Special Advisor

Job Description and Duties An important leadership position is now available. As an executive, you will be able to work on programs that are vital to the economic growth of our community and state. We recognize the strength in teamwork. We know that by encouraging collaboration and diversity, the best ideas will flourish. Be part of a team that prides itself in making a difference for Californians. What difference will you make for California? Under the administrative direction of the Chief Deputy Director, the incumbent will serve as the Special Advisor to the Directorate. The Special Advisor will be responsible for policy development in the areas of direct outreach, stakeholder engagement, staff engagement, ensuring alignment with departmental priorities, strategic objectives, and leadership direction. The incumbent will also prepare Deputy Directors, Exempt Appointees, and Governor’s Office staff to engage effectively with stakeholders, advisors, and subject-matters experts to inform EDD policies and practices, incorporating first-hand knowledge of the experiences of claimants, barriers faced, ways to prevent user error, and other opportunities for continuous improvement. You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement. Minimum Requirements This position does not have a Classification Specification. Requirements and qualifications for this position can be found in this announcement. For additional questions, please contact the hiring department listed below.

• C. E. A.

Additional Documents

• Job Application Package Checklist
• Duty Statement Department Information The Employment Development Department (EDD) is one of the largest state departments with employees at hundreds of service locations throughout the state and offers a wide variety of services to millions of Californians under the Job Service, Unemployment Insurance (UI), State Disability Insurance (SDI), Workforce Investment, and Labor Market Information programs. As California’s largest tax collection agency, EDD also handles the audit and collection of payroll taxes and maintains employment records for more than 17 million California workers.

Department Website:

http://www.edd.ca.gov Special Requirements See Statement of Qualifications section. Examination Qualification Requirements All applicants must possess the knowledge and abilities, and any other requirements, described in this announcement. Note: Eligibility to take a CEA examination does not require current permanent status in the civil service. General Qualifications State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others. Knowledge and Abilities Applicants must demonstrate the ability to perform high administrative and policy – influencing functions effectively. Such overall ability requires possession of most of the following more specific knowledge and abilities:

• 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.
• 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. These knowledge and abilities are expected to be obtained from the following kinds of experience with substantial participation in the formulation, operation and/or evaluation of program policies (experience may have been paid or volunteer; in State service, other government

settings, or in a private organization):

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. General Qualifications State civil service employees must possess essential general qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, and ability to work cooperatively with others. Desirable Qualifications In addition to evaluating each candidate's relative ability, as demonstrated by quality and breadth of experience, the following factors will provide the basis for competitively evaluating each candidate: ghgf See Statement of Qualifications section. Examination Information If you meet the requirements stated in this announcement, you may take this competitive examination. Possession of the Examination Qualifications requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination will be compared with the performance of others who take this examination, and all successful candidates will be ranked according to their scores. A minimum rating of 70% must be attained in the Examination to obtain list eligibility for this position. All candidates will receive written notification of their examination results. The results of this examination will only be used to fill this position. Applications will be retained for twelve months. Hiring interviews for the Job may be conducted with the most qualified candidates. The examining Department 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. Special Testing Arrangements If you have a disability and need special testing arrangements, answer the Reasonable Accommodations question appropriately on your Application (STD 678). You will be contacted to make specific arrangements. Questions regarding reasonable accommodations may be directed to the EEO contact listed on this announcement.

Benefits

Statement of Qualifications The Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) serves as the examination for the CEA position. Applications must include a Statement of Qualification (SOQ) which describes how your work experience and education qualify you for this position. Your response must be no longer than two (2) pages, single-spaced, and not less than 12-point font.Your response must be numbered and address each of the questions listed in the Statement of Qualifications section of the job posting. Failure to follow these instructions may result in elimination from the exam. CANDIDATES WHO FAIL TO SUBMIT A SOQ WILL BE ELIMINATED FROM THE EXAM. RESUMES DO NOT TAKE THE PLACE OF THE SOQ. A SOQ is a narrative discussion of how your education, training, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The SOQ must be completed in the exact order the following factors are presented:

• Demonstrated experience developing, reviewing, or implementing policies and strategies that support organizational goals and executive leadership priorities. Explain how you turned strategic goals, laws, regulations, and operational needs into practical recommendations or improvements.You must state how many years of experience you possess in this area, the employer from which you received this experience, and the contact information for a professional reference that can verify your experience.
• Demonstrated experience handling a complex, sensitive, or important issue where you advised executive leadership or developed recommendations to resolve the problem. Explain how you evaluated the issue, considered risks and possible solutions, worked with others, and ensured your recommendations supported organizational goals and legal requirements. Describe the outcome and your role in resolving the issue. You must state how many years of experience you possess in this area, the employer from which you received this experience, and the contact information for a professional reference that can verify your experience.
• Demonstrated experience creating or improving policies, procedures, or decision-making processes for an organization. Explain how you ensured leadership reviewed and approved changes, clarified responsibilities, and improved accountability and efficiency. Include how you considered budgets, staffing, legal requirements, and regulations when making or implementing changes. You must state how many years of experience you possess in this area, the employer from which you received this experience, and the contact information for a professional reference that can verify your experience.
• Demonstrated experience identifying and managing major risks related to policies, operations, budgets, or an organization's reputation. Explain how you evaluated potential problems, presented recommendations to executive leadership, worked with different teams to reduce risks, and monitored progress to ensure actions were completed and aligned with organizational goals. You must state how many years of experience you possess in this area, the employer from which you received this experience, and the contact information for a professional reference that can verify your experience.