Strategic Initiatives and Planning Officer

Description

The Strategic Initiatives and Planning Officer (Officer) is responsible for overseeing and coordinating agency-wide strategic planning and initiatives. The Officer is responsible for providing leadership, supervising staff, operational planning and guidance, and supporting First 5 Alameda County (Agency) change management. The Officer leads and facilitates highly complex, strategic, and political engagements involving internal and external stakeholders; advises leadership to design and implement goal-achieving solutions; develops methodologies that drive organizational effectiveness; regularly conducts rigorous analysis with available data and inputs; and applies methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for developing solutions and achieving results.

• Provide planning leadership for agency-wide growth, programs and operations, by facilitating planning, project management, change management, and process improvements and/or reforms, specifically related to the implementation of local Early Care and Education (ECE) ballot measures including working with Agency leadership to:
  • Understand and shape Agency strategy
  • Develop plans to implement strategy
  • Assess the Agency’s operational and strategic performance
  • Align processes, resources, planning and goals with overall strategy
  • Provide support and insight into significant organizational changes
  • Advise leaders in making effective decisions
• Provide strategic leadership; establish and foster effective leadership and management practices; support change management, effective Agency structures, communication, and culture.
• Lead short- and long-term strategic planning and project management efforts, communicate important timelines and progress.
• In collaboration with colleagues, identify local systems barriers and/or gaps and work with appropriate staff and agencies to address the needed systems changes.
• Work with colleagues across the Agency to ensure intra-agency collaboration, cross-agency integration, and alignment with organizational vision, strategic plan and Commission adopted programs and budgets.
• Analyze and identify data, evaluation and research needs for special projects, program and organizational planning, and work closely with staff to execute and make recommendations to Agency leadership.
• Negotiate contracts with providers, ensure that contracts are prepared and executed accurately and timely, and ensure compliance with contract deliverables.
• Provide input to and oversee planning budget for appropriate budget items, including managing request for proposals (RFP) and request for qualifications (RFQ) development.
• Collaborate on internal and external communications strategies. Facilitate and support multidirectional communication with staff and colleagues to encourage clarity and alignment. Present to staff, Commission, and other stakeholders.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

• A minimum of ten years of full-time, progressively responsible, related experience.
• Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in Planning, Policy, Public Administration, Business, or related field may be substituted for 4 years of experience. A Master’s Degree may be substituted for an additional year of experience.

Additional Requirements

Travel within Alameda County as necessary to carry out job duties. Some travel outside Alameda County occasionally required. 

Qualifications

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of strategic planning, project management, and facilitation
• Principles and practices of systems change and systems thinking
• Principles and practices of government and public systems
• Principles and practices of organizational development, change management, and communication
• Principles and practices of business operations and procedures
• Principles and practices of data, research, and evaluation
• Principles and practices of supervision, training, and team leadership 
• Cross-cultural sensitivity 
• Principles and practices of contract management 
• Budgetary and contract administration practices 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Office 365 preferred, Smartsheets

Ability to:

• Plan and project manage complex work to ensure organizational goals are achieved 
• Demonstrate strategic and systems thinking
• Demonstrate sophisticated facilitation techniques and knowledge of participatory methods
• Demonstrate an analytical mind with problem-solving aptitude
• Demonstrate flexibility; able to work effectively amidst change and uncertainty
• Demonstrate organizational and leadership skills
• Demonstrate excellent communication skills
• Demonstrate excellent attention to detail
• Demonstrate political savvy
• Serve effectively as a member of the Senior Leadership Team
• Write and speak effectively, including the ability to conduct and facilitate effective meetings.
• Provide leadership and effectively organize, coordinate, and supervise professional and administrative staff 
• Promote teamwork and integration within and across the Agency 
• Demonstrate cultural awareness and sensitivity in a variety of contexts 
• Read, analyze, and interpret common professional publications, legislative or policy documents, financial reports and related Agency documents and information 
• Work with Agency Leadership to develop a wide variety of short- and long-range plans
• Analyze, develop, and monitor budgets 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with staff throughout the Agency
• Adapt, with minimal or no advance notice, to changes in agency operations and work assignments or procedures 
• Define and creatively address problems or management challenges requiring analysis of multiple variables or situations, collect and analyze information, consider alternatives, and draw valid conclusions 

Please note:

• We are working a hybrid in-office schedule and may return full-time at an undetermined date.
• All First 5 employees must live and work in California.
• The salary range for this position is $124,000 to $170,000 and as an independent government agency, the posted salary is the set salary range for this position. We cannot offer salaries above this posted range.

About First 5 Alameda County

First 5 Alameda County believes every child in Alameda County should have optimal health, development, and well-being to reach their greatest potential. Through innovative programs and policy advocacy, we help provide children and their families access to resources that support their first five years of development.

Join our mission-driven team that in partnership with the community, supports a county-wide continuous prevention and early intervention system that promotes optimal health and development, narrows disparities, and improves peak years of child development.

First 5 Alameda County Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package with health care options to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. These benefits include but are not limited to Medical, Dental, & Vision Coverage, $1,500 credit per year to spend on benefits, Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Employer Paid & Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance, Long-Term Disability Insurance, Retirement Plans including the ACERA Pension Plan, Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Plan and more.

We also offer paid vacation, paid time off and sick time. We have 17 paid holidays including the week between Christmas Day and New Year's Day as paid time off.