Clean Water Analyst and Ombudsperson

Position Information

The Sonoma County Administrator's Office is seeking a talented individual to join their team as the Clean Water Analyst and Ombudsperson.

Starting salary up to $68.79/hour ($143,572/year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Bilingual Premium Pay* - An additional $1.15/1.50/hour on top of the hourly pay rate for basic/fluent bilingual positions
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

The Position

As a representative of the County Administrator's Office (CAO), the Clean Water Analyst and Ombudsperson serves as a water and wastewater subject matter expert and policy advisor to the Deputy County Administrator and the County Executive. This position collaborates with diverse audiences on water resource issues as they relate to climate action, resiliency, and the Strategic Plan . Key areas of work include:

• Managing grant-funded water and wastewater studies, contracts, or other projects
• Engaging with partner agencies, departments, and community representatives to monitor, coordinate, and collaborate on water, wastewater, and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) programs, projects, and issues
• Evaluating current water, wastewater, and TMDL programs and projects to identify gaps and opportunities, and recommending policy and/or programmatic changes to bridge gaps and improve overall program performance
• Serving as a central point of contact for the public to bring related questions and concerns, and as a liaison with departments and agencies to resolve issues brought forward by the public
• Tracking, evaluating, and recommending actions in response to new or proposed statutory, regulatory, or policy requirements related to water, wastewater, and TMDL
• Overseeing and supporting the implementation of water and wastewater-related measures in the County’s Climate Resilience Comprehensive Action Plan
• Identifying external funding opportunities for water and wastewater projects, programs, and public compliance, and leading activities to secure such funding, including grant proposals and legislative advocacy
• Monitoring and tracking development of TMDL designations and related requirements as they apply to the Russian River watershed, Petaluma River, and Sonoma Creek, or other affected water sheds in Sonoma County
• Developing and disseminating information through multiple types of media about TMDL designations and requirements, wastewater treatment challenges and opportunities, and water resilience in a changing climate

What You Bring

The ideal candidate will have a positive, collaborative mindset; and effective communication skills to build relationships, and will bring many of the following:

• A solid understanding of the federal Clean Water Act, California regulatory structures, and programs addressing water and wastewater, including the setting of TMDL standards and action plans to achieve them
• Experience interpreting and applying rules, regulations, and ordinances, as well as federal, state, and local legislation, preferably in the context of water and wastewater in California
• Superb writing skills in order to write clear, concise, and compelling proposals and reports
• Experience developing and delivering clear and impactful presentations
• An understanding of funding and financing mechanisms for wastewater management and water resilience projects
• The ability to utilize technical applications such as Microsoft Excel and Geographic Information System (GIS) to analyze data and identify findings
• The ability to mediate, facilitate, and negotiate between parties and work towards meaningful resolutions
• Valuing transparency, political acumen, humility, and an understanding of positionality (individual and organizational), which are critical skills to address challenges and resolve obstacles

The Department

The CAO is guided by the Board of Supervisors’ broad mission and carries out the Board’s policy goals by managing, directing, and coordinating the operations of the County’s departments and agencies. In addition, the CAO ensures implementation of County policy; prepares the County budget; provides public information and outreach to the community; analyzes and creates public policies to develop recommendations; researches grant and funding opportunities for strategic projects; coordinates with departments and agencies to manage Board priority projects; acts as the Clerk to the Board of Supervisors; implements the County’s legislative platform and oversees the County’s legislative advocacy program; prepares studies and analyses, including fiscal and programmatic performance assessments of County departments and programs; and develops and implements the County’s Strategic Plan. The CAO’s mission is “to build a sustainable and equitable future for the community by making collaborative, transparent, and informed policy recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.”

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a full-time Clean Water Analyst and Ombudsperson position in the CAO. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list. Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment. The Civil Service Title for this position is Administrative Analyst III.

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory .

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, this would include academic course work in public administration, business administration, management, accounting, political science, economics, statistics, English composition, psychology, or a related field; and three years of related and comparable experience analysis and developing reports and recommendations related to general administration, accounting, budget, and/or personnel work. Experience working in a public agency, an advanced degree in a related field, and lead or supervisory experience are highly desirable.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of: principles and practices relating to modern budget, programs and systems management; the operations and functions of County government; principles and practices of research, report writing, and statistical analysis; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax, and English composition; computer applications related to work including methods of graphic presentations.

Working knowledge of: group dynamics as it relates to public organizations; principles and practices of supervision and performance management; principles and practices of project management, modern office methods and procedures.

Ability to: plan and organize research and statistical work relating to the various aspects of administration, budget, and general management matters; understand, interpret, and apply rules, regulations, and ordinances, as well as federal, state, and local legislation; apply problem solving skills sufficient to reach appropriate solutions, take action, document, and complete work in a timely manner; prioritize and manage a variety of simultaneous work projects and priorities to meet timelines and commitments; plan, organize, coordinate, and evaluate effectiveness of assigned project(s); effectively communicate orally and in writing, and present conclusions before advisory and policy bodies; establish and maintain effective working relationships with County staff, and the public in carrying out sound management policies; perform data collection, interpretation, and evaluation pertaining to administrative, fiscal, and management matters; use principles of inductive and deductive reasoning to validate conclusions and recommendations; persuade, rationalize, and project consequences of decisions and/or recommendations; analyze administrative problems, budget requests, and a variety of programs, systems and procedures.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• 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 will 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 & 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. 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 & 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 applicants.

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: AK

HR Technician: KK

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: MANAGEMENT*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off :Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan :Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generousCounty contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement :Fully integrated with Social Security.For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan :Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical :County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief :County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331.Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources/divisions-and-units/employee-relations/labor-agreements-and-salary-resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/administrative-support-and-fiscal-services/human-resources or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonoma-county.org or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 11/14/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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