Inmate Programs & Vocational Training Coordinator

Job Description:

Inmate Programs & Vocational Training Coordinator

Description

Introduction

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play, and learn! For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

POSITION INFORMATION

Placer County is recruiting for the position of Inmate Programs & Vocational Training Coordinator to develop, implement, and oversee educational, vocational, and rehabilitative programs for incarcerated individuals. This position works closely with institutional staff, community partners, and program providers to ensure that inmates have access to meaningful opportunities that support personal growth and successful reintegration into society. The coordinator evaluates program effectiveness, ensures compliance with applicable regulations, and promotes a structured environment that fosters learning and skill development. Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills are essential for success in this role.

To view the recruitment brochure for this exciting opportunity and its associated salary and benefits, please click here .

BENEFITS

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department.

Click here to view Placer Public Employees Organization (PPEO) benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer, please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

DEFINITION

To plan, organize, and coordinate inmate and vocational training programs for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office; to research and analyze practices and procedures and implement recommendations for inmate programs and vocational training; to coordinate assigned areas of responsibility with external stakeholders.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

The coordinator level recognizes positions that have overall responsibility for a program area within a department. This single-position classification is responsible for planning, organizing, reviewing, and evaluating work related to the activities of inmate programs and inmate vocational training. This class is distinguished from the Inmate Services Clerk in that the latter performs clerical duties associated with commissary services and the ordering of equipment and supplies in support of various inmate services. This class is further distinguished from the Correctional Support Program Manager in that the latter has the responsibility to plan, organize, direct, supervise, and manage the activities of clerical and technical staff performing support services to the Jail Division’s 7-day, 24-hour operations within the Sheriff's Office.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from supervisory and management staff.

May exercise direct supervision over technical and clerical staff, as assigned.

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL DUTIES

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

• Perform administrative, operational, and programmatic activities and analyses for inmate programs and vocational training, including organizational development, staffing, business process, policy, and procedural analysis.
• Develop, recommend, and implement program goals and objectives for inmate programs and vocational training.
• May provide supervision to technical and clerical staff, as assigned; provide, facilitate, and coordinate staff training; participate in selection of staff; conduct performance evaluations; recommend and implement discipline procedures as appropriate; organize, assign, review, and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures.
• Participate in the preparation of the inmate programs and vocational training budget; work with management staff to forecast additional funds needed for staffing and resources.
• Evaluate program performance measures and make improvements to existing programs to increase the likelihood of participant success; ensure all programs are evidence-based and meet or exceed all state and federal mandates.
• Track and categorize recidivism rates to comprehend the effectiveness of current inmate programs and make recommendations, as needed, to lower rates of recidivism.
• Analyze inmate work-time, education, and training programs to ensure proper credits are applied for the timely release of inmates who have participated in programs designed to educate and incentivize model behavior.
• Identify facilities, equipment, and materials needed for program operations. Meet with inmate and offender groups to discuss problems, identify community referral resources, determine new programs, and/or ascertain service needs.
• Identify and evaluate potential grant applications for suitability; provide recommendations to executive management; prepare and monitor grant applications; lead initiatives and collaborate, as appropriate, with other departments to develop proposals for needed services.
• Prepare a variety of statistical and narrative reports for internal review and to meet regulatory requirements.
• Participate in internal and interagency technical work groups to gather information for policy and decision-making and serve as a liaison in advancing and representing the priorities and interests of inmate services and vocational programs.
• Develop and maintain collaborative partnerships with local educational, behavioral healthcare, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, veteran organizations, regional and statewide organizations, and other County departments to develop, implement, and/or promote programs and services for inmates and offenders.
• Make presentations to the public, community groups, various committees, and other key stakeholders.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees, the community, outside agencies, and the general public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work is typically performed in an indoor office environment located in a secure, locked-down detention facility with controlled temperature conditions and may require travel to and from other locations in a variety of outdoor weather conditions. Incumbents will work in proximity to and have contact with inmates, and incumbents may be subject to periods of facility lockdown.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

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

Experience: Two (2) years of increasingly responsible administrative, technical, or operational experience working with vocational training programs that included interpreting laws, codes, and regulations in order to determine compliance and implement programs and program improvement. Experience working in a law enforcement/public safety/correctional setting is desirable.

