Job Description

Posting number: 26/08-3229-DP

Department: Probation Department (PRB)

Job classification: PROBATION OFFICER IV

Posting type: Promotional

Categories: Probation

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Probation Department has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Probation Officer IV position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary Probation Department employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

About the Position

As a Probation Officer IV, you will supervise Probation Officers and oversee the day-to-day operations of an assigned unit. In this role, you provide leadership and support to staff while ensuring unit operations are consistent with department philosophy and direction. You will exercise independent judgment and collaborate with law enforcement, community-based organizations, County agencies, and other stakeholders. Additional responsibilities include:

• Reviewing and editing court reports to ensure recommendations are consistent with the department's mission and values
• Evaluating staff performance and providing coaching, guidance, and training
• Providing consultation and expertise regarding complex cases
• Coordinating staffing assignments and maintaining appropriate coverage for the unit
• Implementing department initiatives and conducting regular unit meetings

Please note: This position may be required to work non-traditional hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and may supervise staff conducting home and field visits.

The ideal candidate will possess many of the following:

• Strong knowledge of criminal justice practices, California law and criminal procedures, and criminal history information
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to coach, and hold staff accountable
• Working efficiently and accurately under pressure
• Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to prioritize workload to meet competing deadlines
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including public speaking and presentation skills
• The ability to build collaborative relationships, resolve problems, and work effectively with staff, County agencies, community-based organizations, and individuals from diverse backgrounds

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Examples of duties

Experience and Education: Any combination of education, training and experience which would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities. Normally, this would include possession of a bachelor’s degree in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, criminology, administration of justice, or a closely related field AND two years of full time professional probation experience equivalent to the level of Probation Officer III with the County of Sonoma.
OR
Significant academic course work in sociology, behavioral and social psychology, social casework, social welfare, counseling and guidance, or closely related field AND two years of full time experience in a position equivalent, or closely related, to a journey-level Correctional Officer, Deputy Sheriff, Juvenile Correctional Counselor, or Social Worker, Substance Abuse Treatment Provider, Probation Assistant with Sonoma County PLUS two years of full time professional probation experience in a position equivalent to the class of Probation Officer III with the County of Sonoma.

Additional Requirements: In accordance with California Government Code, Section 1029 - 1031, and the California Corrections Standards Authority, Title 15, Section 131, Minimum Standards for Selection, each employee shall meet the following minimum standards: United States citizenship or status as a permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship (if a permanent resident alien has not obtained citizenship within three years after application for employment or is denied citizenship, he/she will be disqualified for peace officer status); have no prior felony conviction nor be under current formal probation supervision; and achieved a passing score on the California Corrections Standards Authority Probation Officer written exam, or equivalent prior to appointment.

Candidates certified for employment must be willing to undergo and successfully complete an in-depth background investigation, including a psychological evaluation, finger printing, criminal history check and a medical examination, including physical agilities testing.

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.

Qualifications

Thorough knowledge of: the theory and practice of social casework as they relate to investigation, evaluation, and supervision of juvenile and adult offenders in the probation setting; state laws relating to juvenile and adult probation; community resources available for specialized treatment of probation clients; sociology and psychology particularly as they relate to personality development, behavior patterns, motivation, and group and family dynamics; interviewing techniques and investigative procedures; principles of research methodology, report writing and basic statistics; modern principles and practices related to professional probation work and court procedures; general community resources necessary to assist in crime and delinquency control; penal, business, health, safety and related codes relating to probation work; written and oral communication, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition.

Working knowledge of: principles and practices of supervision and of office management techniques, practices and procedures.

Ability to: plan and supervise the work of subordinate Probation Officers; work with and obtain the cooperation of juveniles and adults in relation to probation work; read and understand written materials, including abstracts, financial, legal and medical documents; establish and maintain effective working relationships with subordinates and the public; prepare and effectively present written and oral reports before the court and before adversaries to the court; analyze investigational material and make proper deductions and recommendations; exercise initiative, perseverance and patience; understand and accept differences in human behavior, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds; apply existing laws, rules and regulations relating to probation work; effectively interview clients to obtain information on a variety of complex and sensitive subjects; effectively train, evaluate and supervise subordinate Probation Officers; physically restrain and/or apprehend offenders in the line of duty.

Supplemental information

• 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 to be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions maybe 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 which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated 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 candidates.

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 announcement 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: CA

HR Technician: KK