Cannabis Consumer Business Affairs Specialist Jobs

TYPE OF RECRUITMENT
OPEN COMPETITIVE

EXAM NUMBER
CA1667G

APPLICATION FILING PERIOD
May 11, 2022 at 8:00 AM (PT) until May 18, 2022 at 5:00 PM (PT)
WHO WE ARE:
The County of Los Angeles (County) is the largest employer in Southern California with more than 110,000 employees across 37 departments and an operating budget of $36 billion. With a population of over 10 million residents, we serve the needs of 88 municipalities that lie within our boundaries
WHAT WE DO:
At the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA), we are committed to fostering a fair and dynamic marketplace and enhancing the economic wellbeing of our communities. The Department is the only local freestanding Consumer Protection agency in the State and our resources and areas of assistance have significantly expanded since its establishment in 1975. Our work strives to improve the lives of all consumers, tenants, homeowners, immigrants, and workers. Today, we provide a diverse range of services to the residents of Los Angeles County, including investigating and assisting with consumer complaints, real estate fraud, identity theft, and elder financial abuse. DCBA strives to keep people housed and mitigate displacements through our rent stabilization and tenant protections programs and our foreclosure prevention services. DCBA works to expand access to justice and ensure residents understand their rights under the law, protect those rights, and obtain a fair outcome through our programs that include Small Claims Advisor, dispute resolution and mediation programs, immigration legal services, eviction prevention program, and through our Self- Help Legal Centers. DCBA also oversees the County’s cannabis regulatory framework and is committed to ensuring and equitable, sustainable, and safe marketplace. In addition, we drive initiatives that protect workers from exploitation and human trafficking and provide access to services for vulnerable communities including low to moderate income families, foster youth, and immigrant communities.
The Department of Consumer and Business Affairs prides itself in providing extraordinary service and ensuring equitable access to our programs and resources for all residents of Los Angeles County.
THE OPPORTUNITY:
We are seeking qualified candidates to fill permanent and temporary Consumer and Business Affairs Specialist vacancies throughout the department. These vacancies may occur in the following sections: Legislative Affairs, Office of Cannabis Management, and special programs related to the American Rescue Plan.
LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
The Legislative Affairs section under the Public Policy Bureau coordinates DCBA’s legislative activities such as tracking and analyses of legislation, development, and advocacy of legislative proposals of interest to the Board of Supervisors regarding consumer protection, housing, small claims, economic development, immigration, financial empowerment, cannabis, including costs implications, benefits and other impacts to Departmental programs and the public. The Legislative Affairs section also functions as the primary liaison between the department and the County’s Chief Executive Office, Inter-Governmental and Legislative Affairs and other federal, local, and State agencies.
OFFICE OF CANNABIS MANAGEMENT
The office of Cannabis Management (OCM) promotes public safety and reduces public harm caused by the regulated and illicit commercial cannabis industries. The OCM has led cross-departmental coordination to triage cannabis-related complaints, provide outreach, and education campaigns to businesses and consumers regarding compliance and sharing of available resources. As the commercial cannabis industry continues to see restrictions lift across multiple jurisdictions, including the County of Los Angeles, the OCM will serve a critical role and lead efforts to regulate the commercial cannabis industry through the development and consistent administration of laws, regulations, and strategic integration of process management, functional expertise and innovative problem-solving.
AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN
The American Rescue Plan represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to address LA County’s most urgent inequities. This first pillar, “Emerging from the Pandemic Better than Before through Equity-Based Investments,” makes investments that will increase housing for people experiencing homelessness, create more affordable housing, resource the Board’s “Care First, Jails Last” vision, reduce the digital divide, and build wealth in communities that have historically been left out of generational wealth gains. DCBA has been tasked with implementing programs to assist landlords and tenants arrive at mutually agreeable outcomes to avoid disruptive displacements resulting from pandemic related economic hardships. Additionally, DCBA has introduced the Tenant Protections Hotline, which in collaboration with its Small Claims Advisory program, respond to inquiries from tenants and landlords seeking to understand rights and responsibilities, as well as the required judicial process under new state laws for unpaid rent during the pandemic.

Essential Job Functions

As the Consumer and Business Affairs Specialist, your responsibilities will include but are not limited to the following:

• 
  Conduct research, evaluation, and development of policies designed to promote or enhance the core services of the Department.
• Analyze proposed federal, State and County proposals, legislation, and policy changes to identify impact to County programs, finances, and operations; make recommendations for County positions and advocacy strategies.
• Conduct special projects, assignments, and management studies concerning departmental programs and initiatives.
• Analyze data and prepare correspondence and reports on department activities in response to Board of Supervisors initiatives.
• Prepare, analyze, and make recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on Department core services and priorities.
• Engage Board of Supervisor staff to collaborate on policy and legislative matters of priority to the Department and Board.
• Respond to sensitive or complex inquiries or complaints on department issues and prepare official correspondence and materials as necessary.
• Review program policies, and operational processes to implement quality control in the execution of programs and initiatives and make recommendations regarding program direction.
• Act as liaison between and/or represent department management with Board offices, County departments, commissions, outside agencies, and other governmental jurisdictions to enhance and promote Department core services and priorities.

Requirements

OPTION I:
One (1) year of experience providing technical and administrative oversight to staff engaged in the delivery of departmental consumer and business affairs services to the public and providing administrative coordination for specialized programs and initiatives at the level of Consumer and Business Affairs Supervisor.

OPTION II:

Two (2) years of experience investigating, mediating, or resolving complex matters and disputes in connection with consumer and business-related services and programs at the level of Consumer and Business Affairs Representative III.

OPTION III:
Two (2) years of experience in a public or private agency, analyzing and making recommendations for the solution of problems of organization, systems and procedures and the development and implementation of programs impacting the public in an administrative, management, or highly responsible specialized staff capacity. A Master's degree or higher from an accredited graduate school will be accepted for one year of the experience.
Special Requirement Information:

• Specialized Programs include consumer protection, mediation, financial empowerment, housing and tenant protection, foreclosure prevention, wage enforcement, immigration advancement, investigations and other department programs.

Consumer and Business Affairs Supervisor: Supervises Consumer affairs in the delivery of department services to the public and provides administrative coordination for specialized consumer protection programs.
Complex Matters are defined as responsibilities handling complex consumer related services such as cases that involve extensive coordination involving large companies or that may require civil or criminal prosecution and extensive investigation are assigned extensive dispute mediation on a regular basis.
Consumer and Business Affairs Representative III: Investigates, mediates and resolves complex consumer related service complaints, inquires and disputes, and conducts special projects and assignments.
Administrative capacity: Performs work typically in an administrative services branch of an organization unit, including responsibility for the development of procedures and participation in policy formulation. Experience at the level of independent responsibility for assignments of average difficulty analyzing and making recommendations for the solution of problems of information services, programs, and general management.
Managers are responsible for making major recommendations and taking actions that have a direct and substantial effect on the agency and the programs. Managers organize, plan, implement, and control functions and programs; develop and implement policies, procedures, and guidelines; formulate short-term and long-term goals and objectives; direct and supervise staff through subordinate supervisors; allocate resources; and; determine staff training needs.
Specialized staff capacity is defined as staff experience requiring specialized knowledge of rules, regulations, and other guidelines relating to completing assignments in the program area assigned. Knowledge is usually attained through extensive, increasingly difficult, and practical experience and training in the subject matter field.
To receive credit for the required degree/coursework, you must include a legible copy of the official diploma, official transcripts, or official letter from the accredited institution which shows the area of specialization. Submit proof of degree by uploading the required document(s) as attachments at the time of filing or send by e-mail to [email protected] within seven (7) calendar days from application submission.
Withhold Information
No withholds will be allowed for this examination. Required experience must be fully met and indicated on the application on the last day of filling.
Out-of-class will not be accepted for this examination.
VACCINATION MANDATE
All County workforce members must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Successful candidates for this position will be required to submit proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or request an exemption for qualifying medical or religious reasons during the onboarding process. Candidates should not present proof of vaccination until instructed to do so by the hiring department.
LICENSE:
A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation when needed to carry out job-related essential functions.
PHYSICAL CLASS:
2 - Light.

