Director of Research and Innovation

Position Information

The County of Sonoma Probation Department is seeking a community-oriented, resourceful leader to

join the team as their Director of Research and Innovation.

Starting salary up to $80.07/hour ($ 167,115 /year) and a competitive total compensation package!*

The Probation Department invites you to watch their video that highlights the work they do within the community we serve:

Probation Full-Length Video (English)

Probation Full-Length Video (Spanish)

About the Position

As a member of Probation's executive management team, the Director of Research and Innovation consults with the Chief Probation Officer and other senior leaders regarding department policies, goals, and priorities. Once an understanding of department needs has been established, this position organizes, implements, evaluates, and directs department-wide strategic initiatives and performance outcomes. Beyond the direct needs of the department, the Director of Research and Innovation also partners with stakeholders to improve Probation service outcomes and eliminate service disparities. They will guide the work of employees working in the Division of Research and Innovation and employees on the Programming, Planning and Evaluation Team with responsibility for supervising several staff members and one direct report.

What You Bring

An exemplary candidate for this position will bring training and experience in scientific research, program evaluation, project management and health/human service program management, as well as experience in the use of qualitative data. They will represent the department with respect, dignity, and empathy, and further, will possess many of the following:

• Training and/or experience in statistics and advanced data analysis, as well as using data to evaluate programs for fidelity and efficacy
• Broad experience/knowledge of best practices/concepts related to community corrections, Community Supervision, Juvenile Institutions, and Court processes pertaining to justice involved individuals
• An understanding of institutional and structural inequities and experience in interrupting and correcting them, and experience leading teams/committees with a framework of diversity/equity/inclusion
• Participation in state or national organizations affiliated with community corrections/probation work
• Experience successfully leading organizational change and creating/implementing programs
• Strong written and verbal communication skills including public speaking, with the ability to adapt styles to various audiences
• The ability to analyze and interpret new legislation in regards to agency operations
• Problem solving, strategic thinking, and time management skills
• An ability to work effectively with diverse backgrounds and knowledge/experience in cultural competency
• The capability to build consensus and influence leaders in following science and best practices
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications

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 you're working to better our communities. 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
• Staff Development/Wellness - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• 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 health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
• Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

*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 a Director of Research and Innovation position in the Probation 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 County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of experience, training, and education that would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. A typical way to qualify is:

Four years of progressively responsible experience in juvenile and adult criminal justice policy and/or program development, and/or evaluation of justice, rehabilitation, or human service programs, two years of which is in a supervisory capacity.

AND

Graduation from a four-year college or university with major coursework in planning, economics, statistics, political science, public administration, sociology, psychology, criminology, or closely related field. A Master’s Degree in the above listed subjects is highly desirable.

Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for college education on a year-for-year basis.

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 position advertised on this announcement does not require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: principles and practices of Probation and probation related policy administration and management; principles of relevant program planning and development; laws, rules and regulations governing probation related policies, programs, and research techniques; principles of program planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight; principles and practices of organization, public administration, budget and personnel management; project management techniques; research methodology and standard statistical methods and procedures as they apply to the use of probation and socio-economic data; and management practices and techniques utilized to build strong collaborative relationships among groups with common and diverse interests.

Considerable knowledge of: issues related to diversity and racial equity analysis; diversity, equity, and inclusiveness research, best practices, and trends, and key concepts; principles and practices of communication, community engagement, and public relations; community resources and agencies; effective interpersonal and group communication techniques; relevant computer software and applications; methods of technology integration with department operations; and the principles and practices of grant preparation and review.

Ability to: effect organizational change management principles and practices; understand interpret, and apply procedures, laws, rules and regulations as they apply to the assigned area; plan, organize, direct, evaluate, and refine research and strategic planning projects effectively; develop and maintain effective working relationships with Department staff, other County Departments, various public and private agencies, and community-based organizations; elect appropriate research methodology and apply it to Probation department strategic planning, implementation, and evaluation endeavors; effectively apply principles and practices of supervision and performance management; demonstrate excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; develop and make presentations before a variety of boards, commissions, groups, and other agencies, businesses, and members of the public; prepare clear and concise reports, policies, logic models, procedures, and correspondence; implement and oversee Probation department equity initiatives; understand and accept differences in human behavior; effectively interact with all populations, such as individuals from diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, educational, generational, and/or socio-economic backgrounds; exercise tact and diplomacy in dealing with highly sensitive, complex, and confidential issues and situations; build effective working relationships, partnerships, and networks with a diverse range of communities and the organizations that serve them; demonstrate effective leadership and model Probation department values and mission objectives; assess budgetary needs and make projections; develop and manage grant funding; and organize and direct business application procedures, trainings, and quality assurance measures.

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 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. 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

It is the policy of law enforcement and legal offices and departments, in the County of Sonoma, that candidates complete a thorough background investigation process prior to employment. This policy is imperative to keep the department’s employees and the public safe and to maintain high standards in the law enforcement community. 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.

The background investigation will include a thorough assessment of a candidate’s personal, employment, educational, criminal, and credit history. The investigation may include but is not necessarily limited to: the use of prescription and/or other drugs, reports from former employers, friends, family members, educational institutions, law enforcement agencies, credit reports, court reports, public records search, and/or other relevant sources. Candidates must be honest and forthcoming about information that may arise during the background process. Deception during any portion of this process is grounds for disqualification, even after employment.

All candidates will be required to take a pre-employment medical examination. The pre-employment medical examination will include drug testing as part of the medical examination for all applicants and for all current employees who are offered employment with the Offices/Departments. Additionally, candidates may be required to take a pre-employment psychological examination. The results of these examinations and the background investigation shall be confidential and shall not be available to the candidate for review. Failure to pass the background investigation will eliminate a candidate from the employment process. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

Issues that arise during the investigation process will be assessed, and judgment and discretion will be used to determine the employability of the candidate. Where there is evidence of a candidate’s past use of controlled substances, many factors shall be used to determine the employability of the individual such as a pattern of use, kind of drug used, circumstances of the start of the drug use, treatment, behavior, and attitude since discontinuance, etc. Please note that a history of using controlled substances does not result in automatic disqualification from the selection process. Prior to disqualifying any candidate whose profile falls within the provisions of the policy, the candidate shall be given the opportunity to present any and all evidence of mitigating facts that the candidate feels should be considered by the hiring authority.

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: JL
HR Technician: KK

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: 11/5/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

• 

• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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