Liability Manager - Promotional

Position Information

This recruitment is promotional only. You must presently be a full or part-time regular or probationary County of Sonoma, Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Fairgrounds, or Sonoma County Water Agency employee in order to apply for this position.

The Human Resources Department has requested a department promotional certification to fill the Liability Manager position. Only qualified permanent and/or probationary employees of the Human Resources Department on the eligible list may be eligible for referral to the department for the advertised position .
Reporting to the Director of Human Resources and acting on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, the County of Sonoma's Liability Manager position is responsible for the administration of the County’s self-insured General Liability Program. The County’s program provides liability coverage for personal injury and property damage claims across all County departments, agencies, and special districts under the Board’s jurisdiction. It also extends to affiliated entities, including the Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, Sonoma County Community Development Commission, Sonoma County Employees’ Retirement Association, Sonoma County Fair and Exposition, Inc., Sonoma Valley County Sanitation District, and the Sonoma County Water Agency.

The Liability Manager oversees two Risk Management Analysts and a Senior Office Assistant in administering the County’s self-insured General Liability program. This role works closely with the County’s Insurance Manager, other risk management teams within County HR, and the County Counsel's Office. The Liability Manager advises the HR Director, department heads, executives, and the Board of Supervisors on risk mitigation strategies and settlement options. Within their scope of authority, the Liability Manager is empowered to make operational decisions and implement related programs and procedures. Additionally, the Liability Manager attends meetings, mediations, court hearings, etc., that may occur off-site and/or outside of typical business hours and provides immediate response to conduct investigations in the field. Responsibilities of the position also include:

• Managing claims and tort defense litigation and coordinating activities between County Counsel and outside counsel, ensuring an efficient and economical process
• Analyzing risk through actuarial evaluations and loss reporting systems
• Maintaining risk management information system for claims administration, statutory financial reporting and audit requirements, actuarial analysis, and risk management statistics
• Presenting claims information to management and departments on exposures and claims volume
• Assessing current County and affiliate agency operations and new department programs and operations risks, advising on practical methods and ideas to minimize risk with the implementation of new operations
• Managing contracts with third-party vendors and consultants

The ideal candidate for the Liability Manager position brings expertise in claims handling and a strong understanding of federal and state regulations related to general liability, employment practices, and medical malpractice claims. They have experience in public sector risk management and are knowledgeable in areas such as contract risk transfer, tort law, governmental immunities, and public entity liability specific to California. Additionally, they are skilled in analyzing claims data to identify trends, high-risk exposures, and cost drivers. The ideal candidate also possesses:

• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to actively listen and clearly and effectively communicate
• Critical thinking skills to interpret and analyze complex information
• Public speaking and presentation skills that effectively convey complex concepts and engage diverse audiences
• Negotiation skills to resolve claims and litigation with claimants and attorneys
• The ability to interpret and apply Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs), policies, case law, statutes, etc.
• Leadership skills to effectively direct, mentor, and train staff

In addition to technical expertise, the ideal candidate demonstrates strong interpersonal and leadership qualities that support a collaborative and high-performing work environment. Key characteristics and skills include:

• Collaboration and Teamwork - Builds strong working relationships within the department and across County departments
• Discretion - Handles sensitive and confidential information with professionalism and integrity
• Conflict Resolution - Effectively facilitates difficult conversations and constructively resolves workplace issues
• Emotional Intelligence - Demonstrates self-awareness and manages sensitive situations with empathy and tact
• Coaching and Development - Provides constructive feedback, guidance, and support to foster employee growth and team development

This employment list may also be used to fill future full-time or part-time positions as they occur during the active status of the list. The Civil Service title of the position is Risk Management Analyst III.

Application submissions require the Supplemental Questionnaire to be completed.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of course work, training, and/or work experience which clearly demonstrates possession of the knowledge and abilities listed. Normally, this includes:

Experience: Four years of professional-level experience working with occupational safety and health programs, workers' compensation, casualty or employee benefit insurance, or loss control programs, preferably with a public agency and/or in a risk management program. This should include substantial experience directly related to area of assignment.

Education: completion of academic course work in public administration, business administration, accounting, law, economics, safety, industrial engineering, risk management, and/or other related courses. A bachelor's degree related to one of these fields is highly desirable.

License: Possession of a valid driver's license at the appropriate level including necessary special endorsements, as required by the State of California to perform the essential job functions of the position.

