Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator

The County of Yolo is recruiting to fill one (1) regular, full-time position in the class of Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator at the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). This position does not offer a telecommuting option.

The Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator position within the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is a management-level position overseeing the Special Investigation Unit (SIU). The SIU Chief is directly responsible for supporting and managing the activities of investigators assigned to investigate suspected Welfare Fraud cases of public assistance programs housed primarily within the Services Centers branch of HHSA. This position will also be responsible for taking on a lead role in the agency's security efforts.

The ideal candidate for this position must be a positive, well-organized, self-starter and must be able to exercise independent judgment in the supervision of staff. The ideal candidate must have great communication skills, strong attention to detail, ability to handle and manage multiple priorities, must be able to lead a team of both sworn and non-sworn personnel, and must be a team player who leads by example. The ideal candidate should have experience working with sensitive and complex investigations, advanced interview and interrogation skills, and should be familiar with public assistance laws and regulations. The ideal candidate will exercise sound judgment in dealing with confidential client and law enforcement sensitive information and will be required to keep such information guarded. The ideal candidate should be proficient in writing detailed investigative reports and should have experience with the process and legal requirements for writing and obtaining search warrants.

DEFINITION

Under general direction, plans and manages the activities and personnel supporting and performing investigative work related to cases of suspected Welfare Fraud and violations of public assistance laws and regulations; conducts skilled, difficult, and sensitive investigations; develops, interprets, implements, and evaluates programmatic/operational improvements, policies, and procedures for the Special Investigation Unit; serves as the Health and Human Services Agency's Safety and Security Coordinator; and ensures compliance with Federal and State welfare regulatory and statutory authority.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator is a single-position management sworn peace officer classification responsible for the activities and operations at the Special Investigation Unit of the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). The incumbent exercises considerable independent judgment and discretion in staff supervision and delegated administration including the prioritization and coordination of HHSA mandates, goals, and objectives. The incumbent, as needed, conducts the most sensitive and complex public assistance fraud investigations, oversees HHSA safety and security, and has administrative responsibilities for formulating policies and procedures associated with Welfare Fraud prevention, detection, and resolution. The incumbent receives direction from the Service Center Branch Director or Deputy Branch Director. The Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator is distinguished from the Welfare Fraud Investigator II in that the latter is the journey level class responsible for performing investigative work. The Welfare Fraud Investigator class series is distinguished from other investigative classes in that positions in the former class series are designated to be specialized peace officers pursuant to the California Penal Code Section 830.35 (a) for the purposes of Welfare Fraud investigation.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Directs activities of an investigation unit including coordination and monitoring multi-agency investigations for alleged or suspected violation of laws where multiple jurisdictions are involved; establishing and maintaining inter-agency rapport and cooperation; providing confidential information to Federal, State and local agencies and responding to inquiries from the public; and coordinating with prosecuting attorneys on investigative support needs, presentation of evidence, credibility/sequence of witnesses, and other matters related to pre-trial preparation.
• Reviews and approves completed investigative reports and correspondence for completeness, accuracy, appropriateness, and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Supervises, provides technical guidance and training, assigns, and evaluates the work of subordinate personnel performing investigative tasks related to Welfare Fraud and violations; ensures subordinates have or stay current on mandated trainings and licenses/certifications (e.g., safe handling and storage of firearms; Specialized Investigator's Basic Course; and Peace Officer Standards and Training).
• Establishes standards for acceptable work products and evaluating performance; participates in hiring interviews and personnel selections; initiates and implements disciplinary actions and terminations; provides and recommends career development mentoring and training opportunities to ensure staff are properly trained; and recognizes employees' work efforts and accomplishments.
• Stays informed of current, interprets, explains, and ensures adherence to court rulings, laws, rules, and regulations relating to Welfare Fraud investigations, accesses data from the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (CLETS), and HHSA policies and procedures, including assessing the risk associated with providing investigative services and recommending changes to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of operations.
• Advises, assists in, and conducts difficult and sensitive investigations including deciding on the types of investigations to conduct, methodologies to use, and whether to conduct follow-up investigations.
• Locates suspected persons, witnesses, and other relevant parties using a variety of surveillance and tracing methods including obtaining and/or assisting with the issuance of search warrants and subpoenas.
• Interviews, obtains, and evaluates statements from a variety of parties including suspected persons, witnesses, complainants, public assistance personnel, and representatives of businesses or other governmental agencies to obtain facts and credible evidence to verify or refute allegations of fraud.
• Communicates, confers, and maintains liaison with the courts, District Attorney's Office, HHSA executive team, and law enforcement and regulatory agencies on matters relating to investigations and acquisition of required information.
• Oversees the compilation and maintenance of thorough investigative activities, records, reports, and caseload statistics and directs and participates in the preparation of the Special Investigation Unit's annual budget.
• Arranges for the collection of evidence; assembles and prepares evidence for presentation in court; and testifies in court or State hearings on findings and results of investigations.
• Serves as the HHSA's Safety and Security Coordinator by leading the Safety Committee; providing recommendations regarding security and safety issues to management; developing and implementing safety plans in accordance with California Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations and County's risk management and safety programs; ensuring the security of staff, property, facilities, and members of the public; coordinating and monitoring the work of contractors and reviewing invoices to ensure compliance with contract terms and provisions; and conducting safety and security training for staff and contracted security officers.
• Performs related duties as assigned.

Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university; AND

Experience: Five (5) years of journey level experience in investigative law enforcement work or three (3) years working as a supervisor over sworn peace officers.

Substitution: Additional years of experience working as a supervisor over sworn peace officers may substitute for up to two years of the required education.

Peace Officer Status and Certification Requirement: Individual in this position is a peace officer as defined in 830.35(a) of the California Penal Code. As such, at the time of appointment, the incumbent must meet the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) stipulated in Sections 1029 - 1031 of the California Government Code.

In accordance with Section 832.25(a) of the California Penal Code, the Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator shall attend and complete a California Commission on POST approved Specialized Investigators Basic Course (SIBC) or Regular Basic Course (RBC) within one year of being hired as the Chief Welfare Fraud Investigator.

Possession of a Basic Course Waiver (BCW) or possession of a POST Advanced and Supervisory or Management certificate at the time of appointment to the designated peace officer position fulfills the above requirement. All training must comply with the POST three (3) year rule.

License Requirement: This classification requires the incumbent to possess and maintain a valid California driver's license, Class C or higher, to carry out job related duties. Individual who does not meet this requirement due to a physical or mental disability may request a reasonable accommodation.

Application Process
It is highly recommended that you print this job bulletin for future reference.
Your application should highlight all relevant education, training, and experience, and clearly indicate how you meet the minimum qualifications for the position as of the closing date. Application information must be current, concise, and related to the requirements in this job announcement. A resume may be included with your application; however, it will not substitute for the information requested on the application. In addition to a completed application , applicants are required to submit a completed supplemental questionnaire, and for this position. Incomplete applications will be disqualified.
Additional documents may be submitted to the Yolo County Human Resources Office in any one or more of the following ways:

• As an attachment to the online application
• By e-mail to hhsa.jobs@yolocounty.org
• By hand-delivery to 625 Court Street, Room 101, Woodland, CA 95695. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

All required documents must be received by the Human Resources Office by the closing date. Postmarks will not be accepted. Human Resources is not responsible for the untimely delivery of materials sent via U.S./specialized mail, or County interoffice mail.
Selection Procedure
The following is a tentative schedule of events that will occur as part of the selection process. The selection process steps, and all listed dates, may change with or without notice.

• Screen for Minimum Qualifications
• Screen for Best Qualified
• Department Selection Interviews
• Reference Checks
• Conditional Job Offer, pending:
  1. Pre-Employment Exams
     • Drug & Alcohol Screen
     • Department of Justice LiveScan
  2. Proof of Vaccination or Exemption
• Confirmed Job Offer
• Estimated Start Date: June/July 2024

Verification of Education
Acceptable forms of educational documentation are official or unofficial transcripts that list the student's name, institution name, field of study and date the degree was awarded.
For recent graduates who have not received proof of their degree yet, a letter from the registrar's office stating that all requirements for graduation have been met and listing the field of study will be sufficient proof of graduation.
Please do not send originals; copies of the required documents are acceptable. Any submitted documents will not be returned.
All foreign transcripts or diplomas must be in English. If the institution does not provide these documents in English, the applicant will need to provide a translation which has been done by a professional agency. The County of Yolo will accept education as equivalent to U.S. accreditation from Institutions that are listed as members of the International Association of Universities. You may check for your school by visiting the IAU web site (http://www.iau-aiu.net/content/institutions).
Applicants who possess a degree or completed coursework that is not from an accredited college or university, must submit one of the following:
1. A written statement from a U.S. accredited university or college that states that the applicant is qualified for entrance to a program of graduate studies for which a degree in a related field is required.
2. An evaluation of the applicant's degree and coursework equivalency by a private organization that provides foreign credential evaluation services. The evaluation must include a comparison of comparable U.S. courses for content, credit and grade.
Note: Foreign language documents must include a precise word-for-word English translation of all foreign language documents. It is the responsibility of each applicant to prove to the satisfaction of the County that the applicant meets the specific requirements listed on the job announcement for each specific examination. The following is a list of private organizations that provide foreign credential evaluation services. Fees range from $50 to $400 per document; processing times vary from 5-20 business days. For further information, please contact the organization(s). The County of Yolo does not endorse these business entities; this list has been developed for informational purposes only.
EDUCATIONAL RECORDS EVALUATION SERVICE
601 University Ave., Suite 127
Sacramento, CA 95825
(916) 921-0790
www.eres.com
FOREIGN EDUCATION DOCUMENT SERVICE
P.O. Box 151739
San Diego, CA 92175
(619) 265-5810
www.documentservice.org
CENTER FOR APPLIED RESEARCH, EVALUATION & EDUCATION, INC.
P.O. Box 18358 Anaheim, CA 92817
(714) 237-9272
www.iescaree.com
GLOBAL SERVICES ASSOCIATES, INC.
409 North Pacific Coast Highway, # 393
Redondo Beach, CA 90277
(310) 828-5709
www.globaleval.org
INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION CREDENTIAL...