Staff/Services Specialists - Watershed Protection District and Fox Canyon Groundwater Management

WHAT WE OFFER

• Educational Incentive: An educational incentive of 2.5% for completion of an associate degree, 3.5% for completion of a bachelor's degree OR 5% for completion of a graduate degree. 
• Bilingual Incentive: Proficiency levels by exam are $.69 per hour (Level I); $1.00 per hour (Level II); or $1.32 per hour (Level III). 
• Vacation Accrual: New regular, full-time employees shall accrue approximately 14 days of vacation a year for the first 10,400 hours or 5 years of service; vacation accruals increase at 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 20 years of service topping out at 26 days a year and 400 hours of vacation hours banked.
• Vacation Redemption: After 14,560 hours of continuous service an employee may elect to "cash in" or redeem up to 80 hours of vacation accrued in the same year after using 80 hours of vacation in the preceding 12 months. 
• Sick Leave: Full-time Regular employees accrue 3.08 hours of sick leave per pay period with an advance at hire of 40.04 hours which will be balanced at the completion of 13 bi-weekly pay periods. 
• Deferred Compensation: Eligible to participate in the County's 401(k) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. This position is eligible for up to a 3% match on your 401(k) contributions. 
• Health Plans: Full-time employees are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical, dental, and/or vision insurance from a group of authorized plans: Tier One for employee only is $463.99 per biweekly pay period, Tier Two for employee plus one is $834.32 per biweekly pay period and Tier Three for employee plus family is $1,024.11 per biweekly pay period.
• Flexible Spending Accounts: Choice of participation in the Flexible Spending Accounts which increase spending power through reimbursement of pre-tax dollars for IRS approved dependent care and health care expenses. 
• Pension Plan: Both the County and employees contribute to the County's Retirement Plan and to Social Security. If eligible, reciprocity may be established with other public retirement systems, such as PERS. 
• Holidays: 13 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.

The PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY, Watershed Protection District operates and maintains 216 miles of improved channels, 55 dams, 4 coastal pump stations and 148 rain and stream gauges with a $2.7B current replacement value; and is responsible for planning, design (hydrology and hydraulic and structural), and construction of flood conveyance assets, and permitting authority for 950 miles of jurisdictional watercourses.  The Department also provides staff to the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency.

THE POSITIONS  
Under general direction, supervises a line or operations work unit, performs staff support duties, or acts as a technical resource for mid-level management. Depending on assignment, the incumbent may be involved in planning and supervising the work of clerical or technical support staff, performing special studies, developing and monitoring grants and contracts, and/or at times performing the most complex duties and assignments.

Assignments at the I or II level depend on the relative complexity of the service operation or other work performed, and the impact on other County agencies and departments. Incumbents at the higher level are expected to demonstrate greater initiative, self-direction and independent judgment.   

There are currently two (2) Regular Full-time vacancies within the Public Works Agency (PWA), Watershed Protection:

• One (1) Staff/Services Specialist I position assigned in Ventura, Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency; and 
• One (1) Staff/Services Specialist I/II position assigned in Ventura, Strategic Resiliency Group.

For the position in the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency (FCGMA), under general direction of the Executive Officer, the Staff/Services Specialist I serves as a vital professional administrative link between the Board of Directors, District management, staff, and the public. Under general direction, they manage all official proceedings and records of the Board of Directors, ensure strict compliance with California open meeting laws (Ralph M. Brown Act) and the Public Records Act, and administer municipal/district elections and filings. We are seeking a detail-oriented, highly organized professional with exceptional communication skills and a deep understanding of California special district governance. 

For the position in the Strategic Resiliency Group (SRG), under general direction of the PWA Manager, the Staff/Services Specialist I/II supervises and is responsible for stewardship of the business processes utilized by the SRG to advance enterprise-wide lines of efforts that effectively contribute to forward progress on mission-critical flood protection facility project improvements and programs. SRG is responsible for analyzing, developing, reviewing and updating business strategies, processes, practices, means and methods required to ensure that the District policies and programmatic initiatives are successfully implemented. Business processes include but are not limited to the enterprise-wide coordination of the preparation of annual budget documents, grant program administration, management, and reporting, strategic planning and project partnership development, levee certification program support, and special projects, as assigned. The position functions as principal staff support to the SRG Manager in providing business process development, administration and continuous process innovation professional support required to advance effective completion of District priority projects and programmatic initiatives.  

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES

The successful candidate is a highly skilled professional with a strong foundation in business process analysis and program administration. They possess excellent oral and written communication skills and demonstrate the ability to work independently while exercising sound judgment. A proactive problem solver, they effectively leverage automated systems and applications, including Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). With a keen understanding of organizational operations and strategic objectives, they apply innovation and autonomy to support project and program success. The ideal candidate is adaptable, analytical, and capable of translating complex technical or business information for diverse audiences.

In addition to the broadly stated qualifications above, the ideal candidate for each role should also possess the following:

Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, and legal requirements of California special district operations and governance.
• The Ralph M. Brown Act, California Public Records Act, Political Reform Act, and other applicable state and federal statutes.
• Modern office methods, procedures, and equipment, including specialized agenda management and electronic records software (e.g., Granicus, Legistar).
• Business English usage, spelling, grammar, punctuation, and the formatting of formal legal resolutions, ordinances, and meeting minutes.
• Principles of effective public relations, customer service, and professional conflict resolution.

