Supervising Animal Control Officer

Under general direction, reviews, plans and supervises the work of Animal Control Officers and clerical staff assigned to various program areas within the Department of Animal Services including, but not limited to: field services, shelter operations, clerical support, and/or licensing. Performs the most complex duties, assignments and related work as required.

Distinguishing Characteristics:
Incumbents in this classification are responsible for the overall supervision of field services, shelter operations and enforcement programs. The class differs from Animal Control Officer III in that the latter is a non-supervisory position with more limited responsibilities.

EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE: Some positions may be eligible for educational incentive. This incentive may be 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% for incumbents in eligible positions based on completion of an Associate's, Bachelor's, or Master's degree that is not required for the classification.

BILINGUAL INCENTIVE: Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. In order to qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency exam with a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher.

DEPARTMENT/AGENCY: Health Care Agency - Animal Services

Supervising Animal Control Officer is represented by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime compensation.

NOTE: This classification is within a bargaining unit that is subject to an agency shop arrangement which mandates a Regular employee to either join Local 721 of SEIU and pay dues as a member OR either pay a service fee to Local 721 or direct that an amount equivalent to the service fee be distributed to a qualified charitable organization.

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 within the Health Care Agency Animal Services Department.  There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
OPENING DATE: May 18, 2018
CLOSING DATE: Continuous and may close at any time; therefore, the schedule for the remainder of the process will depend upon when we receive a sufficient number of qualified applications to meet business needs.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Plans, organizes, coordinates, and supervises an assigned program area and its staff.  Program areas include: state and local law enforcement; complaint investigation; animal quarantine, inspection, relocation and removal; and animal care, feeding, movement, treatment and euthanasia;

• Plans, implements and supervises special public interest programs such as public information, rabies and predator control, animal adoption, spay-neuter programs, and various licensing functions;

• Prepares work schedules and coordinates assignments of personnel and equipment;

• Supervises the day to day activities of Department personnel assigned to shelter operations, field/enforcement units and /or clerical support tasks;

• Investigates and resolves public relations problems and responds to complaints;

• Participates in the identification of problems, needs and objectives of the Department;

• Responsible for the selection, review, discipline, training, evaluation, development and deployment of subordinate staff;

• Ensures proper maintenance, inventory and control of specialized equipment, facilities, vehicles, weapons and communications devices;

• Maintains accurate records of field and shelter operations including: animal impounds, quarantines, euthanasia, reclaim and adoption; field activities, field and internal investigations; staff deployment, time reporting, and vacation/sick leave usage; and other records as needed;

• Uses and operates specialized equipment such as tranquilizer weapons, firearms, livestock trailers, command post and other equipment and vehicles as required; and

• Performs other related duties as required.

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:
To qualify for this classification, an individual must possess the experience that would likely produce the required knowledge, skills, and abilities:

Example of qualifying experience is:
Five (5) years of increasingly responsible Animal Services or animal welfare experience in a government animal control agency or State chartered humane organization.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Successful completion of a PC 832 course in arrest, search, seizure and firearms
• Possession and maintenance of a valid California driver license
• Must have experience using animal management software programs
• Must have experience  supervising staff 
• Must be willing and able to work rotating shifts including nights, weekends and holidays 
• Must be willing and able to work around dangerous and diseased animals
• Must be willing and able to wear a uniform during working hours
• Must be willing and able to lift up to 50 pounds

FINAL FILING DATE:  This is a continuous recruitment and may close at any time; therefore, apply as soon as possible if you are interested in it. Your application must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on the closing date.

To apply on-line, please refer to our web site at www.ventura.org/hr. 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.

Note to Applicants: 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.

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 for additional information.

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 exam process to assist in determining each applicant's qualifications and acceptability for the position. Failure to complete and submit the questionnaire may result in the application being removed from consideration.

APPLICATION EVALUATION – qualifying: All applications will be reviewed to determine whether or not the stated requirements are met. Those individuals meeting the stated requirements will be invited to continue to the next step in the screening and selection process.

COMPARATIVE SCREENING - qualifying: If there is a high number of qualified applicants, a comparative screening will be conducted to determine which of the applicants will be selected for invitation to the oral exam. Applications will be evaluated and ranked according to criteria that most closely meets the needs of the department, so it is essential that applicants provide as much detail as possible and answer all parts of the application and supplemental questionnaire ("and supplemental questionnaire" only if there is one).

ORAL EXAM – 100%: A job-related oral exam will be conducted to evaluate and compare participating applicants' knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to those factors which job analysis has determined to be essential for successful performance of the job. Applicants 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 oral exam will 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.
Applicants successfully completing the exam process may be placed on an eligible list for a period of one (1) year.