Human Services Supervisor (Departmental Promotional Only)

Full Job Description

The County of San Mateo Human Services Agency (HSA) is seeking qualified applicants for the position of Human Services Supervisor, specifically in the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ESS) branch.

In general, Human Services Supervisors:

• Supervise professional, technical, and support staff.
• Monitor programs and staff performance.
• Train staff in work policies and procedures.
• Prepare and conduct in-service program and procedural training.
• Support, assist, and guide workers in difficult situations, including contacts with clients.
• Ensure compliance with program regulations and Agency policies and procedures.
• Utilize innovative and creative methods to supervise and motivate staff.
• Promote the Human Services Agency values.
• Collaborate with other County departments and community partners in meeting the needs of the clients.

Currently, there is one vacancy in the Economic Self Sufficiency (ESS) branch.

Requirements

The primary responsibilities of the Human Services Supervisors in ESS will be to:

• Supervise Benefits Analyst staff responsible for administering and delivering ESS programs including CalFresh, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, General Assistance, CAPI, and Foster Care (which can include Adoption Assistance, Guardianship, Wraparound, Non-Minor Dependents, Former Foster Youth Med-Cal, and Protective Child Care)
• Monitor timely and accurate processing of eligibility case work.
• Ensure a high quality client experience.
• Provide leadership and guidance in projects supporting ESS initiatives and priorities.
• Act as a specialist in the various ESS programs by interpreting regulations and providing programmatic guidance and training to staff members.

The ideal candidate will be:

• A strong, effective, and highly-organized leader, experienced and skilled at developing productive work teams and use creative and constructive methods to energize and motivate staff members to greater accomplishments.
• A self-starter, able to work effectively with minimal supervision.
• A "big picture thinker", willing to experiment with new ideas and take reasonable risks.
• An analytical and systems thinker, experienced at utilizing data to make sound decisions.
• An effective problem-solver, skilled at identifying issues and taking actions.
• A proven collaborator, able to build and expand networks of engaged and involved community members.
• A successful innovator, willing to share ideas to redesign processes to achieve the best outcomes.
• Client focused, able to effectively respond to client needs and demands.
• Computer savvy, able to incorporate modern technology to enhance delivery of services.
• The ideal candidate will also have knowledge of principles and practices of organizational efficiency and possess knowledge of and experience with strength-based supervision, to develop and maintain various programs in collaboration with community partners to provide services to the public.

Note: The list generated from this recruitment could be used to fill future Human Services Supervisor vacancies in other HSA branches. If you have strong supervisory skills and experience in monitoring programs that provide human services, you are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

County Status:

An applicant must be a current County of San Mateo employee in the Human Services Agency with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary or extra-help/ limited term position prior to the final filing date.

Education and Experience:

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to qualify is three years of professional level administrative or programmatic experience in a human services or related program.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of employee supervision and training.
• Principles and practices of public administration and management.
• Principles and practices of the specific program areas to which assigned.
• Principles and practices of contract development, negotiation and monitoring.
• Principles, practices, and techniques of administrative and programmatic research and analysis.
• Functions of public social services and agencies and the interrelationships of the various disciplines in the human services field.
• Applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, and County and program policies and guidelines related to the program area.
• Computer applications related to the work; office administrative practices and procedures, including records management and the operation of standard office equipment.
• Public and community resources and programs.
• Methods of providing human services effectively.
• Principles of engaging community and other partners in the provision of social services.

Skill/Ability to:

• Plan, assign, supervise, review and evaluate the work of others.
• Train staff in work procedures and provide technical and programmatic assistance to staff and subcontractors.
• Administer and coordinate human services programs.
• Coordinate individual and group efforts.
• Foresee and analyze operational and/or administrative problems, consider alternatives and recommend sound solutions.
• Supervise the development and evaluation of proposals and negotiation of contracts and agreements.
• Develop, monitor and analyze budgets and program performance.
• Supervise administrative and programmatic research and analysis.
• Analyze, interpret, and apply various regulations and requirements.
• Organize, manage, and monitor cases and maintain accurate files, records and statistics.
• Write and interpret reports.
• Analyze information and situations and use sound independent judgment to make decisions and determine appropriate courses of action.
• Deal tactfully and effectively with a variety of individuals who may be emotional, hostile or irate.
• Establish and maintain effective and cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
• Communicate effectively orally and in writing with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures.

Additional Information

Departmental Promotional Only. Only current County of San Mateo employees in the Human Services Agency with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, or extra-help/ limited term position prior to the final filing date may apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire.

Based solely on the information provided in the application materials, specifically the responses to the supplemental questions, an application screening committee will select those applicants whose education, training and experience most closely matches the needs of the department. Because of this process, all applicants who meet the minimum qualifications does not guarantee advancement in the next phase of the examination process. Those selected will be invited to a panel board examination (weight: 100%) which may include a writing and/or performance exercise(s) given before, during or after the interview. Depending on the number of applicants an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations. All examinations will be given in San Mateo County, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click on the 'Apply' button. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org to apply. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT SCHEDULE
Final Filing Date: Monday, January 26, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. PST
Application Screening: Tuesday, January 27, 2026
Combined Panel Interviews: Wednesday, February 4, 2026

About the County
San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. The County seeks to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community. We encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.


Analyst: Arlene Cahill (Human Services Supervisor - G232)