Assistant Director of Human Services

Position Information

The County of Sonoma seeks an experienced and talented executive leader to work closely with the Director of Human Services to oversee administrative functions that support the department’s programs and service delivery to the community.

The annual salary for the Assistant Director of Human Services is $ 210,131 - $255,421 *, depending upon experience.

As an integral member of the Executive team, the Assistant Director of Human Services is responsible for assisting the Director in the development, integration, and implementation of Human Services programs and functions; coordinating, analyzing, planning, and overseeing department-wide operations and services; ensuring operational compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations; assisting with budget strategy and enhancing partnerships by promoting departmental and county-wide initiatives; and representing Human Services at various local, regional, and statewide meetings. Additional responsibilities include:

• Directing the work of administrative teams, which may include human resources, information technology, finance, facilities, contracts, special investigations, public information, compliance, care and shelter, satellite offices, and program research and evaluation
• Reviewing and editing board items and attending Board of Supervisors meetings
• Convening and leading meetings with internal and external stakeholders to foster relationships, provide information, and collaborate around shared goals
• Reviewing and signing off on behalf of the director on various documents, including procurements and contracts, reimbursements, and HR forms
• Taking a leadership role in efforts including disaster planning and response, special projects, community assessments, outreach and engagement, internal and external communication, change management, and strategic planning
• Providing guidance, support, and resources to program divisions through the work of administrative teams
• Representing the director and the department in various capacities, such as serving on committees, assisting other county departments, and making public presentations

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with significant public service program knowledge and leadership experience, and will possess many of the following:

• Experience in a leadership role within county government or in close collaboration with county government programs to deliver services to vulnerable populations
• A high level of professionalism and a proven ability to successfully work both independently and as part of a collaborative team to achieve common goals across public, nonprofit, and private sectors
• Knowledge of regulations, requirements, and state/federal funding streams for human services programs, along with the ability to interpret and implement federal, state, and local legislation and policies related to the department workforce and the delivery of services
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively present information to elected officials and large groups of people including employees, community partners, and the public
• The ability to successfully manage multiple projects, meet deadlines, navigate challenges, and identify solutions to support employees and provide high quality services
• Strong political acumen, with experience working with elected and appointed public officials as well as community leaders, stakeholders, and board members
• A high level of integrity, along with the ability to adapt to change, think critically and creatively, identify and mitigate risk, and serve the public with compassion, dignity, and humility
• The ability to work with a diverse group of employees and community members with a strong commitment to furthering equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging both internally and in service delivery to the community
• A passion for and the ability to successfully motivate teams and develop employees
• Knowledge of contracting, budgeting, and employee performance management in a public union environment
• A commitment to professional growth, with a high degree of emotional intelligence and the ability to learn and evolve as a leader

About the Human Services Department (HSD)

The vision of the Human Services Department is to support people in our community to live freely chosen lives up to their full potential throughout their lifespan. The Department's mission is building upon strengths, we bridge people to opportunity through responsive safety net services. HSD programs support the health, safety, and well-being of more than 150,000 individuals in the community. With a staff of just over 1,000 employees and an operating budget of $334 million, Human Services is the largest department in the County. HSD staff provide services from 12 separate locations across the county, through the following divisions:

Adult and Aging Division: helps to ensure the safety, independence, and well-being of older adults, people with disabilities, and veterans and their families. Staff provide protective and supportive social services, as well as community training and coordination. Division programs include: Adult Protective Services, In-Home Supportive Services, Information and Assistance, case management, Veterans Services, Public Administrator/Public Guardian/Public Conservator, and Area Agency on Aging. The Division also provides support for Aging Together Sonoma County, which connects people across the generations and helps prepare people of all ages to plan for growing older in their community.

Economic Assistance Division: helps individuals and families gain access to medical insurance benefits, money for food, and other services to meet basic needs. Staff determines initial and ongoing eligibility for public assistance programs for low-income individuals and families with children, people with disabilities or those who are unemployed, and children in foster homes, to obtain food, shelter, medical and dental care, and other supportive services. The Division programs include: Medi-Cal, CalFresh, and County Medical Services.

Employment and Training Division: assists individuals and families with financial assistance, job search, and employment and training services. The Division also helps employers find qualified workers and supports workforce development through community partnerships at the Job Link employment center. Staff provides employment, education, and training support for youth and adults, to assist with finding employment and becoming self-sufficient. The Division programs include: California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs), General Assistance, Housing Assistance Response Team, Job Link, and the Workforce Investment Board.

Family, Youth, and Children Division: helps ensure the safety and well-being of children and teens that experience abuse, neglect, or abandonment. Staff provide protective and supportive social services to promote the ideals that children and families deserve stable nurturing homes, a supportive environment, and a sense of personal empowerment and hope. The Division programs include: Valley of the Moon Children's Center (emergency shelter and Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program), child abuse prevention, forensic interviewing, child protective services, foster care eligibility and placements, and adoptions.

Administration Division: works to support staff and program divisions to provide effective services to the community, as well as supporting various functions crucial to the operations of the department and the County. Division programs include: human resources, information technology, finance, compliance, contracts, facilities, care and shelter, and program research and evaluation.

