Grow your career with the County of Sonoma.
Become an Employment and Training Specialist!
Starting salary up to $43.06/hour ($89,871/year), a competitive total compensation package*, plus an additional $1.50/hour for fluent bilingual assignments**
Employment and Training Specialists (ETSs) with the Human Services Department (HSD) are responsible for determining clients' initial and continued eligibility for SonomaWORKS, CalFresh, and other public assistance and employment programs. In order to develop goals that help clients reach self-sufficiency, ETSs identify, analyze, and address social problems and barriers to employment. They monitor client progress through various programs, evaluate specific needs, and provide additional assistance as required. ETSs also work closely with Employment and Training Counselors and partner staff on a variety of issues and strategies related to client’s progress, support, and case management, and are responsible for monitoring, motivating, and assisting clients in carrying out employment-related activities.
The ideal candidates will possess many of the following:
-
A passion for working with the community and assisting others to reach their employment goals
-
Experience working with regulations and the ability to accurately apply rules, policies, and procedures
-
A background in working with individuals experiencing the challenges of homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, poverty, and other significant barriers
-
Strong word processing skills and high attention to detail
-
Caseload management skills and familiarity with Safety-Net service programs
-
Excellent interpersonal skills, with the proven ability to build effective working relationships
-
Strong verbal and written communication abilities, with the ability to interact with a diverse client base
About the Employment and Training (E&T) Division
The E&T Division helps individuals and families with job search, financial assistance, and employment and training services. E&T also helps employers find qualified workers and supports workforce development through community partnerships and Job Link, a Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board job center. E&T programs include:
-
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs)
-
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
-
Sonoma County Workforce Investment Board (WIB)
For additional information about the E&T Division, please visit our website.
About the Human Services Department (HSD)
As the largest agency in Sonoma County government, the Human Services Department’s mission is to build upon strengths, as we bridge clients to opportunities through responsive safety-net services. We work to protect vulnerable children and adults, to help people rise above poverty and thrive in our community, and to promote maximum independence and well-being for individuals and families. HSD is responsible for child and adult protective services, veteran services, and administration of state and federal programs, including CalFRESH, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, and In-Home Supportive Services. The department is dedicated to providing responsive, client-focused services so that all in our community can live freely chosen lives up to their full potential throughout their lifespan. The core values that drive our work are dignity, humility, integrity, responsiveness, partnership, and belonging.
HSD fosters a positive work environment, where our commitment to providing opportunities for advancement is strengthened by a robust staff development program. We believe in the merits of work/life balance and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that our work contributes to the betterment of our community.
The Department works collaboratively at the federal, state, and local levels to find creative solutions to support the well-being of individuals, families, and the community. To meet that goal, the department has fostered strong relationships with other public and private sector partners, including other government agencies, community-based organizations, and business leaders. For more information regarding HSD's services please visit http://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Human-Services.
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 your contributions work to better our shared community. 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
-
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
-
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
-
Additional Benefits - Excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, employee assistance program, professional development, and more
-
Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education
- Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.
**The bilingual position for this recruitment requires English and Spanish skills at the fluent (reading, writing, and conversational) level. Applicants who wish to be considered for this bilingual position must indicate their level of skill in the required supplemental questionnaire. An examination will be conducted prior to employment to confirm the level of skill in this area. Fluent bilingual premium pay is $1.50/hour.
This recruitment is currently being conducted to fill two full-time monolingual (English) and one full-time fluent bilingual (English/Spanish) Employment and Training Specialist positions in the Human Services Department. 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 candidates who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.
Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.
Experience and Education: Possession of the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units at an accredited college including at least 18 semester or 24 quarter units in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, business, math, or other related fields and two years of experience providing case work services, including some experience dealing with employment-related issues.
OR
One year of experience as an Eligibility Worker in an employment and training environment would provide such opportunity.
OR
One year of experience as an Eligibility Worker II with the County of Sonoma Human Services Department.
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.
The positions advertised on this announcement do not require possession of a valid California driver's license.
Special Requirement: Designated positions may require the ability to speak, read, and write a language in addition to English.
Working knowledge of: Federal, State, and County public assistance and employment and training programs, goals, regulations, policies, and procedures; principles, methods, and techniques of effective interviewing and techniques related to gathering relevant information; socioeconomic, physical, mental, and behavioral problems, cultural differences, and language barriers to employment; dynamics of human behavior including problem solving and motivational techniques; the use of computer information systems used within the agency; basic record keeping procedures and general office procedures; the use of tables and formulas.
Knowledge of: basic mathematics; the English language sufficient to read and understand job-related materials and to effectively explain them to clients; good public relations.
Ability to: assist clients in achieving the goal of self-sufficiency; work independently in performing most work assignments; define problems, analyze data, evaluate, and select from possible alternatives for problem resolution; identify potential and real barriers to employment; read, understand, and uniformly apply complex governmental regulations, directives, policies, and procedures; function effectively in a system with pressure, strict deadlines, and constant changes; use computer information systems and analyze and interpret such information; plan, organize, prioritize and process work to ensure deadlines are met; accurately complete basic mathematical computations; effectively communicate orally and in writing with persons from a variety of backgrounds; confer with staff on client problems, issues, and progress; refer clients to program components, staff, and other community services, as needed; assess and manage difficult and hostile person: or situations and call for intervention when appropriate; courteously deal with people both in person and on the telephone.
- 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 and 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. 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 examination process.
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 and 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 and 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 candidates.
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
