Literacy Specialist - Juvenile Facilities Next Chapter Library (Fixed-Term)

THE DEPARTMENT
Ventura County Library connects people, ideas, and opportunities through free access to information, technology, lifelong learning, and welcoming community spaces. It serves residents through 12 branches across Ventura County, two Mobile Libraries, and library services at the Ventura County Probation Agency's Juvenile Facilities. 

THE POSITION
Under general direction, the Literacy Specialist coordinates literacy services for incarcerated youth at the Juvenile Facilities Next Chapter Library, a partnership between Ventura County Library and the Ventura County Probation Agency. The position recruits, screens trains, and supports volunteer tutors; assesses learner needs and progress; provides individualized literacy support and educational resources; and facilitates opportunities that encourage reading, learning, and personal growth. The Literacy Specialist fosters positive, supportive relationships with youth, volunteers, Library staff, and facility personnel while maintaining a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment. Duties include administering and interpreting literacy assessments; developing and providing appropriate instructional materials; communicating learner progress and instructional strategies to tutors; monitoring and documenting learner outcomes; maintaining program records and materials; submitting required reports; coordinating with facility staff regarding programming, schedules, and access; and proactively identifying program needs, challenges, and opportunities and recommending solutions to the Program Manager and Juvenile Facilities staff.

The ideal candidate will possess a bachelor degree in education or literacy or reading improvement. Some experience interacting with people with learning disabilities and supervising teens and volunteers is highly desired. Experience interacting with teens and young adults and a diverse group of people with or cultural differences is required as is strong oral and written communication skills. 

The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to exercise independent judgment demonstrating discretion and mature judgement while following and enforce the facility's rules; and use modern office methods and applicable software applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and related databases.

PAYROLL TITLE: Staff/Services Specialist I
 
EDUCATIONAL/BILINGUAL INCENTIVE: Incumbents may be eligible for an educational incentive of 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification. Incumbents may also be eligible for bilingual incentive depending upon operational need and certification of skill.
 
AGENCY/DEPARTMENT:  Library Services Agency, Adult Literacy

Staff/Services Specialist I is represented by SEIU and is eligible for overtime compensation.

NOTE: Fixed-Term positions are Regular positions for a specific duration of time. This Fixed-Term position is anticipated to expire on June 30, 2027.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: Monday, August 24, 2026
CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications to meet business needs.
REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS: Applications will be reviewed on a weekly basis beginning the week of August 31, 2026.Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Supervises the activities of volunteer tutors and adult learners during in-person or virtual sessions online, at the library, or off-site locations such as schools and/or correctional facilities;
• Coordinates READ programming in one or all of the following areas: adult basic education, English as a second language, family literacy, and/or workforce and digital literacy, which includes event planning, curriculum development, content evaluation, and direct instruction;
• Helps READ participants achieve their goals by monitoring progress and achievement, administering reading assessments, screening prospective volunteer tutors and adult learners, and matching learning pairs;
• Analyzes program efficacy, demonstrating a high level of cultural sensitivity and awareness, presenting instructional strategies, and making referrals to relevant wraparound services within the community;
• Trains and manages volunteer tutors regarding program expectations, educational best practices, safety procedures, and facility codes of conduct;
• Maintains necessary records and materials, which includes tracking, analyzing, and reporting data;
• Serves as liaison with partner agencies to assess adult learner needs and interests;
• Communicates and plans READ activities with the Program Manager and maintains READ instructional and promotional materials with the Administrative Assistant; and
• Performs other duties as assigned.

These are the entrance requirements to the examination process, possession of which assures neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
 
EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE
Any combination of training, education and experience which has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills and abilities for the position.
 
The required knowledge, skills, and abilities can also be obtained by the following:

• Two (2) years of experience teaching reading and English phonics AND
• Two (2) years leading or supervising others

 NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Demonstrated skill in establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with staff at all levels, volunteers, and community groups
• Ability to communicate effectively with teens and young adults
• Effective written communication skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire
• Willing and able to work a flexible schedule including evenings and occasional weekends.
• Some proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.

DESIRED

• Experience supervising others
• Bachelor’s degree in education or reading and literacy, or a related field
• Experience working with people with learning disabilities
• Experience using databases.   

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES

Working knowledge of: 

• Principles and practices of effective supervision;
• Methods and practices of teaching reading, including English phonics instruction, remediation of reading difficulties in the context of learning differences/disabilities.

Ability to:

• Quickly establish rapport and conduct an effective and comfortable interview to assess literacy levels and needs; 
• Administer and interpret reading assessment tests; 
• Select appropriate instructional materials and strategies and explain their use to a volunteer; 
• Work with a diverse group of people using a high level of sensitivity for people with learning disabilities or cultural differences; 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff, volunteers, and community groups; 
• Exercise independent judgment to function independently and in a team environment;
• Exercise discretion and mature judgement while following and enforcing rules;
• Handle multiple tasks simultaneously with a high level of competence; to organize and prioritize duties and manage time effectively; 
• Explain department policies and procedures and serve as departmental resource and liaison; 
• Draw logical conclusions and make appropriate recommendations or adjustments as needed;
• Prepare various reports by tracking, collecting, compiling, and analyzing relevant, necessary information;
• Communicate effectively with teens and young adults.

Skill in: 

• Utilizing modern officer methods and applicable software applications, such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and email programs such as Outlook and databases;
• Written and oral communication.

FINAL FILING DATE: This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.)

To apply on-line, please refer to our website at www.venturacounty.gov/jobs. A paper application can be obtained by calling (805) 654-5129. Our address is County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.
 
NOTE:  If presently permanently employed in another “merit” or “civil service” public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a “merit or “civil service” style examination, then appointment by “Lateral Transfer” may be possible.   If interested, please click ­here for additional information.

Note to Applicants: Sufficient information must be provided under the Education/Work Experience portion of the application and supplemental questionnaire to thoroughly and accurately demonstrate your qualifications to determine eligibility. A resume may be attached to supplement your responses in the above-referenced sections; however, it may not be submitted in lieu of the application.
 
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE – Qualifying 
All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this examination at the time of filing. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the examination process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from further consideration.
 
APPLICATION EVALUATION – Qualifying
All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the examination process.
 
TRAINING and EXPERIENCE EVALUATION
A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is not a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.
 
NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence.

ORAL EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related oral examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.
 
If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination may not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.

ELIGIBLE LIST
Applicants successfully completing the examination process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.
 
The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill existing and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-Term), Intermittent and Extra Help vacancies for this and similar positions only within Library Services Agency. There is currently one (1) Regular Fixed-Term vacancy with an anticipated end date of June 30, 2027. This position has a part-time schedule of approximately 10 hours per week.

BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record may be required for this position.
 
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.  

For further information about this recruitment, please contact Esmeralda Oseguera by email at [email protected] or by telephone (805) 477-7268.