Senior Project Specialist - Sonoma Public Infrastructure

Please note: The minimum qualifications for this job classification include possession of a current, valid certificate of registration as an Architect or Engineer issued by the State of California, or possession of specialized certification or license related to construction, project management, or other relevant field.

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 you're working to better our communities. 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
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $2,000 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Incentive Retirement Savings Plan (IRSP) and 457 Voluntary Deferred Compensation - 3% of salary County contribution to a 401(a), in addition to the County matching up to 1% of base salary in 401(a), based upon employee contribution
• 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 Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education

Join Our Team

Sonoma Public Infrastructure (SPI) leads the way to a safe and sustainable community by planning, building, managing, and maintaining Sonoma County's investment in quality services and infrastructure. SPI operates and maintains various facilities across the County, many of which were constructed during the 1950s and 60s and require consistent upkeep and care. The locations include the Airport Complex, County Administration Center, Chanate and Los Guilicos Campuses, Main Adult Detention Facility, and four Veterans' Memorial Buildings.

As a Senior Project Specialist, you will supervise the Project Specialists and work closely with the Capital Project manager for reporting and supervise the Project Specialists who are responsible for programming, planning, designing, or managing design by consultants; administering construction contracts; and ensuring that projects are completed on time, within budget, and meet the program objectives.

This Senior Project Specialist position will primarily be responsible for:

• Time Management: Reviewing and prioritizing tasks, including going through emails, messages, and project management software to identify any critical issues or updates
• Team Check-In: Holding a brief morning meeting or stand-up with the project team to discuss progress, challenges, and priorities for the day
• Stakeholder Communication: Reaching out to key stakeholders, such as clients or senior management, to provide updates on the project's status and address any concerns or questions
• Project Documentation: Spending time updating project documentation, which could include project plans, specifications, estimates, schedules, and other relevant documents
• Issue Resolution: Addressing any urgent project issues or roadblocks that may have emerged since the previous day, and problem-solving, making decisions, and coordinating with team members to overcome challenges
• Resource Management: Monitoring the allocation of resources, such as team members' workloads, and adjusting as needed to maintain project efficiency
• Meetings & Site Visits: Attending various meetings and site visits, which may include project status meetings, contractor meetings, team meetings, or cross-functional collaboration sessions
• Risk Management: Continuously assessing and managing project risks, including identifying potential risks, determining their impact and likelihood, and developing mitigation strategies
• Quality Assurance: Ensuring that project deliverables meet quality standards, reviewing work products, conducting quality checks, and providing feedback to team members when necessary
• Scope Management: Monitoring project scope to prevent scope creep, including reviewing change requests and assessing their impact on the project
• Budget and Cost Control: Keeping an eye on project expenses, reviewing budget status, and making financial decisions to ensure the project remains within budget
• Solicitation & Contract Administration: Prepare Requests For Qualifications/Proposals, Formal Bids, evaluate proposals, negotiate scope of work and budget, prepare Board Items to award contracts, execute Professional Service Agreements and Construction Contracts

The ideal Senior Project Specialist candidate will be a collaborative leader and creative problem solver who possesses high ethical standards. They will have demonstrated experience and a clear understanding of the principles of project management, including project scope, budget, scheduling, and project bidding and procurement processes. In addition, they will have many of the following:

• Experience managing projects, teams, vendors, and contractors
• The ability to quickly evaluate competing priorities and make adjustments in workflow to meet deadlines
• An understanding of construction management that includes documentation and contract administration and negotiation
• Knowledge of principles and practices of budgeting, project/cost accounting, cost analysis, schedule preparation, and project management
• Solid writing skills with the ability to prepare and write clear and concise documents (e.g., memoranda, correspondence, contracts and supporting documentation)
• Exemplary customer service skills and experience working with the public, elected and appointed officials, community groups, commissions, advocacy groups, and various other boards
• The ability to effectively coordinate with a variety of stakeholders
• Experience implementing provisions of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Chapter 11B of the California Building Code in the design and construction of facility improvement projects
• Proficiency using project management/construction software and common computer software programs (e.g. word processing, spreadsheets)

*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.

This recruitment is being conducted to fill a Senior Project Specialist position in the Department of Public Infrastructure. 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.The Civil Service title for this job classification is Senior Project Specialist.

APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.

Experience: Any combination of paid experience that would have provided the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein. Normally, five years of increasingly responsible experience managing difficult and complex commercial, institutional, or industrial design or construction projects which have included the lead or general supervision of staff. Desirable experience and training with operating computer aided drawing and design (CADD) applications. Experience with project management for the County of Sonoma is also desirable.

Education and Training: Possession of a bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, or construction management; or a current, valid certificate of registration as an Architect or Engineer issued by the State of California; or possession of a specialized certification or license related to construction or project management; or a general contractor's license would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities stated herein.

Required Qualification: Possession of a current, valid certificate of registration as an Architect or Engineer issued by the State of California, or possession of specialized certification or license related to construction, project management, or other relevant field.

License: Possession of a valid California license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements may be required, depending upon assignment, as required by the State of California 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.

Knowledge of: the modern principles related to building and facility design, construction, and long-term maintenance; laws ordinances and codes, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, related to design and construction; construction methods and materials and their application to design; and project cost estimating and scheduling techniques; Public Contracts Code and other laws relative to public sector construction; and contract administration.

Ability to: read and correctly interpret complex plans and specifications; supervise and work with people in groups and individually; coordinate the work of engineers, architects, contractors and others engaged in the programming, planning, and construction capital improvement and planning projects; plan and organize work projects and make assignments of work in order to meet construction deadlines; use computers and programs including word processing, spreadsheet and project management applications; develop and prepare construction and contract documents; manage several projects concurrently; communicate both orally and in writing at a level commensurate with successful job performance; evaluate and communicate to the employee behavior and performance achievements and areas needing improvement; write concise specifications; develop long-range plans and programs which are in conformance with related County projects and policies; make mathematical calculations; and analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action.

• 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.

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.