The position advertised on this announcement requires possession of a valid California Driver’s License.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of: principles and practices, legal statutes, civil procedures, and administrative regulations relating to disability management, workers' compensation, liability, occupational health and safety, employee benefits and insurance, and related non-monetary compensation; claims adjusting, investigation, and administrative techniques necessary to carry management of claims from initial report to settlement or closure.

Considerable knowledge of: medical and technical terminology used in individual injury cases; operations and functions of County government including budget methods, program analysis, employee relations, and group dynamics; written and oral communications including language mechanics, syntax and English composition; research methodology, report writing, basic statistics, and actuarial principles and appropriate applications; modern office methods, procedures, and computer applications related to work, including methods of graphical presentation; management of electronic database systems; and principles and methods of supervision and training.

Ability to: manage and direct a major risk management function; direct, supervise and train employees; use judgment and discretion to integrate technical knowledge with interpersonal and communication skills dealing with the public, County management personnel, employees, attorneys, medical providers, and others in a manner consistent with the policies, practices, and procedures of the organization; research, understand, interpret, and apply specific rules, laws, ordinances, and policies to applicable risk management programs; plan and organize research and statistical reports relating to various aspects of risk management, budget, general management matters; evaluate results and recommend corrective measures using principles of inductive and deductive reasoning; and where applicable, effectively present conclusions before advisory and policy bodies; organize, develop, and prepare claims for assignment to counsel, trial and pretrial conferences; prepare informational materials, brochures, and newsletters to relate complex regulations and data to employees and officials; organize and develop effective programs for the reduction of occupational hazards and accident prevention; facilitate consensus and negotiate resolution of complex problems involving a variety of claimants, individuals, employee groups, consultants, carriers and service providers; analyze situations and adopt effective courses of action working independently and with either oral or written direction.

Selection Procedure & Some Helpful Tips When Applying

• Your application information and your responses to the supplemental questions are evaluatedand 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 and Supplemental Questionnaire Appraisal Examination (weight 100%) may beconducted 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 and 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 and 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 through the mail. All applications and appropriate supplemental information as outlined in the job bulletin must be received by the time and date specified on the first page of this job announcement. Applications received after the recruitment closes will not be accepted.

The County of Sonoma values diversity and is dedicated to creating a workplace environment that provides individuals with a sense of belonging. We are committed to having a diverse workforce that is representative of the communities we serve. The County is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer where all aspects of employment are based on merit, competence, performance, and business need.

HR Analyst: CG

HR Technician: RR

Important Note: Benefits described herein do not apply to Extra Help positions.

County of Sonoma Benefits: Management*

These are some of the excellent benefits the County offers:

Paid Time Off: Competitive vacation accrual and sick leave accruals; additional management leave annually; 12 paid holidays, and an additional 8 floating holiday hours per year; and may be eligible for up to 8 weeks (320 hours) of Paid Parental Leave after 12 months of County employment.

Health Plan: Choose from nine health plans (three HMOs, three deductible HMOs, and three HSA-qualifying plans) with a generous County contribution to the premium (the contribution amount varies by bargaining unit). For more information, please see the appropriate MOU.

Retirement: Fully integrated with Social Security. For more information regarding eligibility, retirement contributions, and reciprocity with prior public service, please visit https://scretire.org/active-/-deferred/when-you-are-hired .

IRS 457 Plan: Pre-tax employee contribution up to the IRS annual maximum.

Retiree Medical: County contribution to a Health Reimbursement Arrangement to help fund post-retirement employee health insurance/benefits.

Student Loan Debt Relief: County employees may be eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness through the U.S. Department of Education.

Plus, excellent dental, vision, disability, life insurance, professional development, and more.

For answers to specific questions regarding the employment process and more details about benefits or retirement, please contact Human Resources at (707) 565-2331. Additional details about benefit and compensation packages can be found in the MOUs located at Labor Agreements & Salary Resolution . For specific information about health and welfare benefits, including plan options, coverage, and premium amounts, go to Human Resources or contact the Human Resources' Risk Management-Benefits Office at benefits@sonomacounty.gov or (707) 565-2900.

*Important Notes: Benefits described herein do not represent a contract and may be changed without notice.

Closing Date/Time: 9/10/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• County of Sonoma

• 707-565-8059

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