Salary : $122,096.52 - $148,435.97 Annually

Location : Santa Rosa, CA

Job Type: Full-Time

Job Number: 24/05-4249-OC

Department: Human Services Department (HSD)

Opening Date: 05/16/2024

Closing Date: Continuous

Bargaining Unit: 44

Position Information

The Sonoma County Human Services Department (HSD) seeks an experienced professional who possesses strong leadership, criminal justice, and investigative skills to join the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) as their next Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator!

Starting salary up to $71.12/hour ($148,435/year) plus a competitive total compensation package!*

The Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator reports to the Assistant Director of Human Services and is responsible for the management and oversight of the department's Special Investigations Unit, including maintaining the unit's budget, ensuring adequate staffing levels, managing unit personnel, overseeing ongoing training needs, and confirming program compliance with SIU policies and procedures. The Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator will work closely with several SIU staff, including the Senior Welfare Fraud Investigator, a Program Development Manager, a Program Planning and Evaluation Analyst, and a Senior Office Assistant, among others. Additional responsibilities include:

Overseeing fraud investigations within HSD and assisting on complex cases
Collecting and disseminating data and submitting reports
Meeting with SIU managers and supervisors to update them on programs and regulations affecting issuances and over payments
Ensuring all staff have completed the appropriate POST Training requirements
Consulting on investigator cases with the team, the District Attorney's office, and other jurisdiction entities
Ensuring alignment with frequently shifting state and federal program requirements and guidelines

The ideal candidate will possess:

Strong investigative and case preparation skills
An understanding of the criminal justice system, Human Services programs and clientele, and the social factors underlying criminal behavior
Strong leadership, supervisory, problem solving, and budgeting skills
The ability to maintain confidentiality and effective working relationships with state and county staff, law enforcement officials, and the general public
Strong public speaking skills with the ability to prepare and present trainings
An understanding of cultural diversity and sensitivity using a lens of equity
Excellent customer service, relationship building, and communication skills
Microsoft Office skills and the ability to learn new computer software systems related to public assistance programs
A high level of integrity and professionalism with the ability to handle crisis situations effectively, including emergencies in the field
Per California Penal Code Section 830.35, the Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator is authorized to carry a firearm

About the Human Services Department (HSD)
HSD fosters a positive work environment, where our commitment to providing opportunities for advancement is strengthened by a robust staff development program. We believe in the merits of work/life balance and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that our work contributes to the betterment of our community.

As the largest agency in Sonoma County government, our mission is to protect vulnerable children and adults, and to promote maximum independence and well-being for individuals and families. HSD is responsible for child and adult protective services, veteran services, and administration of state and federal programs, including CalFRESH, CalWORKs, Medi-Cal, and In-Home Supportive Services. The department is dedicated to providing high-quality, client-focused, cost-effective services and values the diversity, integrity, teamwork, leadership, and accountability of all staff in accomplishing the mission of the department.

The Department works collaboratively at the federal, state, and local levels to find creative solutions to support the well-being of individuals, families, and the community. To meet that goal, the department has fostered strong relationships with other public and private sector partners, including other government agencies, community-based organizations, and business leaders. For more information regarding HSD's services please visit .

What We Offer
Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing your contributions work to better our shared community. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

Hybrid Telework - A schedule that meets the needs of our staff, department operations, and the communities we serve may be available depending on the assignment
Salary Advancement - 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
Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment
Student Loan Debt Relief - County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education

*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 and our .

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator position with the Human Services Department. 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

Experience: Any combination of training and experience which would provide an opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, five years of recent, full-time paid experience as a law enforcement officer (excluding military police work), including two years supervisory experience in criminal or civil investigations; OR three years of full-time paid experience comparable to the level of Welfare Fraud Investigator II with the Sonoma County Human Services Department, OR two years of full-time paid experience comparable to the level of Senior Welfare Fraud Investigator with the Sonoma County Human Services Department would provide such experience.

Education: Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable General Education Development Certificate as required by the California Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training. Academic course work in the behavior sciences, law enforcement, and the techniques of investigation. Coursework in supervision and management is highly desirable.

