Description
The HSA Public Policy and Insights Manager plays a pivotal role in shaping public policy and driving impactful change. In this key role, you’ll be responsible for analyzing emerging public policy trends, conducting thoughtful research, and providing insight to inform decision-making. You’ll work closely with internal teams and external stakeholders to advocate for effective policy solutions, collaborate across functions, and ensure our strategies align with our strategic plan.
THE POSITION
Under general direction, the HSA Public Policy and Insights Manager is responsible for a broad range of functions to support public policy advocacy, emerging policy challenges or opportunities, and the analysis and evaluation needs related to a wide variety of human service programs. The functions include responsibility for the monitoring and analyzing of legislation and public policy at the local, state, and/or federal levels. The functions include responsibility for the application of statistical methods to evaluate data, research and reporting to support agencywide initiatives, research of evidence-based practices, contract performance, and strategy management. The incumbent establishes efficient, effective systems in alignment with system improvement principles that can be maintained on an ongoing basis.
The HSA Public Policy and Insights Manager also interfaces with program experts at various levels of the organization and with external stakeholders/partners dependent on the topic. The incumbent is responsible for developing presentations, summary reports and other informational material to provide updates to the Leadership Team, staff and the public on key focus areas, program trends and outcomes. The incumbent provides recommendations based on review and analysis of data and research findings to inform business decisions and action. The incumbent stays abreast of latest trends and best practices related to social services
IDEAL CANDIDATE
The ideal candidate will have experience with policy analysis, strategic communication, and research skills, supervision of management level staff; as well as, exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, both oral and written.
Ideal candidates will possess the following competencies:
- Change Management – Leading, guiding, and encouraging successful institutional evolution and helping others adapt to innovations and modified work practices
- Communication – Respectfully delivering pertinent, truthful, and timely information and comprehending information delivered by others
- Critical Thinking & Problem Solving – Analyzing and evaluating information, problems, and options with logic and good judgment
- Cross-Divisional Collaboration – Facilitating cooperation across organizational units to accomplish common goals
- Data Analysis and Interpretation – Parsing quantitative or qualitative information for meaning, significance, and actionable conclusions
- Engagement & Inclusion – Involving coworkers, teams, and outside partners for input, contribution, coordination, and shared responsibility
- Leadership – Establishing shared goals, values, and principles and strategically guiding others
- Managerial Courage – Addressing uncomfortable and/or interpersonally charged situations with bravery, poise, and tact in a timely, measured, and diplomatic manner
- Performance Management – Improving employee effectiveness with honest and constructive feedback and dialogue
- Political & Organizational Savvy – Managing the complexities of politics, procedures, and protocols across organizational levels and boundaries
- Presentation Proficiency – Formally communicating prepared information to an audience
- Process Analysis & Improvement – Defining, assessing, and optimizing operations, workflow, and service delivery
- Professional Integrity & Ethics – Demonstrating high standards of conduct and consistently adhering to sound moral principles
- Results Focus – Initiating tasks, meeting organizational goals, and committing to proficient accomplishment
- Team Orientation – Embracing a spirit of collaboration and a commitment to cooperating with others to achieve shared goals
PAYROLL TITLE: HSA Senior Policy Analyst
AGENCY/DEPARTMENT: Human Services Agency, Administrative Services, Office of Strategy Management
HSA Senior Policy Analyst is a management classification and is not eligible for overtime compensation. Incumbents in this classification are eligible for benefits at the MB3 level.
Examples Of Duties
Duties may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Collaborates with others at all levels of the organization to identify areas that could benefit from advocacy, collaboration and/or continuous improvement at the local, state and/or federal levels.
- Applies statistical methods to evaluate data, research and reporting to support agency-wide initiatives using multiple computer and application systems.
- Plans, organizes, and evaluates the work of professional staff.
- Conducts research to identify potential policy impact and develop informed strategies.
- Oversees agency-wide evaluation of Diversity Equity and Inclusion activities included in strategic plan.
- Develops presentations, summary reports and other informational material to provide updates on outcomes and program trends to the Leadership Team, staff, and external stakeholders as appropriate.
- Supports HSA's commitment to equitable services, policies and practices through projects aimed at addressing disparities in measurable outcomes.
- Monitors progress of measures related to strategic plan initiatives.
- Completes project work focused on system research questions.
- Maintains databases and other data tools current.
- Evaluates return on investment (ROI) for projects and contract performance.
- Creates surveys and analyze results to support evaluation work of various initiatives.
- Completes various project work for the Office of Strategy Management.
- Drafts state-mandated system improvement plans and updates.
- Performs other related duties as required.
Typical Qualifications
These are entrance requirements to the exam process and assure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.
EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE
Any combination of education and progressively responsible experience that has led to the acquisition of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. The required knowledge, skills, and abilities can best be demonstrated by completion of a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Social Work, Public Policy/Administration, or a closely related field AND at least four (4) years of related management-level public administrative or program experience.
Substitution: Related experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis.
NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Must be willing and able to travel throughout the State of California, and may occasionally be required to travel out of state.
- Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. Written communication skills must be demonstrated in the completion of the employment application and supplemental questionnaire and will be evaluated during the probationary period.
WORKING CONDITIONS: Incumbents will occasionally be required to travel throughout the State of California and out of State as needed for meetings and conferences. Work locations, work schedules, and work units will vary, and may change as needed according to business needs and at the discretion of management. Worksite reassignments may occur due to changes in facilities or other operational requirements within the business.
COUNTY EMPLOYEES AS DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS
When a disaster strikes of natural or man-made origin, Ventura County employees may be called upon to provide service to the community by assisting in emergency response efforts. This may require employees to work in other locations, different hours, and out of class. At the time of hire, all County employees will be required to sign an Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance for Disaster Service Workers and Public Employees (Sections 3102 and 3103, Government Code of California).
DESIRED
- Master’s Degree in a subject that emphasizes analytics and research methods
- Five (5) years of responsible administrative, analytics, or human services program experience.
- Five (5) years of related management-level public administrative or program experience in a social services agency.
- Experience monitoring and analyzing legislation and public policies at the local, state, and federal level.
- Experience interpreting data, analyzing results, and providing information insights to help decision-making.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and demonstrated experience presenting to Agency leadership, staff, and external stakeholders
- At least four (4) years' experience with data collection, analysis, and evaluation is highly desired.
- At least four (4) years' experience supervising management classification staff is highly desired.
Recruitment Process
FINAL FILING DATE: Applications must be received by County of Ventura, Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 9, 2025.
To apply online, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/jobs. If you prefer to fill out a paper application form, please call (805) 654-5129 for application materials and submit them to County of Ventura Human Resources, 800 South Victoria Avenue, L-1970, Ventura, CA 93009.
Information for Transfer Candidates: NOTE: If presently permanently employed in another "merit" or "civil service" public agency/entity in the same or substantively similar position as is advertised, and if appointed to that position by successful performance in a "merit" or "civil service" style examination, then appointment by "Lateral Transfer" may be possible. If interested, please click here (Download PDF reader) for additional information.
Note: It is essential that you complete all sections of your application and supplemental questionnaire thoroughly and accurately to demonstrate your qualifications. A resume and/or other related documents may be attached to supplement the information in your application and supplemental questionnaire; however, it/they may not be submitted in lieu of the application.
SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE - qualifying: All applicants are required to complete and submit the questionnaire for this exam AT THE TIME OF FILING. The supplemental questionnaire may be used throughout the recruitment and hiring process to assist in determining qualifications for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in removal of the application from further consideration.
APPLICATION EVALUATION - qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether the stated requirements are met. Applicants meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the examination process.
TRAINING & EXPERIENCE EVALUATION: A Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E) is a structured evaluation of the job application materials submitted by a candidate, including the written responses to the supplemental questionnaire. The T&E is NOT a determination of whether the candidate meets the stated requirements; rather, the T&E is one method for determining who are the better qualified among those who have shown that they meet the stated requirements. In a T&E, applications are either scored or rank ordered according to criteria that most closely meet the business needs of the department. Candidates are typically scored/ranked in relation to one another; consequently, when the pool of candidates is exceptionally strong, many qualified candidates may receive a score or rank which is moderate or even low resulting in them not being advanced in the process.
NOTE: The selection process will likely consist of an Oral Exam, which may be preceded or replaced with the score from a Training and Experience Evaluation (T&E), contingent upon the size and quality of the candidate pool. In a typical T&E, your training and experience are evaluated in relation to the background, experience and factors identified for successful job performance during a job analysis. For this reason, it is recommended that your application materials clearly show your relevant background and specialized knowledge, skills, and abilities. It is also highly recommended that the supplemental questions within the application are completed with care and diligence. Responses such as "See Resume" or "Refer to Resume" are not acceptable and may disqualify an applicant from further evaluation.
ORAL EXAMINATION - 100%: A job-related oral examination will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating examinees' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Examinees must earn a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher to qualify for placement on the eligible list.
NOTE: If there are three (3) or fewer qualified applicants, an examination may not be conducted. Instead, a score of seventy percent (70%) will be assigned to each application, and each applicant will be placed on the eligible list.
ELIGIBLE LIST: Applicants successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.
The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed-term), Intermittent and Extra Help vacancies for this and similar positions only. There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy within the Human Services Agency, Administrative Services Department, Office of Strategy Management.
SELECTION INTERVIEW: When a position becomes available, applicants are referred to the employing department for interviews beginning with the highest scoring applicants, moving down the list from the top until the available positions are filled.
BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION: A thorough pre-employment, post offer background investigation which may include inquiry into past employment, education, criminal background information, and driving record is required for this position.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY: The County of Ventura is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.
It is an objective of the County of Ventura to achieve a drug-free work place. Any applicant for county employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing Civil Service, and the special trust placed in public servants.
CONTACT INFORMATION: For further information about this recruitment, please contact Kim Mariscal by email at kim.mariscal@ventura.org or by telephone at (805) 477-5153.
