Sonoma Water Climate Resilience Program Manager

Salary  $85,342.34 - $103,729.86 Annually Closing 3/7/2023 11:59 PM Pacific

Join the Sonoma County Water Agency (Sonoma Water) as the Sonoma Water Climate Resilience Program Manager.

The Sonoma Water Climate Resilience Program Manager will be responsible for managing a vital, cross-sector program and for planning and implementing Sonoma Water's Climate Adaptation Plan as approved by the Sonoma Water Board of Directors. The Program Manager will work in partnership with other County departments and external entities that also have a vested interest in watershed health and resiliency in a changing climate impacted by increased flooding, seasonal variability of precipitation, extended drought conditions, and increased wildfire risk. This position will lead the development of a strategic program that addresses the long-term vision, goals, and objectives that would address the hazard to Sonoma Water's core functions posed by flooding and manage Sonoma Water's climate adaptation efforts and contribute to local, regional, or state climate adaptation programs. Other responsibilities include working with Sonoma Water colleagues and supporting efforts to:

• Assess existing flood preparedness and response programs, plans, resources, infrastructure, and activities in comparison to the hazard of catastrophic flooding in all areas of the County and identify gaps in each area and identify potential solutions and resources 
• Evaluate the need and potential for activation for forming flood control zones in the Sonoma County Operational Area and addressing the administrative and fiscal impacts
• Research and present to executives the emerging issues related to catastrophic flood risk, weather trends, climate-related risks, infrastructure impacts, and compounding hazards

The ideal candidate will bring their climate resiliency expertise, be an effective communicator; have excellent analytical and critical thinking skills; and will also possess:

• Significant coursework in public administration, finance, climate science, geography, environmental sciences, natural resources, community planning, public policy, political science, or closely related fields 
• Significant experience with project management, including the ability to evaluate program success, meet program objectives, and develop clear and actionable priorities and initiatives.  
• In-depth knowledge of administering and coordinating contracts, including writing and issuing requests for proposals/quotations (RFP/RFQ), interviewing consultants, and reviewing and evaluating proposals
• Experience identifying, pursuing, and obtaining grants, following grant funding guidelines.
• The ability to build relationships with tact, empathy, and positivity
• The ability to think innovatively and take initiative with ideas and new methods 

Working at Sonoma Water offers opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• A hybrid telework schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
• Eligibility for a salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County paid 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• An annual Staff Development/Wellness Benefit allowance of up to $1,700 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement fully integrated with Social Security
• May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Salary Resolution (SalRes) and our Employee Benefits Directory.
 
About Sonoma Water  
 
Sonoma Water is a special district formed by the California State Legislature in 1949 and is responsible for providing a safe and reliable water supply to its customers in Sonoma and Marin counties. Sonoma Water also maintains 75 miles of flood control channels and provides sanitation services. Employing approximately 250 employees, Sonoma Water consists of seven divisions including Engineering and Resource Planning, Environmental Resources, Community and Government Affairs, Water and Wastewater Operations, Maintenance, and Administrative Services. Sonoma Water supports the concept of environmental sustainability, focusing on renewable power sources, and strives to be a leader in its water conservation and fishery restoration programs.
 
Please note:  Employees of Sonoma Water are employees of a special district, the Sonoma County Water Agency, and are not subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Ordinance of the County of Sonoma. The formal title for this position is Department Program Manager

We are currently recruiting to fill a full-time Sonoma Water Climate Resilience Program Manager. This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time, part-time, or extra-help (temporary) positions as they occur during the active status of the list.  Qualified County employees who wish to be considered for future positions should consider applying to this recruitment.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:  Any combination of education and training which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, significant college coursework in business or public administration, finance, economics or a closely related area would provide this opportunity. For some assignments, college coursework in social work, psychology, sociology or a closed related field may be desirable.

Experience:  Any combination of training and experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, three years of experience supervising or coordinating a program including some responsibility for program coordination, planning, analysis and administration, including at least one year leading or supervising staff would provide such opportunity. Specific experience related to the assigned position may be required for designated positions and will be stated as such in recruitment materials.

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.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Considerable knowledge of:  the principles and practices of program management including planning and program analysis; data collection, research methodology and application of basic statistics; report writing; legislation, laws, current issues and trends, and techniques and principles for the assigned program area.

Working knowledge of:  the principles and practices of personnel management, employee supervision, and training; budget development and fiscal management; grant and contract administration.

Ability to:  plan, organize, coordinate and manage a specific program or group of related programs; select, train, and supervise staff; develop, evaluate, and analyze operational policies and procedures; analyze problems and complaints and identify solutions; prepare, interpret and evaluate a variety of narrative and statistical data and reports; communicate orally and in writing on a variety of issues; understand, interpret and apply procedures, laws, rules and regulations as they apply to assigned area; ensure proper compliance with federal, state and local guidelines, policies, goals, rules and regulations; develop and maintain harmonious relationships with employees, public officials, community groups, other agencies and the general public.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• 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 will 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 & 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. 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 & 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

A background investigation is required prior to employment. 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.

Additional requirements, such as successful completion of a physical exam, drug screen, etc., may apply, depending on the duties and responsibilities of the position. If you receive a conditional job offer for the position, the requirements upon which the offer is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

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 bulletin 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.

Information

• Location: Santa Rosa, United States

Industry experience

Education: Bachelor

Seniority: Expert, Engineer, Consultant

Years of experience: 1 to 5 years

Taxonomy

• Climate Change Adaptation
• Climate Change Resilience
• Climate Change & Sustainability Services
• Climate Change