License: Possession of a valid California driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

Special Qualifications: Possession of a Specialized or Regular Intermediate Law Enforcement Certificate issued by the California Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training. Possession of an Advanced and/or Supervisory P.O.S.T. certificate is highly desirable. Selected candidate must complete the P.O.S.T. management training course prior to the completion of their probationary period.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: the California Penal Code as it relates to the investigation of civil and criminal matters; the rules of evidence, arrest, and the ensuing court procedure; public assistance eligibility criteria and formulas used to compute overpayments.

Considerable knowledge of: criminal attitudes and behavioral patterns, and of the social factors underlying criminal behavior; modern personnel management practices and procedures, and the techniques used to provide effective training and supervision, as well as the evaluation of employee performance; the California Department of Social Service Manual of Policies and Procedures; the English language, its usage, syntax and grammatical structure; and financial record keeping.

Ability to: conduct effective field investigations; analyze, interpret, and uphold laws, relating to welfare fraud, impartially and with fact; negotiate for and secure payment on monies due; supervise effectively and to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the general public and staff; obtain information through interview, interrogation and observation; carry out special and general assignments requiring an organization of materials and development of procedures without direct supervision; prepare thorough factual and statistical reports for both oral and written presentation.

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 to review more detailed information about the application, examination, and department selection processes.

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%). Each application and supplemental questionnaire will be thoroughly evaluated for satisfaction of minimum qualifications and relevance of educational coursework, training, experience, knowledge, and abilities that relate to this position. Candidates possessing the most appropriate job-related qualifications will be placed on an employment list and referred to the department for selection interviews.

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 to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY
Applications are accepted online at. 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. Continuous recruitments may close without notice at any time that a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received. 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.

HR Analyst: EP
HR Tech: EV

IMPORTANT NOTE: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

COUNTY OF SONOMA BENEFITS: MANAGEMENT*

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 may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan : Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County paid premium contribution.

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.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at For specific information about health and welfare benefits including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts go to or, contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at or (707) 565-2900.

*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

01

How did you first learn about this opportunity?

Careers in Government
College or University
County of Sonoma Human Resources Office
Craigslist
DiversityJobs
Employee of Sonoma County
Facebook
Glassdoor
GovernmentJobs.com
Handshake
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County
Indeed
Instagram
Job Fair
Latino Service Providers
LinkedIn
Los Cien
POST
Press Democrat
sonoma-county.org/
Start Here!
X (Twitter)
Veterans Services Office
Women's Organization or Group
Other Internet Site
Other Publication

02

Do you possess a Specialized or Regular Intermediate Law Enforcement Certificate issued by the California Commission on Peace Officers' Standards and Training?

03

Please indicate how your professional experience meets the requirements of this position, as stated in the job announcement:

I have five years of recent, full-time paid experience as a law enforcement officer (excluding military police work), including two years supervisory experience in criminal or civil investigations
I have three years of full-time paid experience comparable to the level of Welfare Fraud Investigator II with the Sonoma County Human Services Department
I have two years of full-time paid experience comparable to the level of Senior Welfare Fraud Investigator with the Sonoma County Human Services Department
None of the above

04

For this question, and all subsequent questions, please provide sufficient information to allow for a thorough evaluation of your qualifications. Responses to supplemental questions may be scored using specific criteria and may be reviewed by hiring managers.
The educational requirements for the Chief Welfare Fraud investigator include graduation from high school (or an acceptable General Education Development Certificate as required by the California Commission on Police Officers' Standards and Training), PLUS coursework in behavioral science, law enforcement, and the techniques of investigation. Further, coursework in supervision and management is highly desirable.
Please describe how your educational background qualifies you for this position.

05

Please describe your experience working in the following roles:

A law enforcement officer (excluding military police work)
A Welfare Fraud Investigator with a public welfare agency

For each position you list, include your job title(s), employers name(s), dates of employment, your role and responsibilities, and the type(s) of project(s) you worked on.

06

Please describe a challenging investigation in which you took a lead role. Include details about the case, the challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and the outcome.

07

Please describe your experience supervising and/or managing employees. Provide details about the types of positions you supervised/managed (e.g., administrative, clerical, professional, law enforcement, investigation, technical) and the specific responsibilities you've held, including coordinating work assignments, hiring, developing employees, and administering progressive discipline.

Required Question