Program Specialist II

Program Specialist II

Salary

$70,925.49 - $95,998.50 Annually

Location

Riverside

Job Type

Regular

Job Number

26-79819-04

Department

Housing and Workforce Solutions

Opening Date

10/28/2026

Closing Date

11/4/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

For questions regarding this position, please contact the Recruiter listed in the Supplemental Information section.

ABOUT THE POSITION

The County of Riversides Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions (HWS), Office of Homeless Services (OHS), is seeking a qualified Program Specialist II to join the team in Riverside

The Program Specialist II will support the department by coordinating and administering federal and state homeless programs and services. Duties include, but are not limited to, administering and monitoring homeless programs such as outreach, case management, advocacy, and housing services for adults, youth, and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These services are delivered by subcontracted service providers. The incumbent will work with external agencies and service providers to effectively deliver needed services to clients. The incumbent may also assist with encampment coordination, which includes on-site surveying of homeless populations, site clean-ups, and connecting individuals experiencing homelessness to appropriate services. This position works under the guidance of the Senior Program Specialist and under direct supervision of the Supervising Development Specialist, may serve as a technical resource for temporary employees and/or interns, and may perform additional duties as assigned.

The department is seeking candidates with experience in grant administration, including, but not limited to, tasks such as preparing federal and state grant proposals, preparing and issuing requests for proposals for local competitions, monitoring grant budgets, ensuring compliance with funding requirements, tracking project deliverables, submitting progress or financial reports, coordinating with funding agencies, and providing technical assistance to subcontracted service providers, as well as prior experience with homeless service programming. Candidates should also have experience using the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), demonstrate professional customer service, communication, organizational, and analytical skills, and have the ability to work effectively amid changing priorities and tight timelines. Bilingual ability in Spanish is not required, but it is highly desired.

Meet the Team!

The Housing and Workforce Solutions (HWS) Department Office of Homeless Services' (OHS) primary purpose is to develop and maintain an effective county-wide Continuum of Care (CoC). The CoC oversees our communitys plan to organize and deliver supportive social services, including housing options, which meet the specific needs of individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Ultimately, the goal of the CoC is to move people experiencing homelessness, or at risk of homelessness, toward stable housing and self-sufficiency. This efforts purpose is to end homelessness in the County of Riverside. Can you see yourself here?

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Analyze new and revised legislation which govern social services programs to determine impact upon operations; analyze existing operations and procedures within an assigned area.
• Conduct studies and make recommendations for procedural or organizational changes including staffing requirements and costs; plan and coordinate the implementation of program changes with systems (EDP) and other departmental areas.
• Oversee general complaint function: investigate complaints involving various homeless and social services programs.
• Develop and review departmental policies and procedures to ensure compliance with state and federal legislation, regulations, and directives.
• Compose, organize, and revise departmental policy and procedure manuals; may plan and coordinate the development of new and revised programs, contracts, and interagency agreements with department staff, other County departments, and community agencies.
• Act as a technical expert or resource person to department staff and other interested individuals regarding social services, and homeless program policies, and procedures.
• Research, analyze, and prepare recommendations regarding special projects assigned by the the Directors, managers, or other administrative staff.
• Compose selected correspondence, reports, and directives for use by the division/department and designated staff members.
• Correspond with and act as a department liaison with various state agencies and departments; may serve as a department representative on various homeless and social services assistance committees.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

OPTION I

Education: Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelors degree in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field.

Additional caseworker experience in the program for which the position is being filled may be substituted for the required education on the basis of one year of experience for 30 semester or 45 quarter units of college level coursework.

Experience: One year of lead or supervisory caseworker experience in a human services program.

OPTION II

Experience: One year of experience comparable to a Program Specialist I in a Department of Social Services.

Knowledge of: Principles, philosophies, and operations of social services and/or child support programs; the federal, state, and local social services and/or child support programs and their supporting legislation; available sources of social services rules and regulations; principles of organization, planning, research and analysis.

Ability to: Interpret new and revised regulations and project possible and/or probable impacts to the department; develop, revise, and implement departmental operating policies and procedures; define organizational, procedural, and resource allocation problems; collect, organize, and evaluate pertinent data, define and validate conclusions, identify alternative solutions and project consequences of decisions and recommendations; may perform mathematical and statistical computations required for cost analysis, reports, and record keeping; prepare clear, concise, and complete reports, correspondence, directives, and manuals; speak effectively in groups and individual situations; establish and maintain effective line of communication and working relationships at all organizational levels; give and follow oral and written instructions; work in the presence of changing priorities and tight time schedules; operate a microcomputer and use a variety of applications software packages.

Other Requirements

License: Possession of a valid California Drivers License is required.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

For questions regarding this recruitment

Contact Danilo Lozano at DaLozano@rivco.org or 951-955-1605. Please allow 1-2 business days for a response to general inquiries.

