Job Description

Posting number: 1274-26-09

Department: District Attorney's Office

Job classification: Consumer and Community Mediation Coordinator

Posting type: Open

Categories: Administration, Community Services, Legal

Summary

At the County of Marin, our employees overwhelmingly report feeling their work is meaningful, they like the work they do and they are proud to tell people, "I work for the County of Marin." Discover more about us, our values and our organizational culture here. Read on to find out more about this opportunity.

The Marin County District Attorney's Office Consumer Protection Unit is dedicated to safeguarding the public by enforcing law, resolving disputes, and preventing future violations. The Unit carries out this mission through enforcement, mediation, referral, and outreach.

The Mediation Unit assists consumers and businesses in resolving disputes outside of court. In addition to mediation, the team provides consumer education, guidance regarding rights and responsibilities, and referrals to federal, state, and local agencies when appropriate.

The Mediation Unit actively engages with the community to raise awareness of consumer fraud trends and practical strategies for prevention. Outreach efforts include providing guest speakers for community groups, publishing a consumer tips column in the Marin Independent Journal, and participating in events such as the annual Marin County Senior Information Fair, where information is tailored to scams affecting older adults. These efforts help ensure that residents are informed, vigilant, and better equipped to recognize and protect themselves from fraud.

Examples of duties

The District Attorney's Office has one (1) full-time (80 bi-weekly hours) regular hire vacancy for Consumer and Community Mediation Coordinator.

The Consumer and Community Mediation Coordinator (Coordinator) is responsible for managing a wide variety of programs and activities within the Mediation Unit of the District Attorney’s Consumer and Environmental Protection Division, including alternative dispute resolution, community outreach, administrative hearings, and appellate hearings.

The Coordinator handles the day-to-day activities of mediation staff in the performance of community mediation and non-enforcement consumer protection duties. The position is also responsible for the intake, evaluation, and disposition of consumer complaints involving a broad range of community and consumer protection matters, including, but not limited to, landlord-tenant, animal-related, neighborhood, and homeowners’ association disputes. The Coordinator evaluates complaints and determines the most appropriate method of resolution, including mediation or other forms of alternative dispute resolution, or referral to the Division’s enforcement unit when appropriate.

The Coordinator serves as a key point of contact for members of the public seeking assistance with consumer and community disputes and plays an important role in facilitating accessible, timely, and effective resolution of these matters.

Hybrid schedule: The District Attorney’s Office has embraced a hybrid work schedule that considers that some duties of this position may be performed remotely. However, the successful candidate must be able to report to County facilities for meetings, work assignments, and/or disaster service work upon short notice, as needed and deemed appropriate. During the initial probationary period, the successful candidate may be required to work primarily onsite before establishing a hybrid work schedule.

Qualifications

Our Highly Qualified Candidate: The ideal candidate possesses the ability to exercise initiative and sound judgment, work independently with minimal supervision, and effectively manage multiple priorities. The ideal candidate has prior experience in consumer and landlord tenant laws as well as a background in mediation or experience in public interest law and is adept at problem solving with diverse groups of individuals. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, and is comfortable conducting outreach which includes presentations to community groups and publishing consumer protection-related materials to the public.

Knowledge of

• Principles and practices of employee and volunteer supervision and leadership, including work planning, organization, review and evaluation and employee training.
• Applicable laws, statutes and regulations in consumer protection law, including but not limited to California Civil Code, Code of Civil Procedure, Penal Code, Vehicle Code, Business and Professions Code, and Federal laws and regulations.
• Techniques of intervention, mediation and dispute resolution.
• Current issues related to consumer protection law.
• Computer applications related to the work.
• Standard office practices and procedures.

Ability to

• Plan, organize, supervise, review and evaluate the work of volunteer professional, technical and office support staff.
• Train staff in work procedures and provide technical assistance to staff.
• Apply and provide, where appropriate, basic information regarding consumer protection laws and regulations.
• Provide the full range of mediation services.
• Analyze problems, evaluate alternative courses of action, and use sound independent judgment within policy and procedural guidelines to recommend effective solutions.
• Prepare clear, accurate and effective reports, correspondence, legal documents, policies, procedures and other written materials.
• Maintain and direct the maintenance of accurate records and files.
• Work cooperatively and effectively with community and business organizations and law enforcement agencies.
• Deal tactfully and effectively with individuals who may have emotional or physical problems, in potentially stressful situations.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination of education and experience that would provide the knowledge and abilities listed above. Typically, equivalent to a Bachelor's Degree with major course work in law, criminal justice, behavioral sciences, social welfare, social case work, counseling and guidance, psychology, or related subject, and three years of full-time public contact experience involving the resolution of complaints and grievances. Criminal investigations experience may substitute for up to two years of the experience required on a year for year basis.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

Must pass a background investigation as required for employment in a law enforcement agency.

Supplemental information

For any questions concerning this position announcement, please contact Colleen Beck at colleen.beck@marincounty.gov

All applicants will receive email notifications regarding their status in the recruitment process. Please be sure to check your spam settings to allow our emails to reach you. You may also log into your governmentjobs.com account to view these emails.

Testing and Eligible List: Depending on the number of qualified applications received, the examination may consist of a highly qualified review, application screening, online assessment, written examination, oral examination, performance examination, or any combination to determine which candidates' names will be placed on the eligible list.

The eligible list established from this recruitment will be used to fill the current vacancy and any future vacancies for open, fixed-term, full-time or part-time positions which may occur while the list remains active.

Disaster Service Workers:All County of Marin employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the County requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned, and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer: If you have questions regarding equal employment opportunities, please contact Roger Crawford, Equal Employment Opportunity Director, at 415-473-2095.