Training: Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public or business administration, organizational development, criminal justice, public safety, education, behavioral sciences, social work, or a related field.

Required License or Certificate:

May need to possess a valid driver’s license as required by the position. Proof of adequate vehicle insurance and medical clearance may also be required.

NOTE : Relevant, equivalent experience (performing the same or similar job requiring similar knowledge, skills, and abilities) may be substituted for the required education as determined by the Human Resources Department.

NOTE: Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

• Policies and procedures of the Corrections Division of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
• Principles of effective intervention programs to assist inmates. Principles and practices of employee supervision and leadership, including work planning, assignment review and evaluation, and the training of staff in work procedures.
• Standard accepted principles and practices of motivation, team building, and conflict resolution. Principles, practices, and techniques of inmate services program administration, including the organizational structure, goal setting, program development, implementation, evaluation, and project management.
• Budgeting procedures and techniques. Principles and practices of grant application submissions and generating grant reports.
• Principles and practices of local government and county administration, organization, programs, and functions.
• Principles and techniques of administrative analysis, including workload measurement, workflow and layout, work simplification, and systems and procedure analysis.
• Applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, ordinances, and organizational policies and procedures related to inmate programs and operations.
• Purpose of local, state, and federal governments, public interest groups, community groups, and private enterprises and how they relate.
• Business correspondence and technical report writing.
• Principles and practices of effective public speaking.
• Statistical methods and analysis, identification of trends, and the use and interpretation of statistics in reports.
• Modern office procedures, methods, computer equipment, and applications.
• English usage, spelling, punctuation, and grammar; arithmetic and basic mathematical calculations.

Ability to:

• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; read, analyze, observe, understand, identify, interpret, recall, apply, and explain policies and procedures, special projects, analytical and statistical information, and pertinent laws, rules, and regulations; observe and analyze situations and determine proper course of action; work under time pressure and complete a high volume of tasks with frequent interruptions; manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously and quickly switch between tasks; focus on a single task for long periods of time.
• On a continuous basis, sit at a desk or in meetings for long periods of time; intermittently stand, walk, twist, squat, kneel, climb, and bend to reach equipment surrounding desk, or other office equipment, files, or supplies; climb stairs while walking throughout the jail and other work areas; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; speak, use a telephone, write, and use a keyboard to communicate and/or to enter/retrieve data from a computer; see and hear with sufficient acuity to perform essential job functions; and lift light weight.
• Organize the activities of inmate programs and vocational training in the Corrections division of the Sheriff’s Office.
• Train, assign, supervise, and evaluate the work of staff, as assigned.
• Conduct research projects, evaluate alternatives, make sound recommendations, and prepare effective technical reports.
• Assist in the administration of program budget.
• Obtain information through interviews with the inmate population and other stakeholders; handle multiple assignments; and deal tactfully and courteously with the public.
• Use modern office equipment.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both verbally and in writing.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and efficient manner.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

SELECTION PROCEDURE

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S. For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

SUBSTITUTE LISTS

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification. For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

EMPLOYEES OF OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that unlawful harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of the following characteristics: gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race (including traits associated with race, which include, but are not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, primary language, immigration status, physical disability (Including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), reproductive health decision making, the person’s use of cannabis off the job and away from the workplace, political orientation, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law or any combination of two or more characteristics stated herein. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

Conclusion

For questions regarding this recruitment, please email PCHRDSRFRecruit@Placer.ca.gov.

Closing Date/Time: 6/27/2025 5:00:00 PM

Salary:

$36.35 - $45.41/hour; $6,300.67 - $7,871.07/month; $75,608.00 - $94,452.80/year