____

APPLICATION INFORMATION

Veterans Preference

The County has a Veterans Preference Policy applicable to new hires. To qualify, attach the required documents to your job application. Documents include a copy of your (or your spouses) Member-4 Form DD-214 indicating dates of service. For spousal preference, and as applicable, the following documents: a copy of your marriage certificate, spouses death certificate, a letter of spouses disability and/or letter of service-related death (if available) from the U.S. Veterans Administration. For privacy reasons, it is recommended that you remove your social security information from the document(s). A Human Resources Representative will review the materials and determine if you qualify for veterans preference. For complete details and documentation requirements, please review the Veterans Preference Policy, C-3 here: https://rivcocob.org/board-policies

Reasonable Accommodations

The County of Riverside is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to applicants as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). Qualified individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process should contact the recruiter for the position noted above. For additional information and/or to obtain the appropriate form for requesting a reasonable accommodation, please visit the Disability Access Office web page located at: https://rc-hr.com/disability

Schedule, Overtime, Standby/On-Call, and Travel Obligations

The County of Riverside offers a variety of alternative work schedules, dependent upon department operations and needs. Certain assignments may involve overtime, standby/on-call shifts, and/or travel; however, scheduling, shift assignments, overtime work, standby/on-call duty, and travel obligations are subject to management approval, operational needs, and/or may be modified or discontinued at any time. Applicants should contact the assigned recruiter for additional information regarding the schedule, overtime and standby/on-call expectations, and travel obligations.

Proof of Education

If using education to qualify or when requested by the recruiter, upload a copy of any license(s), official/unofficial transcript(s), degrees, and/or related employment documents to your NeoGov account at the time of application and before the closing date. Official or unofficial transcripts will be accepted.

If your education was completed outside of the United States, you will need to provide a copy of your Foreign Education Equivalency evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE).

Work Authorization Requirement

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States at the time of application. The County of Riverside does not participate in visa sponsorship programs, including H1-B visas, and will not provide sponsorship for any employment-based visas.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The County of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is the policy of the County of Riverside to provide equal employment opportunities for all qualified persons. All applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, ancestry, medical condition (cancer and genetic characteristics), genetic information, or denial of medical and family care leave, or any other non-job-related factors.

Pre-Employment

All employment offers are contingent upon successful completion of pre-employment requirements including a criminal background investigation, which involves fingerprinting. (A felony or misdemeanor conviction may disqualify the applicant from County employment). A pre-employment physical examination and background check may be required.

Probationary Period

As an Approved Local Merit System, all County of Riverside employees, except those serving "At Will," are subject to the probationary period provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding, County Resolution, or Salary Ordinance. Temporary and Per Diem employees serve at the pleasure of the agency/department head.

General Information

Current County of Riverside and/or current employees of the hiring department may receive priority consideration. Qualified candidates may be considered for future County vacancies.

Job postings may close without notice based on application volume. Submit your complete application by the recruitment close date; no late applications are accepted. Ensure all relevant experience/education is reflected on your application/resume, as a failure to demonstrate position requirements may disqualify applicants. A description of job duties directly copied from the job classification or job posting will not be considered.

Please read and follow any special application instructions on this posting. Click the Apply link located on this page to submit your application. For additional instructions on the application process, examinations, Veterans preference, pre-employment accommodation or other employment questions, please refer to our web site, www.rc-hr.com.

If you are experiencing technical problems, you may contact the governmentjobs.com applicant support desk Monday through Friday, 6 am to 5 pm Pacific Time at support@governmentjobs.com or toll-free 1-855-524-5627.

BENEFIT PROGRAM: SEI

MEDICAL/DENTAL/VISION INSURANCE: A choice of different medical, dental and visions plan are available to elect. The County provides a Flexible Benefit Credit contribution as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding to contribute towards the cost of these plans.

Note: Employees on assignment through the Temporary Assignment Program (TAP) receive different benefits. See the list here.

MISCELLANEOUS RETIREMENT: County of Riverside has three retirement Tiers through the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS).

• Tier I (Classic Member - Formula 3% @ 60): Applicable to current and former County of Riverside local miscellaneous employees hired prior to 08/24/2012 and did not withdraw CalPERS contributions. The employee contribution is eight (8%) percent.
• Tier II (Classic Member - Formula 2% @ 60): Applicable to local miscellaneous employees 1) hired after 08/23/2012 through 12/31/2012; 2) Previously employed with another CalPERS contracting public agency or a reciprocal retirement system, with a break in service of less than six months between the separation date with the previous employer and the appointment date with the County of Riverside. The employee contribution is seven (7%) percent.
• Tier III (PEPRA New Member - Formula 2% @ 62): Applicable to CalPERS local miscellaneous new members hired on or after the implementation of the Public Employees Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA) which took effect January 1, 2013. Effective July 1, 2023 employee contributions are 7.25% and will increase to 7.75% effective July 1, 2024.

A new member is defined as any of the following:

• A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who has no prior membership in any California Public Retirement System.
• A new hire who enters CalPERS membership for the first time on or after January 1, 2013, and who was a member with another California Public Retirement System prior to that date, but who is not subject to reciprocity upon joining CalPERS.
• A member who first established CalPERS membership prior to January 1, 2013, and who is rehired by a different CalPERS agency after a break in service of greater than six (6) months.

