VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF CAREER EXECUTIVE ASSIGNMENT EXAMINATION ANNOUNCEMENT

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DEPARTMENT:	VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF	RELEASE DATE:	Monday, August 3, 2015
POSITION TITLE:	Assistant Deputy Secretary for Veterans Outreach, Memorials, and Cemeteries	FINAL FILING DATE:	Friday, August 14, 2015
CEA LEVEL:	CEA A	EXTENDED FINAL FILING DATE:
SALARY RANGE:	$ 6,453.00 - $ 9,277.00 / Month	BULLETIN ID:	08032015_1

POSITION DESCRIPTION
Under general supervision from the Deputy Secretary for Veteran Services, the Assistant Deputy Secretary for the State Veterans Cemetery Program is responsible for the management and supervision of the CalVet Outreach Units and Veteran Memorials and Cemeteries. The CalVet Outreach Units include outreach field agents located throughout the state, Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) Outreach, and Mental Health. The Veteran Memorials and Cemeteries include operations and staff assigned to the State Veteran Cemeteries at Igo, Yountville, Seaside (Monterey), and Orange Country (future cemetery). Management also includes the oversight of any other future State Veterans Cemeteries. Each of these functions is managed by subordinate managers and staff located throughout the state.

• Exercise full management responsibility for Local Interagency Network Coordinators (LINC), DVBE Outreach to increase the participation of veteran-owned businesses in the program and assisting them with obtaining state contracts, and improving mental health services to veterans and their families throughout the state. Responsibility, authority, and accountability for the operational efficiencies of their operations. Responsible for establishing and maintaining working relationships with the County Veterans Services Offices, other governmental and non-governmental agencies in each of eight regions of California. Provide analysis and formulation of Division policy in regards to outreach, prepare reports, make recommendations to the Deputy Secretary on program issues, and represent the State and Department as assigned.

• Exercise full management and supervisory responsibility in charge of Veteran Memorials and Cemeteries with responsibility for policy formulation and implementation. Responsible for working closely with all Agency and field management staff in making agency wide decisions and implementing the goals and objectives of the Agency’s Strategic Plan. Provide the full range of management and supervision of subordinates, supervisors and staff assigned to the State Veterans Cemeteries at Igo and Yountville. Provide oversight of management of cemeteries in Seaside and Orange County. Provide management oversight for issues involving veteran memorials proposed, constructed, and maintained by the State and also in Capitol Park, Sacramento.

• Represent the Agency at hearings, meetings, and conferences with organizations such as the USDVA, National Cemetery Administration, the Legislature, the Governor’s Office, State control agencies, local governmental agencies, private organizations, and other appropriate groups with regard to Veteran Services Division programs. Build and maintain relationships with the same agencies and organizations to ensure effective communication and partnerships.

• Manage the budget for all indexes within the units, develop budget proposals, legislative analysis, provide outreach and public customer service, develop informational publications and various documents. Compile and generate monthly reports of workload, project planning, budget, or other statistics to report performance and progress.

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.

(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.

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.

1. Extensive knowledge and policymaking for information services issues in directing all aspects of veteran outreach, memorial and cemetery operations and maintenance. Knowledge and experience in the implementation of federal standards and regulations for state veteran benefits and services to include outreach, mental health services, memorials, and cemeteries. Implementation of Agency information services and security policies statewide and across multiple programs.

2. Knowledge and skill in applying best practices, management trends, and strategic planning. Knowledge of the organization and functions of California State government including the organization and practices of Legislative and Executive Branches, and organization and functions of CalVet.

3. Broad and extensive experience in a management role and the ability to supervise a multi-disciplinary professional staff in Veteran benefits and services, including memorials and cemeteries. Ability to direct critical and complex studies, and analysis to assess potential benefits and risks. Experience which demonstrates the ability to perform high level administrative and policy influencing functions effectively, and fulfill the administrative or senior management duties of policy development and program administration.

4. Demonstrate the ability to represent the Agency and the Secretary for Veteran issues before the Legislature, Governor’s Office, high-level State managers, departmental management, representatives of the Department of Finance, California Veterans Board, and other entities outside of the State government system on matters pertaining to the level of service and policy direction of the division and the agency. Provide solid communication skills and effectively represent CalVet before a wide-range of audiences. Ability to provide advice and consultation to the executive staff and other interested groups on the policies and procedures that may impact the department and the Veterans Homes.

5. Broad understanding of the Agency’s mission and its veterans cemeteries service needs as it relates to the Agency’s widely diverse program activities from long term care in Veteran Homes, to home loan processing in the Farm and Home Loan Program, to federal and state veteran benefits and cemetery operations in the Veterans Services programs.

6. Extensive knowledge and experience which demonstrates the ability to represent the Agency and the Secretary, Undersecretary before the Legislature, Governor’s Office, high level State managers, departmental management, representatives of the Department of Finance, California Veterans Board and other outside entities of the State government. Ability to effectively collaborate with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Cemetery Administration, Department of Finance, Legislative Analysts Office, the Governor’s Office and other states’ cemetery administrators.

7. Demonstrate the ability to interact with the Secretary, Undersecretary, and the Executive Staff, the Assistant Deputy Secretary will have extensive and ongoing contact with a variety of executives (public and private), boards, directors, deputy directors, agency heads, and veteran groups. A high level of involvement by local agencies, officials, and the community are critical to the success of the Veteran Services Division, including state veteran cemeteries.

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 Assistant Deputy Secretary for Veterans Outreach, Memorials, and Cemeteries, with the VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF. Applications will be retained for twelve months.

The results of this examination will be used only to fill this position.

FILING INSTRUCTIONS

Interested applicants must submit:

• A completed standard State Application (Form 678) and a resume that clearly addresses your experience and job titles, names and addresses of employers, periods of employment, and education relevant to the Minimum Qualifications listed above.
• A Statement of Qualifications which describes your experience, knowledge and abilities as they relate to each "Desirable Qualification" factor listed under the "Desirable Qualifications" section of this bulletin. You must provide specific examples for each Desirable Qualification factor.
• The Statement of Qualifications should not exceed two pages in length with a font no smaller than 10 pitch.
• Applications submitted without a Statement of Qualifications will be rejected from this examination.
• Statement of Qualifications submitted without specific examples for each Desirable Qualification factor may be given a disqualifying score.
• Resumes do no take the place of the Statement of Qualifications.

Applications must be submitted by the final filing date to:

VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF, Human Resources
1227 O Street, Room 404, Sacramento, CA 95814
Joanna Doller | 916-651-7799 | joanna.doller@calvet.ca.gov

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 VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF 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.

Class specs:  CEA and Exempt Appointees