Assistant Agency Director, Social Services Agency

Introduction

THIS IS A NEW ASSEMBLED EXAMINATION. The eligible list resulting from this examination will cancel any existing list and may last approximately one year, but can be extended.

Applications must be in the possession of the Human Resource Services Department by 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing.

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 5:00:00 p.m. on the Last Day for Filing. Failure to submit the Supplemental Questionnaire will result in disqualification.

Applications and Supplemental Questionnaires will only be accepted on-line.

DESCRIPTION

THE POSITION

Assistant Agency Directors plan, organize, and administer client programs and operations of the Benefit/Employment Services, Child/Family Services, Adult/Aging Services, or Administrative Services Departments in the social services Agency; determine and interpret departmental policies; direct the activities of assigned units and personnel; act for the Agency Director as Department Head of specific client programs; and do related work as required.

Assistant Agency Directors function at the second highest operational level of management in the Social Services Agency and report to the Director of the Social Services Agency. The incumbents are responsible for providing coordination of programs, personnel, internal management, and administration of the department to which assigned, and/or are responsible for the design of new programs in response to changes in the public domain.

For more detailed information about the job classification, visit: Assistant Agency Director, Social Services Agency

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
• Possesses sound understanding of Social Services programs and the needs of our clients and community as well as a track record of providing high-quality services management, efficiently leveraging state and federal resources
• Identifies and understands complex problems, applies logic, uses good judgement to design solutions, formulates and articulates action plans proactively and collaboratively, developing and implementing programmatic modifications based on legislative changes, sound decision maker
• Is a Strong leader and collaborator, politically astute, develops effective teams at the senior manager and supervisor levels, manages work groups by inspiring, advising and delegating to subordinates, and facilitating the accomplishment of goals, tracking and evaluating performance to ensure success
• Is adaptive to latest trends in technology to maximize performance, using data to inform and set priorities
• Is an innovative thinker who can explore situations from multiple perspectives, seeking understanding through establishing relationships with people of other backgrounds
• Conveys respect to enhance dignity of diverse customers, partners and employees, and continually examines own biases and behaviors to avoid stereotypical responses
• Champions diversity, advocates its value to others, recruits and develops people with varied backgrounds, uses diversity as an advantage, confronts and challenges exclusionary organizational practices
• Is a great communicator and listener, quick and clear thinker, calm under pressure

You are invited to review the brochure for this recruitment at the link below:

Assistant Agency Director, SSA Recruitment Brochure

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education: Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Welfare or closely related field of study is required.

AND EITHER

Experience: The equivalent of four years of full-time experience in the classification of Division Director or higher level classification in the Alameda County classified service, which included responsibility for major program administration and policy direction.

OR

Experience: The equivalent of five years of full-time, increasingly responsible administrative experience, two years of which must have been as a Program Director in public welfare administration or a closely-related program, with direct responsibility for major program operations, budget or policy direction.

A Master's degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Social Welfare or a closely related field may be substituted for two years of the required work experience in either pattern above.

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 and practices of public welfare and human services administration.

• Provisions of the California Welfare and Institutions Code.

• Principles of supervision, budgeting, modern organizational development, management, public relations and budget.

• Community resources and current trends.

Ability to:

• Communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

• Make effective decisions.

• Use analytical and problem-solving skills.

• Plan and organize.

• Manage and control.

• Take leadership.

• Demonstrate interpersonal sensitivity.

• Demonstrate flexibility.

EXAMINATION COMPONENTS

THE EXAMINATION WILL CONSIST OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

1. A review of applicants' applications to verify possession of minimum requirements. Those candidates who possess the minimum requirements for the class will move on to the next step in the examination process.

2. A review of the supplemental questionnaire to determine best qualified. Those candidates considered the best qualified will move on to the next step in the examination process.

3. 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 PM day, Friday, November 6, 2026

Review of Minimum Qualifications:
November 9, 2026
Review of Supplemental Questionnaire for Best Qualified:

Week of November 23, 2026

Civil Service Oral Examination:

Week of December 7, 2026

Notification of Results
December 21, 2026
Promulgation of Eligible List
December 31, 2026
TENTATIVE SELECTION PLAN

Departmental Hiring Interviews
TBD

WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THE ANNOUNCED RECRUITMENT & SELECTION PLAN

BENEFITS

The County offers a comprehensive and competitive benefits package that affords wide-ranging health care options to meet the different needs of a diverse workforce and their families. We also sponsor many employee discount, fitness and health screening programs focused on overall wellbeing. These benefits include but are not limited to*:

For your Health & Well-Being

• Medical - HMO & PPO Plans

• Dental - HMO & PPO Plans

• Vision or Vision Reimbursement

• Share the Savings

• Basic Life Insurance

• Supplemental Life Insurance (with optional dependent coverage for eligible employees)

• Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance

• County Allowance Credit

• Flexible Spending Accounts - Health FSA, Dependent Care and Adoption Assistance

• Short-Term Disability Insurance

• Long-Term Disability Insurance

• Voluntary Benefits - Accident Insurance, Critical Illness, Long-Term Care, Hospital Indemnity and Legal Services