CalPERS refers to all members that do not fit within the definition of a new member as "classic members".

Contribution rates are subject to change based on the County of Riverside annual actuarial valuation.

Note:

This summary is for general information purposes only. Additional questions regarding retirement formulas can be sent to retirement@rivco.org or by calling the Benefits Information Line at (951) 955-4981,

Option 2.

If you have prior service credit with another CalPERS agency or within agencies, please contact CalPERS at (888) 225-7377 to determine which retirement tier would be applicable to you. CalPERS is governed by the Public Employees Retirement Law. The Retirement Law is complex and subject to change. If theres any conflict between this summary and the law, the law will prevail over this summary.

DEFERRED COMPENSATION: Voluntary employee contribution with a choice between two 457 deferred compensation plan options.

VACATION ACCRUAL (Bi-Weekly Accrual):

0 < 3 year = 80 Hours (10 Days)

4 < 9 years = 120 Hours (15 Days)

10 or more years = 160 Hours (20 Days)

Maximum Vacation leave accumulation is 480 hours.

SICK LEAVE: Four (4) hours Sick Leave accrual per pay period with unlimited accrual.

HOLIDAYS: Normally 12 paid holidays per year.

BEREAVEMENT LEAVE: Allowed 5 days (3 days are County paid; 2 additional days can be taken from accrued Sick Leave balance).

BASIC LIFE INSURANCE: Equal to one times annual base salary not to exceed $50,000 of term life coverage. Premiums are paid by the County. Additional Supplemental Life plan is available for employee purchase.

DISABILITY:

Employees contribute to State Disability Insurance (SDI), which provides wage replacement benefits for individuals who are unable to work due to non-work-related illness, injury, or pregnancy. SDI also includes Paid Family Leave Benefits. The wage replacement rate is determined by current law, offering 60-70% of the wages earned during the SDI eligibility period.

Additionally, employees receive employer-paid Long-Term Disability Benefits, which cover 66.67% of pre-disability earnings, up to a maximum of $10,000 per month. There is a 365-day waiting period before these benefits become active. Employees may coordinate these benefits with other available leave balances to receive up to 100% of their regular pay.

POST RETIREMENT MEDICAL CONTRIBUTION: A monthly contribution is made by the County towards retiree health insurance offered through the County as governed by the applicable SEIU Memorandum of Understanding.

OTHER: There may be other benefit provisions as specified in the applicable Memorandum of Understanding. Please contact the recruiter listed on the job posting directly for more information.

01

Are you a current or temporary County of Riverside employee with the Department of Housing and Workforce Solutions (HWS)?

• Yes
• No

02

Select the answer that best describes your current driver license status:

• I have a valid California Class A license.
• I have a valid California Class B license.
• I have a valid California Class C license.
• I am able to obtain a valid California driver license.
• I currently have a valid out-of-state driver license, and am able to obtain a valid California driver license.
• I do not have and/or I am not able to obtain a California driver license.

03

What is the highest level of education you have from an accredited college or university in social welfare, social or behavioral sciences, social/human services, counseling, or a closely related field?

• None of these
• Less than 30 semester or 45 quarter units
• At least 30 semester or 45 quarter units
• At least 60 semester or 90 quarter units
• At least 90 semester or 135 quarter units
• At least 120 semester or 180 quarter units
• I have my Associates degree
• I have my Bachelors degree
• I have my Masters degree or higher

04

How many years of lead or supervisory caseworker experience do you have in human services programs? (Include details on your resume/application)

• No experience
• Less than twelve months
• One year or more, but less than two
• Two years or more, but less than three
• Three years or more, but less than four
• Four years or more, but less than five
• Five years or more

05

How many years of experience do you have that is comparable to a Program Specialist I in a Department of Social Services? (Include details on your resume/application)

• No experience
• Less than twelve months
• One year or more, but less than two
• Two years or more, but less than three
• Three years or more, but less than four
• Four years or more, but less than five
• Five years or more

06

Do you have experience using the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)? (Include details on your resume/application)

• Yes
• No

07

How many years of experience do you have in grant administration, including preparing grant proposals, monitoring grant budgets, ensuring compliance with funding requirements, tracking project deliverables, submitting progress or financial reports, and coordinating with funding agencies? (Include details on your resume/application)

• No experience
• Less than twelve months
• One year or more, but less than two
• Two years or more, but less than three
• Three years or more, but less than four
• Four years or more, but less than five
• Five years or more

08

How many years of experience do you have in housing services programming (e.g., housing navigation, housing stability case management, administering rental assistance programs, coordinating supportive housing services, or working with permanent supportive housing or rapid rehousing programs)? (Include details on your resume/application)

• No experience
• Less than twelve months
• One year or more, but less than two
• Two years or more, but less than three
• Three years or more, but less than four
• Four years or more, but less than five
• Five years or more

Required Question

Employer County of Riverside

Address County Admin. Center P.O. Box 1569

4080 Lemon St., 7th floor

Riverside, California, 92502-1569

Phone Contact Recruiter for Job Information

Website http://www.rc-hr.com