Salary : $101,580.13 – $123,474.02 Annually
Location : Santa Rosa, CA
Job Type: Full-Time
Job Number: 23/05-0808-DP
Department: Human Resources Department (HRD)
Opening Date: 05/26/2023
Closing Date: 6/6/2023 11:59 PM Pacific
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 Human Resources Department (HR) has requested department promotional certifications to fill full-time Principal Human Resources Analyst positions in the Recruitment & Classification and Employee and Labor Relations Units. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary HR employees on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised positions.
A Principal Human Resources Analyst supervises and/or leads professional, paraprofessional, and clerical staff in a County of Sonoma Human Resources unit; provides technical guidance to professional staff on the most difficult or controversial projects or issues; conducts or assists staff with complex, high-profile, or politically sensitive work; reviews work of staff for accuracy, consistency, and current best practices; ensures that services and work products delivered by staff meet or exceed customer expectations for quality and timeliness; successfully resolves escalated issues; acts for their assigned Human Resources Manager during periods of absence and as directed; and performs related duties as assigned.
Employee and Labor Relations
Reporting to the Employee and Labor Relations Manager, the Principal Employee and Labor Relations Analyst supervises a team of Human Resources Analysts and a Human Resources Technician. This position both performs and supports staff with the most complex work involving Employee Relations processes, policies, and programs; and provides oversight during negotiations. Additionally, this position assists with Memorandum of Understanding interpretation; advises departments on grievances and disciplinary matters within the scope of bargaining; meets and confers with business units; represents the County on labor/management committees; and conducts trainings relative to employee relations matters.
Recruitment and Classification
Reporting to the Recruitment and Classification Manager, a Principal Human Resources Analyst supervises a team of Human Resources Analysts and Human Resources Technicians engaged in recruitment and classification activities. This working supervisor position will focus largely on classification and project work, while also performing some recruitment activities and overseeing the work of assigned staff. This position interprets, applies, and ensures compliance with Civil Service Rules, Memorandums of Understanding, and employment laws; and provides technical guidance and training to staff and County departments on human resources rules, policies, and best practices.
The ideal candidates for these positions will possess:
- Significant Human Resources experience within the scope of their assigned area, and an excellent understanding of current best practices and department objectives
- Thorough knowledge of County policies, bargaining agreements, rules, and processes
- Strong critical thinking skills; the ability to analyze and make sound decisions in light of ambiguous factors; good judgment; and a common sense approach
- An excellent supervision and mentorship skillset, with an aptitude for building and strengthening productive working relationships
- Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with executive HR management, departments, employee representatives, boards, and advisory bodies
- Outstanding customer service skills and a solution-oriented mindset
- The ability to communicate technical information in a clear and concise manner, both verbally and in writing
- The capacity to see the bigger picture while maintaining an attention to detail
- Excellent organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills
- A sense of humor
The Civil Service title for these positions is Supervising Human Resources Analyst.
APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS REQUIRE THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE BE COMPLETED.
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Academic course work which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, substantial course work in public administration, political science, business administration, human resources management, economics, marketing, psychology, sociology, and/or other related courses would provide such opportunity.
Experience: Training and/or experience that would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, at least three years of increasingly responsible professional human resources experience, including at least one year at the level of Human Resources Analyst III, would provide such opportunity.
License: Possession of a valid 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.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Thorough knowledge of: modern human resources principles and practices; job analysis; test development, including types of exams, validation methods, item writing, structured behavioral interviewing, and test-related issues such as adverse impact; recruiting methods, including sourcing, marketing, and employment branding; principles and practices of classification and compensation; wage and salary administration; Federal and State employment laws, especially those relating to recruitment, examination, classification, and compensation in the public sector; English composition, grammar, usage, and syntax.
Considerable knowledge of: public sector human resources management policies and practices; human resources information systems; basic statistics sufficient to analyze examination results.
Working knowledge of: principles and practices of supervision and performance management; principles of organization and management applicable to local government; principles and practices of public administration.
Ability to: plan, organize, assign, prioritize, delegate, and coordinate the work of self and others; balance competing priorities; establish performance standards and evaluate performance; coach subordinate staff in order to develop their skills and knowledge; work independently; gather, organize, and analyze data, draw conclusions, and make recommendations; understand, interpret, and apply provisions of applicable laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, memoranda of understanding, and operating procedures; prepare a variety of written documents, such as correspondence, policies, and performance evaluations; explain rules, policies, procedures, and technical concepts; communicate information in verbal and written form to a variety of people; establish and maintain working relationships with colleagues, subordinate staff, representatives of other departments and agencies, and members of the public; maintain objectivity and confidentiality; use a personal computer and standard business software applications, including word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation software, e-mail, and Internet search engines; learn and use general and specialized computer applications.
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 may be scored using position-specific criteria. Please provide specific and detailed responses of a reasonable length to allow for thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses which 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%) 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 number of candidates, anticipated vacancies, past practice, and natural breaks in the scores achieved by this group of candidates.
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 are 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 on-line 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. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.
The County of Sonoma prioritizes and is committed to continuously providing a workplace where equal employment opportunity is afforded to all people. Please view the County’s for further information.
HR Analyst: JL
HR Technician: KK
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 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: Choice of five health plans (a PPO, EPO, HMO, and two deductible HMOs) with a County paid premium contribution.
Cash Allowance: In addition to monthly salary, a cash allowance of approximately $600 per month.
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.
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 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
*IMPORTANT NOTES: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.
01
Please describe how your education, training, and experience have prepared you for a Principal Human Resources Analyst position.
02
Please describe your experience leading and/or supervising staff. Specify the number of staff, types of positions you led/supervised, and the scope of your responsibilities.
03
Please describe a challenging human resources related issue that required you to conduct research before advising on or resolving the matter. Describe the issue, how you approached becoming informed, and the result.
04
Please describe a human resources related project or labor relations matter you worked on that demonstrates your ability to take initiative and to be a creative thinker in problem solving.
Required Question