Strategic Resiliency Group

• Strong background in business process analysis, implementation, and performance reporting
• Knowledge of Agency, and Countywide processes for project and program completion
• Demonstrated expertise in grants administration, effective management, and reporting

PAYROLL TITLES AND APPROXIMATE SALARIES
Staff/Services Specialist I: $39.32 - $58.35/hourly
Staff/Services Specialist II: $42.42 - $62.74/hourly

EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE 
Incumbents may be eligible to receive an educational incentive of either 2.5%, for an associate degree, 3.5%, for a bachelor's degree or 5% for a master's degree that is not required to work in the classification.  Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive pay depending upon operational needs and certification skills.  Depth and breadth of assignments increase at the higher level and may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Plans, organizes and supervises the work of technical and/or clerical support staff for the Fox Canyon Groundwater Management Agency or Strategic Resiliency Group, including participating in the selection and evaluation of staff, providing training and employee development, assigning work, evaluating outcomes, determining the most effective use of resources and identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Provides liaison with representatives from other agencies/departments. Answers inquiries from other staff, members of the public, vendors and contractors regarding the services provided. Investigates and resolves problems related to the line operation's service or contractor/vendor performance.
• Assists management and agency/department fiscal staff in the preparation and administration of the work unit's budget.
• Maintains a variety of records and produces management reports using automated systems, manuals and other reference materials.
• Performs other related duties as required. 

If assigned to the FCGMA, duties in addition to the above (excluding those listed under the SRG) include:

• Board Meeting Administration: Coordinate, prepare, and post meeting agendas and notices in compliance with the Brown Act and statutory deadlines; attend all regular and special Board meetings and closed sessions; take accurate official minutes and track follow-up action items.
• Records Management: Act as the custodian of official District records, including resolutions, ordinances, minutes, contracts, deeds, and agreements; maintain comprehensive filing and archiving systems in accordance with state retention guidelines.
• Public Information & Compliance: Respond to public records requests (CPRA) and inquiries from constituents, media, and agencies with accuracy and discretion; ensure District compliance with the Political Reform Act (Form 700 Statement of Economic Interests) and Assembly Bill 1234 ethics training requirements.
• Elections & Board Relations: Coordinate local consolidated elections with county election officials; manage candidate filing processes, oaths of office, and Board onboarding; coordinate logistics for Board member travel, conferences, and calendar management.
• Administrative Support: Draft, proofread, and format official correspondence, proclamations, policies, and administrative reports; assist executive management and support committee meetings as assigned.

If assigned to the SRG, duties in addition to the above (excluding those listed under the FCGMA) include: 

• Provides principal business process administrative support to SRG Manager in support of efforts required to ensure the effective coordination of the enterprise-wide preparation of the District’s annual budget documents. 
• Coordinates preparation and effective implementation of SRG’s annual grants management program work plan required to ensure effective administration of a suite of active grants including submitting timely grant progress reports and reimbursement request invoice packages to the grant funders as required by the terms of the grant agreements. 
• Serves as the alternate Entity Administrator supporting the SRG Manager as the District’s Designated Entity Administrator for Federal grants under the SAM.gov program. 
• Prepares various business process documents, (e.g. correspondence, reports, board letters, etc.) required to advance SRG programmatic and/or project initiatives, as assigned. 
• Assists the SRG Manager in the selection, management, evaluation, and monitoring of professional consultants retained to support SRG programmatic and/or project initiatives, as required. 
• Supports the SRG Manager in the ongoing administration of the District’s Levee Certification Program responsibilities, and the 5-Year Updates to the County’s Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, as required. 
• Conducts research, analyzes results, and prepares reports of findings with appropriate recommendations, on a variety of special projects, as assigned. 
• Assists the SRG Manager in effective representation of the unit in contacts with other PWA and County Departments and Agencies and or the public as well as develop strategic business partnerships that facilitate and advance successful completion of mission-critical flood protection projects and programmatic initiatives. 

Staff/Services Specialist I/II are represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 721 and are eligible for overtime compensation.  
These are the entrance requirements to the exam process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING and EXPERIENCE
Considerable progressively responsible operations, project or staff experience related to the reporting level, complexity of work performed, and other requirements leading to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities of the position.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal.  Skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire;
• Proficiency in MS Office programs including Word and Excel;
• Some prior supervisory experience;
• Some accounts payable, accounts receivable, and fiscal reporting experience (FCGMA).

DESIRED

• Some experience administering programs and/or operations; 
• Some contract administration experience;
• Some experience with budget preparation and budget monitoring;
• Some experience working with various stakeholders including elected officials and the general public;
• Some experience with process improvement programs such as Lean Six Sigma;
• Some experience with grants administration and management (SRG).

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITIES 
Working to considerable knowledge of: principles and practices of effective supervision; the use of automated systems, databases and GIS programing; planning, organizing and directing work to meet workload demands; project and time management techniques and tools; work processes/methods related to the specific assignment; budget preparation and monitoring; accounts payable and receivable and fiscal reporting (FCGMA ONLY); researching and interpreting codes, regulations and policies related to the agency/department and those related to public/customer relations techniques.

Working ability to: supervise staff and administer various projects, programs and operations; exercise independent judgment; explain department policies and procedures and serve as departmental resource and liaison; understand the unit’s goals; develop and implement necessary work processes and related procedures; perform statistical analysis and data interpretation and reports; assist in developing or enhancing office automation applications; manage projects, grants or contracts; draw logical conclusions and make appropriate recommendations or adjustments as needed; organize and prioritize work assignments; read and interpret technical material; and complete forms accurately and completely; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; and maintain effective working relationships.

Skill in: utilizing computer applications/systems such as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel.