Office Assistant

To administer or assist in the administration of a personnel management program for a department or agency; to provide personnel expertise and consultation to department/agency management; and to perform related work as required.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

Departmental Personnel Officer:

Incumbents serve as full journey-level or lead Personnel Officers. They may direct the personnel activities of a County department or they may assist a Senior Personnel Officer, or Personnel Manager. Departmental Personnel Officer differs from the lower level, Human Resources Specialist, in that the former supervises professional, paraprofessional and/or clerical staff and is responsible for a wide variety of personnel functions, and independently prepares and presents Civil Service Commission cases for a department.

Senior Departmental Personnel Officer:

Incumbents in this class are principal advisors to department heads, or Personnel Managers on personnel matters; represent the appointing authority to employees, supervisors, employee representatives, the Civil Service Commission, staff, and supervise both professional and clerical staff. Senior Departmental Personnel Officer differs from the lower level, Departmental Personnel Officer, in that the former reports to an executive manager, supervises professional staff or may be the sole human resources professional within a department; provides leadership to subordinate staff, and directs all aspects of human resources functions of a large department or facility (typically more than 1,000 employees). Senior Departmental Personnel Officers attend regular executive staff meetings and act as a member the department’s executive management team.

Senior Departmental Personnel Officers in the Health & Human Services Agency are typically located in the central personnel office.

The examples of functions listed in the class specification(s) are representative but not necessarily exhaustive or descriptive of any one position in the class(es). Management is not precluded from assigning other related functions not listed herein if such duties are a logical assignment for the position.

Departmental Personnel Officer

Essential Functions:

1. Prepares forecasts of departmental personnel staffing needs and provides advice, direction, and information to department managers and supervisors on a variety of personnel-related matters.

2. Participates in appropriate recruitment and selection programs. Performs a variety of recruitment efforts such as attending job fairs, speaking to various groups, and writing advertisements; acts as liaison with the Department of Human Resources on examination and certification activities; advises departmental managers and supervisors on selection and placement of employees.

3. Screens classification activity requests; conducts preliminary studies, and advises management on the merits of requests for reclassification.

4. Represents the appointing authority to employees, supervisors, employee representatives, and the Civil Service Commission.

5. Reviews grievances, mediates when possible, and assists in the preparation and presentation of Civil Service Commission cases for departmental management when early mediation is not possible.

6. Meets with Labor Relations personnel and confers with employee representatives on matters of salary, labor practices, and working conditions.

7. Serves as resource on Employee Assistance Program, Vocational Rehabilitation, Workers’ Compensation, retirement, layoff, and similar personnel processes.

8. Coordinates and investigates requests for reasonable accommodations/temporary modified assignments, gathers

   information, audits positions, conducts essential functions job analysis and interactive interview processes; acts as liaison with medical providers and other County departments.

9. Prepares a variety of comprehensive letters and reports.

10. Prepares and administers training programs in personnel policy, labor relations, affirmative action, and similar subject matter.

11. Supervises and trains professional, paraprofessional and/or clerical support staff.

12. Participates in dispute resolution and progressive discipline matters, investigates a variety of complaints, and advises management on appropriate course of action; meets with union representatives, employees and managers in attempts to resolve conflicts; prepares letters of disciplinary action; may present the department’s case in disciplinary hearings and before the Civil Service Commission.

13. Interprets and applies Civil Service Commission, Department of Human Resources, Labor Relations and similar office/department rules and regulations.

14. Delivers a variety of oral presentations.

15. Provide courteous, high quality service to members of the public by personally responding to requests for service or appropriate referral.

Non-Essential Functions:

1. May maintain control over number, level, and distribution of positions.

2. Solves and expedites classification, examination, certification, and selection paperwork through various staff offices.

3. May conduct or participate in special projects, task forces, and committees.

Senior Departmental Personnel Officer

Essential Functions:

All the duties listed above and

1. Prepares, reviews and approves departmental position papers and policies on personnel administration.

2. Formulates, recommends, and implements departmental personnel policies, standards, rules and procedures.

3. Participates in Labor/Management meetings.

4. Attends departmental executive staff meetings.

5. Advises executive staff on personnel matters.

Non-Essential Functions:

1. May participate in labor negotiations.

2. May serve as subject matter expert for creation, implementation, and maintenance of computerized time collection systems.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of public personnel administration.

• Principles of labor relations.

• Employee training principles and techniques.

• Merit systems principles and practices.

• Investigative and interview techniques

• Telephone, office, and online etiquette.

• County customer service objectives and strategies.

• The General Management System in principle and in practice.

• Principles and practices of supervision and training.

• Principles and practices of human behavior and psychology.

• Selection and assessment techniques.

• Classification principles and practices

• Practices related to preparing Civil Service Commission cases.

• Equal employment opportunity/affirmative action laws, regulations, court decisions, trends and techniques.