Benefits of County Employment

Sonoma County offers a total compensation package that is both attractive and competitive. The annual salary for the Assistant Director of Human Services is $210,131 - $255,421 annually, depending upon the qualifications of the selected candidate. In addition, the County of Sonoma offers*:

• 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
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation accrual and additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; generous sick leave accruals
  
• Health Benefits - A range of health plans with several options in which the premium benefits cover 100% of the employees cost; dental, vision, disability, life insurance, wellness and professional development, and more
  
• Retirement - County Employees Retirement Law of 1937. Retirement is fully integrated with Social Security. New employees, as defined and eligible, will be PEPRA plan members and receive a 2.5% at 67 formula, or for those individuals who meet certain criteria, including establishing reciprocity eligibility, will be Legacy plan members and receive 3% at 60.
  
• Incentive Retirement Saving Plan - A defined contribution 401(a) plan; a 3% County “foundation” contribution and voluntary IRS 457 plan Pre-Tax employee contribution up to IRS annual maximum, plus a 100% County match of employee contribution deposit into the 401(a) account (up to 1% of base salary)
  
• Post-Retirement Medical - County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
  
• Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
• Relocation Reimbursement - Reimbursement may be authorized for the successful candidate
  
• Cell Phone Stipend - Optional monthly stipend of $50/month (if not assigned a County-issued phone)
  
• Employee Assistance Program - County offered at no employee cost
  

*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 .

Tentative Interview and Selection Process Time Frame:

• Applications accepted until January 5th, 2026, at 11:59pm
• Invitations to the initial selection interview will be issued the week of January 12th, 2026
• First round interviews will be conducted the week of January 19th, 2026
• Final selection interviews will be conducted the week of January 26th, 2026
• Start date will be in March 2026

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Any combination of experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, four years of increasingly responsible management experience in a large organization, including program planning and evaluation, budget management, personnel management and performance evaluation, policy development and provision of community services would provide such opportunity. Experience managing a human services organization or large division of such an organization is highly desirable.

Education: Any combination of education and training which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in human services administration, public administration, social work, business administration, economics, psychology, or sociology or a closely related field would provide such opportunity. Possession of a Masters degree is highly desirable.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: the social and economic problems affecting public services; communication and conflict resolution; principles and practices of budget and fiscal management, supervision, training, and administration of public services; principles and techniques of statistical and quantitative management analysis; grant sources; public information and contract administration; intergovernmental relationships and regulations affecting delivery of public services; legislation and laws that regulate the operation of the Human Services Department; and modern methods of human services administration.


Considerable knowledge of: the principles, practices, and methods used in public service programs; social and economic problems that call for the use of public and private services; program planning, evaluation and monitoring; principles and application of budget preparation and public funding; research methods and techniques; and personnel management.


Knowledge of: federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations relating to the management and operations of public service programs; research methodology, report writing and basic statistics.


Ability to: plan, organize and direct comprehensive public service programs; understand, interpret and explain laws, regulations and policies governing public service programs and operations; develop goals and objectives; supervise and evaluate the performance of subordinate managers, professional and administrative staff; identify and analyze administrative problems and implement operational changes; present and direct in-service training programs; analyze problems and adopt an effective course of action; organize inter-departmental operations; assist in the preparation and justification of the department's budget; respond to and promote effective media relations; make presentations to elected officials; establish and maintain cooperative working relationships; communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; coordinate and integrate program components in a cohesive and effective service delivery system; secure cooperation and teamwork among professionals and support staff.

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 fifteen 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 fifteen 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 application, examination, and department selection processes.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to 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.

This selection procedure will consist of the following examinations:

Your application and responses to the supplemental questionnaire will be reviewed for possession of the minimum qualifications, and to evaluate coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. This process will determine your score and rank on the employment list. Applicants must attain a minimum passing score of at least 70% on the Application and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination to be placed on the employment list. Personally identifiable information (PII) is removed from the standard application fields and applicable attachments. This PII blind screening practice redacts a candidate’s personal information that could potentially influence or bias the scoring process. Personal information includes the applicant’s name, former last name, address, phone number, email, driver's license number, school name, education start and end dates, age, date of birth, gender, and race. This PII blind screening practice helps contribute to a fair and equitable examin ation process. Candidates that place in ranks 1-3 will be referred to an initial selection interview by a panel of subject matter experts. The initial selection interview is tentatively scheduled for the week of January 19th, 2026. Candidates identified as best meeting the needs of the organiza tion will be invited to a final selection interview with the Human Services Director. Reference interviews and a background investigation will then be conducted on one or more finalists prior to a final selection.

Important Notes

Due to the selection procedure listed above, it is important that you make every attempt to clearly describe your qualifications for this position. We recommend that you list all employers and positions held within at least the last 15 years in the work history section of your application, and to include history beyond 15 years if related to the position for which you are applying. If you held multiple positions with one employer, please list each position separately. In addition, be sure to respond thoroughly and clearly to the supplemental questions at the end of this job bulletin. The information you provide in your application and supplemental material will determine your score and rank on the employment list.

Resumes can be submitted or inserted into the online application; however they will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed job application and supplemental question responses.

For questions about this recruitment, eligibility for interview travel reimbursement, or our relocation policy, please contact Eric Payne at (707) 565-2960 or eric.payne@sonomacounty.gov . If you have questions about the position, please contact Jenipher McMillan at (707) 565-5848 or jmcmilla@sonomacounty-hsd.gov .

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: EP
HR Tech: VH

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 generous County 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 Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

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

Closing Date/Time: 1/5/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

Show more