DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES
CAREER EXECUTIVE ASSIGNMENT
EXAMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation. It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for state employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

DEPARTMENT: DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES RELEASE DATE: Tuesday, February 17, 2015
POSITION TITLE: BRANCH CHIEF, CALFRESH PROGRAM BRANCH, WELFARE TO WORK DIVISION FINAL FILING DATE: Monday, March 2, 2015
CEA LEVEL: CEA A EXTENDED FINAL FILING DATE:
SALARY RANGE: $ 6,296.00 - $ 9,051.00 / Month BULLETIN ID: 02102015_3

POSITION DESCRIPTION
Under the administrative direction of the Deputy Director, Welfare to Work Division, the Branch Chief, of the CalFresh Program Branch is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of policies and procedures related to the CalFresh Program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. The CalFresh Branch is comprised of the CalFresh Policy Bureau and the CalFresh Management Operations Section that includes the Field Operations Bureau and the Nutrition Education and Outreach Bureau. The Branch Chief provides planning, policy direction and goals for the Branch to ensure the effective development, promulgation and implementation of regulations and policies necessary for the administration of the CalFresh Program and the California Food Assistance Program. The Branch Chief also monitors the CalFresh error rate, Quality Control activities and Management Evaluation Reviews necessary to avoid federal sanctions and funding disallowances. As needed, the Branch Chief also coordinates disaster services provided by the CalFresh Program. The state manages the program which is administered at the county level.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must meet the following minimum qualifications:

Either I
Must be a current State civil service employee with permanent civil service status, as defined in Government Code Section 18546.

Or II
Must be a current or former employee of the Legislature, who resigned or was released from service within the last 12 months, and with two or more consecutive years of service as defined in Government Code Section 18990.

Or III
Must be a current or former nonelected exempt employee of the Executive Branch of government who resigned or was released from service within the last 12 months, and with two or more consecutive years of service (excluding those positions for which the salaries are set by statute) as defined by Government Code Section 18992.

Or IV
Must be a person retired from the United States military, honorably discharged from active military duty with a service-connected disability, or honorably discharged from active duty as defined in Government Code Section 18991.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES
Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:
(1) Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State Government including the organization and practices of the Legislature and the Executive Branch; principles, practices, and trends of public administration, organization, and management; techniques of organizing and motivating groups; program development and evaluation; methods of administrative problem solving; principles and practices of policy formulation and development; and personnel management techniques; the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity Program objectives; and a manager’s role in the Equal Employment Opportunity Program.

(2) Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of multidisciplinary professional and administrative staff; analyze administrative policies, organization, procedures and practices; integrate the activities of a diverse program to attain common goals; gain the confidence and support of top level administrators and advise them on a wide range of administrative matters; develop cooperative working relationships with representatives of all levels of government, the public, and the Legislature and Executive branches; analyze complex problems and recommend effective courses of action; and prepare and review reports; and effectively contribute to the department’s or agency’s Equal Employment Opportunity objectives.
These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government settings, or in a private organization):

CEA Level A Responsible for broad administrative and program activities, including the execution and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level B Responsible for extensive managerial and program administration or broad program manager experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation, and/or evaluation of program policies.

CEA Level C Responsible for extensive highly professional influence and contributes to program, policy, and the methods to provide professional services needed to set policies, to meet the mission of the State department and often exercising technical and or professional skills that are required at this level.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATION(S)
Applications will be screened on the basis of knowledge, experience and potential to meet the following desirable qualifications:

(a) Knowledge of the organization and functions of programs within the Department of Social Services, particularly those of the Welfare to Work Division.

(b) Knowledge of the CalFresh program, or other food assistance programs.

(c) Knowledge of Social Services delivery methodology in California through our state-supervised county administered system.

(d) Ability to effectively meet/negotiate with officials at the Federal, State, Agency, County and local levels.

(e) Ability to advise executive management on a wide range of issues, and formulate and execute effective courses of action.

(f) Ability to develop strategies to smoothly and effectively implement program changes as a result of law or regulation changes.

(g) Ability to provide expert testimony in support of the Department in legislative budget and policy hearings, briefings, and court actions.

(h) Ability to develop a shared vision of leadership within the Department of Social Services particularly in the CalFresh program.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION
A minimum rating of 70% must be attained to obtain list eligibility. Hiring interviews may be conducted with the most qualified candidates. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results. The result of this examination will be used only to fill the position of BRANCH CHIEF, CALFRESH PROGRAM BRANCH, WELFARE TO WORK DIVISION, with the DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

The Results of this examination will be used only to fill this position and may be used to fill subsequent vacancies for this position for a period of up to twelve months.

The examination process will consist of a designated screening committee established to screen the application and two-page statement of qualifications. The minimum and desirable qualifications listed on this bulletin will be used to screen the application and two-page statement of qualifications. Therefore, it is critical that each applicant includes specific information on how his/her background, knowledge and abilities meet the minimum qualifications and desirable qualifications. Based on the screening committee's evaluation of the competitive group, examination interviews will be conducted with the most qualified candidates. A qualifications appraisal panel will ask qualified applicants a number of predetermined, job-related questions. It is anticipated that the examination interviews will be held in MARCH/APRIL 2015. Candidates will be ranked competitively, and each candidate will be notified in writing of his/her examination results. Candidates in the top three ranks may be invited to a hiring interview.

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

Interested applicants must submit:

Applications must be submitted by the final filing date to:

DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, EXAMINATION UNIT/ADMINISTRATION DIVISION
744 P STREET, MS 8-15-59, SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
LISA HUDSON | (916) 657-3473 | lisa.hudson@dss.ca.gov

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Questions concerning the examination process should be directed to Lisa Hudson at (916) 657-3473.

Questions regarding the position should be directed to Cynthia Douglas at (916) 657-3618.

SPECIAL TESTING
If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, mark the appropriate box in Part 2 of the "Examination Application." You will be contacted to make specific arrangements.

GENERAL INFORMATION
If you meet the requirements stated in this bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described on this bulletin will be compared with the performance of others who take this test, and all candidates who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

The DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service law and rules and all competitors will be notified.

General Qualifications: Candidates must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others.

California Relay (Telephone) Service for the Deaf or Hearing Impaired: From TDD phones: (800) 735-2929, from voice phones: (800) 735-2922

Class specs:  CEA and Exempt Appointees