Probation Division Director II - Promotional

Full Job Description

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 Division Director II 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.

The Sonoma County Probation Department is seeking a dynamic and experienced Probation Division Director II to co-lead the Adult Services Division.

This position oversees all Adult Supervision units and division programs, providing strategic leadership to up to 120 staff, including sworn and non-sworn personnel, and directly supervising up to 8 supervisors.

The Division Director is responsible for operational oversight, staffing analysis, training and professional development, and ensuring programs meet departmental goals and legal requirements.

Additional responsibilities include:

• Analyzing new laws, regulations, and policies; communicating operational impacts to staff and stakeholders
• Overseeing staffing structure, workload analysis, and resource allocation
• Assisting with budget management and future-year forecasting
• Participating in hiring, disciplinary actions, and personnel decisions
• Collaborating with justice partners, county departments, and community agencies
• Leading change management efforts and supporting department-wide initiatives
• Maintaining familiarity with trends in community corrections and anticipating operational needs

Please note: This position may be required to respond to critical incidents or disasters with no notice and work non-traditional work hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays.

The ideal candidate is an experienced, forward-thinking leader who demonstrates a blend of operational expertise, strategic judgment, and the ability to lead diverse teams through change. Additionally, the ideal candidate will bring:

• Extensive knowledge of community corrections, evidence-based practices, and the legal landscape affecting justice-involved individuals
• A broad understanding of community supervision, court processes, and relevant adult/juvenile laws
• Experience with labor relations, staff development, and collaborative problem-solving
• Confidence communicating in multiple formats, including public speaking, writing, and presenting to varied audiences
• Strong project management, time-management, and strategic-thinking abilities
• Commitment to professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, and continuous improvement
• Familiarity with assessment tools, case management systems, and basic computer applications
• Training in critical incident response, internal investigations, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, defensive tactics, and Peace Officer Bill of Rights (desirable)

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire be completed.

Requirements

Any combination of experience and education which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed.

Experience: Normally, three years of experience supervising peace officers in either community corrections, probation, parole, or law enforcement that included some project/program development and budget preparation; OR two years of experience performing duties equivalent to the class of Deputy Probation Officer IV, Juvenile Correctional Counselor IV, or comparable job class of another county; OR one year as a Division Director I or comparable job class of another county.

Education: Normally, graduation from a four-year college or university with a degree in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, criminology, or closely related field.

Successful completion of the Corrections Standards Authority (formerly known as the Board of Corrections) Manager/Administrator Core Course and PC 832 training or equivalent are required within one year of appointment.

Additional Requirements: Applicants must meet minimum peace officer standards as specified in California Government Code Sections 1029 and 1031, including but not limited to: no prior felony convictions (unless fully pardoned), good moral character as determined by thorough background check, submission of fingerprints for the purpose of a criminal record check, and be found free from any physical, emotional, or mental condition which might adversely affect the powers of a peace officer. Possession of a valid California Class C Driver’s License. Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien who is eligible for and has applied for citizenship.

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.

The position advertised on this announcement does require possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Qualifications

Thorough knowledge of: the principles, methods, and techniques of probation administration, including the organization and management of modern probation services; laws, codes, and statutes relating to the care, detention, and release of juveniles; principles, methods, techniques, and services involved in modern probation work relating to adults or juveniles; effective supervisory techniques, personnel procedures, and program budget management; general community resources necessary to assist in crime and delinquency prevention; written and oral communication, including language mechanics, syntax and English composition; community resources available for specialized treatment and education of adults or juveniles; laws relating to child abuse reporting. If assigned to the Probation Camp, knowledge of marketing and production techniques may be required.

Considerable knowledge of: principles and practices relating to modern budget, programs, and systems management; operations and functions of County government; techniques of first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Ability to: plan, organize, and direct the operations of their assigned adult or juvenile division; analyze administrative problems, reach practical conclusions, and institute effective changes; effectively assemble, organize and present in written and/or oral form, reports containing alternative solutions and recommendations regarding specific resources, plans and policies; understand, interpret and apply rules, regulations, and ordinances and State, Federal and local legislation; establish and maintain effective personal working relationships with employees, clients, public officials, and the general public; speak clearly and concisely before groups and audiences; effectively train and evaluate subordinate unit supervisors; investigate, evaluate, and analyze adult or juvenile probation service functions, and make appropriate changes necessary to meet established policies and goals of the assigned division; and have the ability to periodically lift weights in excess of 25 lbs. in the performance of duties depending upon the assignment.

Additional 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 be completed.

Responses to supplemental questions may be 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.

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 applicants.

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: KK

HR Technician: PPB