Career Opportunity

8534-Supervising Adult Probation Officer (SFERS) Exam Announcement

Recruitment: REF46051R

Published: October 21, 2024

Accepting applications until: November 06, 2024

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal Learn More

About:

The San Francisco Adult Probation Department values the individuality and diversity of justice involved adults, recognize the unique challenges they face, and invest in their success through services designed to help them permanently exit the criminal justice system. Our reentry and rehabilitative services complement our supvision strategies by providing a unique blend of opportunity and accountability. We extend a continuum of integrated services to address our clients’ criminogenic needs and empower them to become productive members of the community. SFAPD dedicates endless energy toward enhancing public safety, seeking victim restoration and accountability, providing structured and evidence-based supervision, all on the behalf of the Superior Court of San Francisco.  The Department’s mission: Protect and Serve the Community, Further Justice, Inspire Change, and Prioritize Racial Equity so that all People May Thrive, is achieved through the implementation and integration of evidence based practices which have been shown to be effective in reducing recidivism and improving public safety.

Role description

This classification directly supervises Deputy Probation Officers.

MAJOR, IMPORTANT, AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1. Assigns, directs and observes the activities of Deputy Probation Officers engaged in assessing, interviewing, advising and supervising probationers consistent with Evidence Based Probation Supervision Practices.
2. Balances unit caseload assignments, and responsible for the distribution and management of unit caseloads/workloads.
3. Reviews court reports written by probation officers for accuracy and completeness.
4. Organizes and conducts training for newly hired probation officers and instructs them regarding departmental policies and procedures; trains staff on changes in laws, and in departmental policies and procedures.
5. Reports to and consults with Division Directors including but not limited to matters involving problem cases, incidents and any concerns with the Department’s policies.
6. Provide supervision and direction for emergency situations; this may include responding to disturbances/emergencies and providing intervention as needed
7. Confers with attorneys, judges and representatives of other agencies on cases. Communicates with probationers, department staff and others engaged in probation-related activities.
8. Confers and exchanges information on probationers with representatives of social service organizations, treatment providers and others participating in the rehabilitation of probationers.
9. Prepares and reviews technical reports and operational records; prepares memoranda for staff. Researches and processes information, compiles and reports monthly workload statistics, creates and maintains records, and prepares correspondences and reports through use of internet, e-mail, word processing, and spreadsheets.
10. Assists in the development, negotiation, implementation and administration of contracts and grants; Coordinates interagency meetings regarding services and grants.
11. Provides guidance and training for Deputy Probation Officers who make referrals to treatment modalities that offer probationers the best chances of success and supervise and counsel probationers to assist in complying with court orders, educational and vocational services, and family counseling. Monitor the quality of staff court reports and client risk and need assessments.
12. Participates in specialized assignments including, but not limited to: drug abatement, sex crimes, serious/habitual offenders, multiple agency task force, field enforcement, and community liaison.
13. Provides oversight to the Deputy Probation Officers who supervise adult offenders including assigning cases which may entail severe personality and emotional disorders, dangerously aggressive behavior, and aggravated offenses.
14. Receives and reviews any complaint from a probation officer or any member of the general public against a probation officer and refer as necessary to the Division Director, Deputy Chief or the Chief.
15. Represents the Department at commissions, court hearings, community agencies and community events; speaks before interested groups on probation Department policies, procedures, and objectives; acts in a liaison role to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, other county agencies/departments and private collateral treatment resources staff in the enforcement of court orders, community protection and assisting in the recent rehabilitation of offenders.
16. Prepares and submits performance evaluation of probation officer and develops corrective action plans as necessary.
17. Plans, develops, implements, directs and monitors the programs in your assigned unit and other various related services that are consistent with the mission, vision, and core values of the department.
18. Responsible for developing and monitoring monthly schedules for a unit(s), including officer of the day, training, vacation, extended leaves and various special coverage requirements.
19. Ensure staff awareness of safety-related guidelines through ongoing training and staff meetings; authorizes and participates in arrest situations, search and seizure activities; oversees routine use of safety equipment including chemical agents, soft body armor, restraint equipment and firearms to ensure compliance with legal mandates and policy guidelines.
20. May act for a Division Director in his or her absence.
21. Performs other related duties as required.

How to qualify

Education:

Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university (major course work in the social sciences or related fields preferred).

Experience:

Four (4) years of verifiable experience as a probation officer working with offenders in a criminal justice system. At least two (2) years of the required four (4) years must include experience working with adult offenders.

Substitution:

Two (2) years of experience as a parole officer working with offenders in a criminal justice system may substitute for two (2) years of the required probation officer experience.

