@acgov.org are routed to unmonitored mailboxes. 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 job announcement for the recruitment for which you have applied.

Montrice Goodman | Human Resources Analyst

Human Resource Services, County of Alameda
(510) 208-3954 | Montrice.Goodman2@acgov.org

Disaster Service Worker

All Alameda County employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law.  Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to report to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.


Equal Employment Opportunity

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.