Information Technology Specialist - Desktop Lead

What We Offer

Working at the County of Sonoma offers expansive opportunities for growth and development, the ability to be a part of a challenging and rewarding work environment, and the satisfaction of knowing you're working to better our communities. You can also look forward to flexible work arrangements and excellent benefits* including:

• Salary Advancement - A salary increase after 1,040 hours (6 months when working full-time) for good work performance; eligibility for a salary increase for good performance every year thereafter, until reaching the top of the salary range
• Paid Time Off - Competitive vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year
• County Paid Health Premium Contributions - 100% premium contribution for the majority of employee-only and employee + family health plan options
• Staff Development/Wellness Pay - Annual benefit allowances of up to $500 and ongoing education/training opportunities
• Post-Retirement Health Reimbursement Arrangement - County contributions to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits
• Retirement - A pension fully integrated with Social Security
• Paid Parental Leave - May be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) after 12 months of County employment

About the Position
The Information Technology Specialist - Desktop Team Lead at Sonoma Water plays a vital role in steering the Desktop Support Team, ensuring top-notch technical support and management of desktop infrastructure. This position is key to orchestrating the initial assessment and resolution of customer inquiries, maintaining the day-to-day operations of desktop support, and leading the team in communication and effective resolution of hardware and software issues.
Key Duties Include:

• Ticket Management & Customer Support: Spearheading the service and incident ticket intake process by logging tickets, fielding customer calls, accurately assessing issues, and collating all required information for the analyst; maintaining communication with the internal team to identify appropriate escalation paths and conducting quality assurance follow-ups with customers. Communicate urgent tickets with warm handoffs, identify tickets that may have security threats and escalate properly. The Desktop Lead will be the primary person doing ticket intake and assign tickets to the proper staff or group.
• Training & Resource Development: Designing and implementing training modules for applications and systems, focusing on educating department members on how to leverage internal technology resources effectively. The Lead will be involved in training other staff members on technology use.
• Service Management System Analysis: Actively engaging in the review and modification of our new Service Management System, Top Desk. Offer recommendations and executing change requests as required; assisting in the deployment and configuration of other modules within Top Desk.
• Inventory & Resource Management: Overseeing the computer inventory system, including the procurement and maintenance of computer supplies; liaising with the central Information Systems Department at the county level and IT within the Water Agency for all communication requests.
• Customer Communications: Developing and managing customer-centric announcements, emails, and other modes of communication aimed at both internal and external audiences.
• Daily Tech Support: Providing everyday assistance for an array of devices including tablets, mobiles, laptops, and desktop workstations; educating and assisting departmental users on optimal hardware and software utilization, covering topics like VPN use, remote access, and basic tech skills.
• Security Management: Administering antivirus software, conducting virus removal activities, and disseminating security awareness information to educate users about potential risks associated with their system usage. Create new security groups, teams, shared folders and more while understanding the underpinnings of the security for these items.
• Application and Connectivity Support: Troubleshooting issues related to remote connectivity, user accounts, and application access, including but not limited to computerized maintenance management systems, Office 365, Adobe products, and in-house applications.

The ideal candidate is a customer-focused individual who is an excellent communicator and will bring intellectual curiosity and a high level of technical know-how to deliver competent technical assistance, problem-solving, and troubleshooting services for both hardware and software components. The ideal candidate has:

• Competence in installing, configuring, and maintaining both desktop and server operating systems, and experience with diverse software platforms
• Demonstrated experience with a broad range of hardware, including but not limited to network devices, workstations, and peripherals like printers
• Competence in Active Directory, Office 365 support, and Windows permissions
• Experience crafting technical documentation for varied audiences
• A robust understanding of IT desktop/laptop hardware and software, key principles of customer service, and foundational knowledge in network technologies
• Proficiency in common software applications such as Office 365, MECM/Endpoint Manager, and Adobe Cloud Administration
• Skills in diagnosing system performance and troubleshooting issues
• The adaptability to quickly master various tools and software systems employed across the organization

*Salary is negotiable within the established range. Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found in the Service Employees International Union Local 1021 Memorandum Of Understanding (SEIU MOU) and our Employee Benefits Directory.

Any combination of training and experience which would provide the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally this would include:
Education: The equivalent to completion of twelve semester or eighteen quarter units in information systems, computer science or closely related field; AND
Experience: Two years of experience in developing and maintaining Information Technology systems in a multi-platform information systems environment, including at least one year of experience developing and/or modifying applications.
License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including special endorsements, as required by the State of California, may be required depending upon assignment to perform the essential job functions of the position.Knowledge of: IT systems components and architecture; customer support techniques; basic network principles; commonly used software applications; system performance monitoring and troubleshooting; technical documentation methods and procedures; IT systems security methods and techniques; oral and written communication techniques; network equipment, tools and peripherals; operating systems installation and configuration procedures; installation, configuration, and maintenance of desktop components; operating environments; commonly used query languages; data management concepts and methods; server maintenance techniques; file formats used in the delivery of Web content; browser technical requirements.
Ability to: efficiently troubleshoot system problems; provide training to other technical staff; communicate factual and procedural information clearly, orally and in writing; gather and analyze basic facts and draw conclusions; install, configure, and test software on customer workstations; prepare and update manuals, instructions, and operating procedures; provide information and assistance to customers; ensure the application of appropriate security measures in accord with established procedures; assist in implementing and maintaining network and systems services; monitor network and systems performance and troubleshoot minor problems; document and initiate response to security problems; provide guidance and training to customers in accessing network and systems services; assist customers in installing and using applications; maintain database operations; assist in returning disrupted database systems to normal operations; create reports and manipulate data in response to customer requirements; convert user-developed content into workable Web pages; carry out server maintenance functions; test new browser versions for compatibility with existing services.

• 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 Getting a Job with the County of Sonoma to review more detailed information about the hiring process, including the application process, examination steps, and department selection process.

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 a thorough assessment of your qualifications. Responses that 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 which evaluates the education, training, experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, and other qualifications that you demonstrate in your application and/or response to the supplemental questionnaire. Please be aware that resumes and cover letters are not typically evaluated in the Application & Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination. Scores may be adjusted based on such factors as the 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 is contingent will be outlined in the conditional job letter. You may also review the Job Classification Screening Schedule to determine the requirements for this position.

HOW TO APPLY

Applications are accepted online at www.yourpath2sonomacounty.org. Paper applications may be submitted by person, fax (707-565-3770), email, or...