• County of San Diego Civil Service Commission, Department of Human Resources, Retirement Office, Labor Relations, Auditor and Controller Payroll Control section rules, regulations, organization, operations, and procedures. Relevant County Charter and Administrative Manual sections concerning personnel and labor relations.

• Mandates affecting employees including EEOC, and NLRB rules and regulations.

Senior Departmental Personnel Officer (in addition to the above):

• Principles of labor relations (to include grievance resolution).

• California Government Code sections affecting employees in local government.

• Compensation Ordinance, Civil Service Rules, SD County Charter, ERP System Business Rules, various bargaining units, MOA’s, and applicable payroll rules.

Skills and Abilities to:

• Analyze organizational personnel needs.

• Resolve disputes between employees, employee groups, and members of management.

• Effectively communicate management policies to employees and their representatives.

• Plan, organize, assign, and supervise complex office management functions.

• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

• Exercise judgment, tact, and diplomacy with a variety of political, social, and economic groups in a variety of situations relative to a variety of issues.

• Interview and investigate.

• Write clear, concise and comprehensive letters and reports.

• Communicate effectively with a variety of individuals representing diverse cultures and backgrounds and function calmly in situations, which require a high degree of sensitivity, tact and diplomacy.

• Treat County employees, representatives of outside agencies and members of the public with courtesy and respect.

• Assess the customer’s immediate needs and ensure customer’s receipt of needed services through personal service or referral.

• Provide prompt, efficient and responsive service.

• Mediate between public, employees, employee groups, members of management and elected officials.

• Design and implement selection processes.

• Prepare and present personnel related cases before the Civil Service Commission.

• Prepare and implement employee-training programs.

EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE

Education, training, and/or experience that demonstrate possession of the knowledge, skills and abilities listed above. Examples of qualifying education/experience are:

Departmental Personnel Officer:

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or certified equivalency in foreign studies, AND three (3) years of recent professional personnel experience preferably in a public agency.

Notes:

(1) Recent work experience is defined as work experience within the past five (5) years.

(2) Bachelor’s degree in Personnel, Public or Business Administration, Human Resource Management, or Industrial Organizational Psychology is preferred. A master’s degree in any of the fields described above may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience, OR additional years of experience as described above may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis and must total at least seven (7) years.

(3) Completion of a certificate in HR management from a university, or completion of a Professional Human Resource certification program (SHRM, IPMA) is highly desirable.

(4) Must complete the Departmental Personnel Officers’ Certificate Program sponsored by the County of San Diego Department of

Human Resources before promoting to Senior Departmental Personnel Officer.

Senior Departmental Personnel Officer:

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or certified equivalency in foreign studies, AND four (4) years of recent professional personnel experience, preferably in a public agency. Two (2) years of experience must be equivalent to a journey-level Departmental Personnel Officer or Human Resource Analyst.

Notes:

(1) Recent work experience is defined as work experience within the past five (5) years.

(2) Bachelor’s degree in Personnel, Public or Business Administration, Human Resource Management, or Industrial Organizational Psychology is preferred. A master’s degree in any of the fields described above may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience, OR additional years of experience as described above may be substituted for the education requirement on a year-for-year basis and must total at least eight (8) years.

(3) Completion of a certificate in HR management from a university, or completion of a Professional Human Resource certification program (SHRM, IPMA) is highly desirable.

(4) Must have completed the Departmental Personnel Officers’ Certificate Program sponsored by the County of San Diego Department of Human Resources within one year of appointment

ESSENTIAL PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The physical characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the classification(s). Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable an individual with qualified disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job, on a case-by-case basis.

Continuous upward and downward flexion of the neck. Frequent: sitting, repetitive use of hands to operate computers, printers and copiers. Occasional: walking, standing, bending and twisting of neck, bending and twisting of waist, squatting, simple grasping, reaching above and below shoulder level, and lifting and carrying files weighing up to 10 pounds.

SPECIAL NOTES, LICENSES, OR REQUIREMENTS

May be a member of a team/department with responsibility for sponsorship of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software applications in support of countywide operations of: Human Resource Management; Time keeping and reporting; Payroll; Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable.

License

A valid California class C driver’s license, which must be maintained throughout employment in this class, is required at time of appointment, or the ability to arrange necessary and timely transportation for field travel. Employees in this class may be required to use their own vehicle.

Certification/Registration

None Required.

Working Conditions

Office environment; exposure to computer screens.

Background Investigation

Must have a reputation for honesty and trustworthiness. Misdemeanor and/or felony convictions may be disqualifying depending on type, number, severity, and recency. Prior to appointment, candidates will be subject to a background investigation.

Probationary Period

Incumbents appointed to permanent positions in these classes shall serve a probationary period of 12 months (Civil Service Rule 4.2.5).