Associate Program Specialist

Introduction

READ THIS ENTIRE BULLETIN FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO REAPPLY FOR THIS RECRUITMENT.

THIS IS A REOPENING OF A CONTINUOUS EXAMINATION. If you have previously applied or started an application for Associate Program Specialist, Examination #24-0301-01, read this entire bulletin. There are specific instructions on how to reapply for this position.

PLEASE CONTACT THE EXAMINATION ANALYST, ANGELICA CUEVAS AT ANGELICA.CUEVAS@ACGOV.ORG TO HAVE YOUR PREVIOUS APPLICATION RELEASED BACK TO YOU.

The scores and dispositions of candidates for this examination will be merged with previous exam participants. If you have previously submitted an application and choose to reapply, you new score/disposition will replace your current disposition.

Supplemental Questionnaire: A properly completed Supplemental Questionnaire must be submitted with each application. Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Application or Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted online.

DESCRIPTION

THE COUNTY

Alameda County was established in 1853 and operates under a Charter form of government. The five-member Board of Supervisors is elected by district on a nonpartisan basis, with members serving staggered four-year terms. The Board is responsible for setting policy, overseeing all County operations, approving the annual budget, and representing the County in special districts, regional agencies, and other areas. The Board-appointed County Administrator oversees County operations and services.

The City of Oakland serves as the seat of the County, which is comprised of over 20 agencies and departments. More than 9,700 professional and highly-trained County employees deliver a full spectrum of services ranging from general government and internal services to health care, social services, public works, and public safety. The County has a balanced $3.2 billion budget for FY 2018-19, including funding for initiatives that address some of the County’s most difficult challenges: affordable housing, chronic homelessness, and maintenance and improvement of aging infrastructure.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors recently approved a new strategic plan, “Vision 2026,” that outlines County priorities for advancing local communities toward a healthy, prosperous future by the year 2026. The four visions of the new strategic plan are healthy environment, thriving and resilient population, safe and livable communities, and prosperous and vibrant economy. The County has also set “10X Goals,” with the aim of improving each of the following by 10 times:

• Eliminate Homelessness
• Healthcare for All
• Employment for All
• Eliminate Poverty and Hunger
• Crime-free County
• Accessible Infrastructure

Alameda County is committed to open government and citizen engagement and encourages employees and contributors to not only “think outside the box” but to “rethink the box.”

THE POSITION

Under close supervision, assist with providing technical programmatic services primarily related to program development and implementation; reviews and evaluates functions to direct client service delivery programs where such services are provided by community-based organizations (CBO’s), contract service providers and/or County staff in a wide variety of service areas; acts as County liaison with service providers and funding sources and ensures program regulations and procedures are followed; and, performs other related work as required.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

In addition to meeting the minimum qualifications stated below, the ideal candidate will possess the following critical attributes:

• Basic understanding of programmatic needs assessments for program planning and evaluation purposes.
• An individual who is a problem solver.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences and in a variety of contexts.
• An understanding of how use of performance measures and/or monitoring systems provide timely and pertinent information to track program performance.
• Ability to identify and understand complex problems and concepts, to gather and analyze relevant information, and to exercise good judgment and decision-making based on available data.
• Ability to maintain effectiveness even when experiencing changes in work responsibilities, priorities and deadlines and can take prompt action to accomplish objectives.
• An employee who can independently prioritize tasks, provide status updates on short notice and demonstrate exceptional organizational skills.

THE VACANCIES

This general recruitment will establish a general eligible list which will be used to fill general vacant positions throughout Alameda County. The current vacant positions are located in Alameda County Health and the Social Services Agency. However, the eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be used to fill future vacancies in other county departments/agencies.

Applicants who only meet the general minimum qualifications will not be impacted by the additional experience/licensure required for the designated positions. Some of the current vacant positions have specialty designation criteria which must be met, in addition to the minimum qualifications below. To qualify for appointment into a designated position, candidates eligible for referral must also possess experience/licensure as defined by the specialty designation criteria.