Knowledge of:

• Accepted principles and practices in community corrections including evidence-based practices
• The principles and methods of investigation and supervision of adult probation cases
• Accepted methods of supervision
• The functions of a probation department and its activities
• Community resources for probationers
• The California Penal Code, Rules of Court and other sections including State, Federal and Local statues as it relates to adult probation work
• Peace Officers Bill of Rights, Memorandum of Understanding with Deputy Probation Officer Association
• Employee supervision techniques

Ability to:

• Organize and supervise the work of a group of subordinates
• Maintain consistent and regular attendance
• Identify and choose appropriate solutions to problems from a variety of alternatives
• Work tactfully and persuasively, and establish a rapport with community groups, court representatives, attorneys, supervised staff, department administrators and others
• Communicate clearly with a variety of people, including administrative and subordinate staff, of various educational and socio-cultural backgrounds
• Demonstrate effective public speaking skills, including planning and preparation of material and effective presentations
• Effectively apply interviewing and listening skills
• Read, interpret, and apply complex legal information related to the criminal justice process and regulations
• Access and implement training and learning theory techniques
• Deal effectively with subordinates and superiors in a fair manner
• Motivate subordinates
• Coordinate work with others
• Implement and interpret new policies and procedures
• Set goals and objectives and establish priorities
• Be flexible and tolerant in adjusting to changes in workload and assignments
• Effectively set and meet deadlines
• Demonstrate self-restraint, judgement and strategy in dealing with a variety of people, adversaries and advocates under varying situations, conditions, and circumstances
• Define problems, collect information, establish facts, evaluate alternative solutions, draw valid conclusions and select and act on the best alternative
• Use community resources to meet the needs of clients
• Write clearly, accurately, and concisely and use grammatically correct English to convey ideas in written reports, letters, records and memoranda
• Edit reports written by subordinates to ensure clear, accurate, and concise product and oral presentations
• Provide consultation, regarding family system analysis and interpersonal relations
• Decision making, coach staff and model leadership behavior
• Effectively utilize self-defense techniques
• May be required to be armed

What else should I know?

Eligible List/Score Report: 

A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be twelve (12) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. 

Certification:
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List.

Terms of Announcement: Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations.  [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at CCSF Jobs (SmartRecruiters)] The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 410.4.  Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency ATTN: Human Resources Examinations and Classification Unit, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement.  Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at http://sfgov.org/civilservice/rules.

How to Apply:

Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/ and begin the application process.

• Select the “I’m Interested” button and follow the instructions on the screen

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco: Information About The Hiring Process / Conviction History / Employee Benefits Overview / Equal Employment Opportunity / Disaster Service Worker / ADA Accommodation / Veterans Preference / Right to Work / Copies of Application Documents / Diversity Statement

    SELECTION PROCEDURES

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which are described below.

Reminder:

• We communicate via e-mail, so please ensure that you have access to the e-mail address with which you have registered. All communications related to this recruitment will be sent to the e-mail you registered. 

Minimum Qualifications Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight: Pass/Fail)
Candidates will be sent a Minimum Qualifications Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ) via email as part of the employment application. Applicants will be required to respond to the MQSQ in the time frame indicated, and submit their answers as directed. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for this position.  The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation (Weight: 60%)
Candidates who meet the minimum qualifications will be invited to participate in a written examination designed to measure the knowledge, skills and abilities in job-related areas as described in this announcement. Candidates much achieve a passing score on the Supplemental Questionnaire examination to be ranked on the eligible list. 
 

Supervisory Test Battery (STB) (Weight: 40%)

Candidates who receive a passing score on Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation will be invited to participate in the Supervisory Test Battery exam. The Supervisory Test Battery (STB) is a computer-administered examination that is designed to measure competencies in job-related areas which may include but are not be limited to: Problem Solving; Leadership; Decision Making; Interpersonal skills; Human Resources Management; Team Building; Communication & Conflict Management. For more information about this Supervisory Test (and a suggested reading list) please visit: https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Exam-Information/11676-Supervisory-Test-Battery.pdf 

A passing score must be achieved on the Supervisory Test Battery in order to continue in the selection process. This is a standardized examination, and, therefore, test questions and answers are not available for public inspection or review.

Scores attained on the Supervisory Test Battery will be valid and 'banked' for three years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year period, you will not be required to take the Supervisory Test Battery. The Supervisory Test Battery may be used for many other classes; therefore, your test score may be applied to one or more of these classes if you choose to apply to future recruitments. If the selection process for the future announcement is held within one year of the date of this examination and it includes the Supervisory Test Battery, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement, However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the Supervisory Test Battery. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which the Supervisory Test Battery is used. Please note that, should you re-test, your re-test score would become your official score since it is the most recent.

After the eligible list is finalized/adopted, the department may administer additional selection procedures to make a final hiring decision (e.g. interviews, written exercise, etc.).

Applicants meeting the Minimum Qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through all steps of the selection process.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.