Occupancy Specialist I - Promotional

Job Title

Occupancy Specialist I/II

Position Information

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 Community Development Commission (CDC) has requested a department promotional certification to fill a Time-Limited position at either the Occupancy Specialist I or II level, which are currently funded through June 30, 2027. If you are interested in being considered at the II level, you must apply to the separate, concurrent recruitment being conducted at that level. Only qualified Community Development Commission 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 positions as they occur during the active status of the list.

As an Occupancy Specialist I, you will learn to process annual and interim recertifications in accordance with established procedures and the Housing Authority Administrative Plan. You will review and verify household and financial information, perform income and medical expense calculations, and communicate regularly with clients regarding documentation, program requirements, and changes in household circumstances. Working independently while collaborating with the Occupancy Team, you will identify and resolve case-related issues and provide responsive service to client households.

The ideal candidate is someone who communicates effectively, demonstrates empathy, and exercises sound judgment when assisting clients with housing program requirements. The ideal candidate will also possess many of the following:

• Knowledge of financial documentation and performing income and expense calculations
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to identify and address discrepancies
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications
• The ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team
• Communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with client households

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience and Education: Any combination of education and work experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed herein. Normally, this would include academic coursework in public administration, business, accounting, or related fields and one year of work experience performing responsible clerical or general administrative support duties. 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 not require possession of a valid California Driver's License. Bilingual Designation: Designated positions may be required the ability to speak, read, and write a language in addition to English.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Knowledge of: basic mathematics; English grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and composition; methods and techniques used in researching, proofing, evaluating, and gathering information; customer service methods and techniques; organizing and presenting data in a report format to the public; the purpose and processing of a diversity of forms and documents related to federally assisted housing programs; the use of computerized equipment and specific systems used within the Commission; applicable policies, procedures, and regulations. Ability to: follow oral and written instructions; establish, organize, revise, and maintain program and project files; establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, other employees, supervisors, community organizations, and the general public; analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action within established procedures; communicate effectively verbally and in writing with individuals from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds; learn and perform assigned technical tasks and routines; maintain confidentiality of restricted information; maintain records and prepare reports or correspondence; use electronic information equipment and Commission specific systems; enter data accurately; work independently in performing assignments and in resolving problems within established procedures; function effectively in a system with strict guidelines and constant changes; monitor standard contracts for service, including processing reimbursement requests; effectively organize and manage assigned workload.

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 to 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.

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 which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated 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

A background investigation may be 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 candidates.

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 Paper applications may be submitted in person, fax View phone number on click.appcast.io), 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.

County of Sonoma Benefits: General*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

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