The specific specialty designations and qualifying criteria are in the supplemental questionnaire.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

EITHER I

Experience:
The equivalent of two years of full-time experience in one of the following classes: Supervising Eligibility Technician; Health Educator II; or, Consumer/Family Relations Program Assistant in the Alameda County classified service. (Non-classified includes the District Attorney’s Office, Hospital Authority, and the Consolidated Courts).

OR II

Education:
The equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university (180 quarter units or 120 semester units) with major coursework in business or public administration, a social science or field related to the program area to which assigned.

(Additional experience as outlined below may be substituted for the education on a year-for-year basis.)

AND

Experience:
The equivalent of two years of full-time professional-level or supervisory work in the direct delivery of services to clients or the oversight of such services in the program area to which assigned, one year of which must have included program planning and evaluation, or in program administration, contract negotiations, grants management and similar financial services.

OR III

Education:

Possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in business, public administration, social science or a field related to the program area to which assigned.

Licenses:
Specified positions may require possession of a valid California driver's license. Specified positions may also require licensure or certification in the programmatic area to which assigned.

NOTE: The Civil Service Commission may modify the above Minimum Qualifications in the announcement of an examination.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

The most suitably qualified candidates will possess the following competencies:

Knowledge of:

• Principles, practices, funding sources and administrative requirements in the program area to which assigned
• Principles and practices of direct client service delivery
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations
• Computer applications related to the work
• Office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment
• Various resources, services, and other benefit programs administered by public and private entities related to the work
• Basic supervising principles and practices

Ability to:

• Plan, monitor and evaluate program and service delivery effectiveness in the programmatic area to which assigned
• Identify programmatic and operational problems, investigate and evaluate alternatives, and implement effective solutions
• Interpret, explain and apply complex regulations, policies and procedures
• Prepare clear, accurate and effective reports, correspondence, policies, informational brochures and other written materials
• Represent the department and the County in meetings with others and make effective presentations to diverse groups
• Organize and prioritize work and meet critical deadlines
• Maintain accurate records and files
• Exercise sound independent judgment within established policies and guidelines
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work
• Effectively communicate orally and in writing
• Research, compile and summarize varied information, evaluate alternatives and reach sound conclusions

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:
A review of applicants' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those applicants who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process. A review of candidates’ Supplemental Questionnaires to determine the best qualified. Those candidates considered the best qualified will move on to the final step in the examination process. An oral interview which will be weighted as 100 % of the candidate's final examination score. The oral interview may contain situational exercises.

CANDIDATES MUST ATTAIN A QUALIFYING RATING ON EACH PORTION OF THIS EXAMINATION.

We reserve the right to make changes to the announced examination components.

Alameda County utilizes a Civil Service Selection System founded on merit. Such a system is competitive and based on broad recruitment efforts and equal opportunity for qualified applicants to test in an examination process designed to determine the qualifications, fitness and ability of competitors to perform duties of the vacant position. Many of our recruitments are targeted and specific to the needs of a current vacant position, in which case, the eligible list may be exclusively used for that current vacant position. Other recruitments may be more broadly used for both current and future vacancies, or for other alternate jobs with comparable scopes of work. To learn more about our recruitment and selection process, please visit the “What You Need to Know” section of our website , hrs.alamedacountyca.gov .

RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION PLAN

Applicants will be informed via email with reasonable notice in advance of any examination process which will require their attendance. The following dates are tentative and subject to change based on the needs of the Agency.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT PLAN:

Deadline for Filing:

5:00:00 PM, Friday, April 10, 2026

Review of Minimum Qualifications:

April 22, 2026

Review of Supplemental Questionnaire for Best Qualified:

May 22, 2026

Virtual Pre-Recorded Civil Service Oral Examination:

Rating of Oral Examinations:

Closing Date/Time: 4/10/2026 5:00:00 PM

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• County of Alameda

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