Chief Child Support Attorney - Promotional

Position Information

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 Department of Child Support Services has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Chief Child Support Attorney position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary DCSS employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

Reporting to the Director of the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS), the Chief Child Support Attorney will supervise Attorneys and Case Management staff, and serve as a member of the executive team. This role conducts judicial hearings, County Board presentations, statewide and County official meetings, and department strategic planning events. Additional responsibilities include:

• Serving as the Attorney of Record for the department
• Liaising between DCSS and Sonoma County courts and other child support agencies, nationally and statewide
• Reviewing, researching, and preparing cases to represent the department in court hearings and trials
• Collaborating with the executive management team on strategic plans, operations and program initiatives
• Analyzing and interpreting legal matters, federal and state policies, regulations and legislation pertaining to child support laws and mandates

The ideal candidate will demonstrate initiative and effectively lead a team through mentorship. Additionally, they will possess many of the following:

• Five or more years practicing civil law as a licensed attorney in the area of family support law
• Supervisory experience leading, mentoring, training, and evaluating legal staff
• Integrity and the ability to build trust and effective relationships with clients, courtroom personnel, internal and external stakeholders
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to speak publicly and represent cases in a court room
• Effective time management skills with the ability to manage multiple cases simultaneously

*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 .
This recruitment is being conducted to fill one Chief Child Support Attorney position in the Department of Child Support Services. 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.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Significant legal experience subsequent to membership in the State Bar of California which directly relates to the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, five years of legal experience practicing civil law as a licensed attorney in the area of family support law with emphasis on the preparation and trial of cases in the Superior Court, including the equivalent of two years of experience at the level of Child Support Attorney IV with Sonoma County, would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed.

License: Current active membership in the State Bar of California. Possession of a valid California driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Extensive knowledge of: the duties, powers, limitations, and authorities of the Department of Child Support Services; principles and practices of civil and administrative law; civil and criminal codes related to California family law, bankruptcy, and debtor/creditor law; rules of civil procedure and discovery; principles of trial procedure and rules of evidence; legal research methods and judicial procedures; the statutory and constitutional laws of the State of California.

Considerable knowledge of: effective supervisory and training techniques; written and oral communications, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.

Ability to: analyze and present legal considerations related to the policies, programs and operations of the Department of Child Support Services; research, analyze and apply legal principles, facts, evidence and precedents to legal problems; plan, assign, coordinate and review the work of subordinate professional, specialized and supportive personnel; effectively orient, train, supervise and evaluate subordinate departmental personnel; consistently prepare and present statements of law, fact, and argument clearly, logically and persuasively in written and oral form, including the most complex legal matters; establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff members, departmental representatives, county officials, the courts, law enforcement agency officials, and the general public.

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 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 & 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 may be 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: CA

HR Technician: RR

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: 5/12/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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