Additional Information

Our Assessment Process:
This examination will consist of a multiple choice and/or simulation assessments weighted 100% measuring Verbal Ability, Deductive Reasoning, Professional Potential, Achievement, Working Relationships, Analyzing Information, Learning Quickly, Generating New Ideas, Adapting to Change, Coping with Uncertainty, Willingness to Learn, Responsibility, Using Time Efficiently, and Working to High Quality Standards.
STANDARDIZED MULTIPLE CHOICE TESTS ARE NOT REVIEWABLE BY CANDIDATES PER CIVIL SERVICE RULE 7.19.
Applicants must meet the Minimum Requirement and must achieve a passing score of 70% or higher on the examination in order to be added to the Eligible List.
Passing this examination and being added on the Eligible List does not guarantee an offer of employment.
TRANSFER OF TEST COMPONENTS:
Applicants who have taken identical components recently for other exams may have their responses automatically transferred to this examination. This examination contains test components that may be used in the future for new examinations and your test responses may be transferred.
TEST PREPARATION:
Study guides and other test preparation resources are available to help candidates prepare for employment tests. While the guides will help you in preparing for the test, we advise you to review all related materials that you deem necessary.
An interactive, Online Test Preparation System for taking practice tests may be accessed on the Department of Human Resources website at http://hr.lacounty.gov/. Please click on "Find A Job" and then "Job Search Toolkit." Test preparation information is located under the "Employment Test Assistance" section. Additional online practice tests are available at https://www.shldirect.com/en-us/practice-tests/.
ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:
The names of candidates receiving a passing score in the examination will be added to the Eligible List in the order of their score group for a period of six (6) months following the date of eligibility.
APPLICATION AND FILING INFORMATION
Applications must be filed online only. Applications submitted by U.S. Mail, Fax, or in person will not be accepted. Any required documents must be submitted within seven (7) calendar days from application submission.
Plan to submit your online application well in advance of the deadline as you may be required to verify your email address. This only needs be done once per email address, and if you already have a job seeker account on governementjobs.com/careers/lacounty, you can verify at any time by logging in and following the prompts. This is to enhance the security of your online application and to ensure you do not enter an incorrect email address.
Many important notifications such as If you would like to be notified by the County of Los Angeles regarding your application status, notice information, and other important information pertaining to this position, DO NOT select "off" under Email Preferences within your profile and DO NOT click "unsubscribe" on our notices. ALSO, please add [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] to your email address book and list of approved senders to prevent email notifications from being blocked or filtered as spam/junk from your email provider. Applicants can always check for notifications by logging into governmentjobs.com and viewing your profile inbox, which saves a copy of all emailed notices. The Department will not consider missed email notifications as an acceptable reason to authorize additional time to complete the application.
COMPUTER AND INTERNET ACCESS AT PUBLIC LIBRARIES:
For applicants who may not have regular access to a computer or the internet, you may borrow laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots from some public libraries throughout Los Angeles County to complete job applications. Please note some public libraries have reopened with limited access hours and may require a prior reservation to use their computers. For more information, please visit their website at https://lacountylibrary.org/reopening or contact the specific libraries directly.
NO SHARING OF USER ID AND PASSWORD:
All applicants must file their applications online using their own user ID and password. Using a family member's or friend's user ID and password may erase a candidate's original application record.
Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance (FCIHO)
The County of Los Angeles is a Fair Chance employer. Except for a very limited number of positions, you will not be asked to provide information about a conviction history unless you receive a contingent offer of employment. The County will make an individualized assessment of whether your conviction history has a direct or adverse relationship with the specific duties of the job, and consider potential mitigating factors, including, but not limited to, evidence and extent of rehabilitation, recency of the offense(s), and age at the time of the offense(s). If asked to provide information about a conviction history, any convictions or court records which are exempted by a valid court order do not have to be disclosed.
Department Contact Name: Erika Barcena, Exam Analyst
Department Contact Phone: (213) 712-5505
Department Contact E-mail: [email protected]
California Relay Services Phone: (800) 735-2922
ADA Coordinator Phone: (213)712-5505
Teletype Phone Number: (800) 899-4099
Alternate Teletype Phone Number: (800) 897- 0077

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