SANTA CRUZ COUNTY
PERSONNEL ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL

PURPOSE:


LEGAL BASIS:

Government Code Sections 3507 and 3507.5

Section 181 Employer-Employee Relations Policy of the County of Santa Cruz

1. EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT DEFINITIONS: While there are definitions within the Employee-Employer Relations Policy of management, no formal definitions exist of the three designations or types within executive management. The following sets forth guidelines for these definitions.
   
   
   1. There are three designations of executive management classes (excluding the Board of Supervisors). These are: department heads; assistant department heads; and other executive management.
      
      
   2. To aid in defining executive management positions, it is helpful to categorize department size as follows: "large" means 200 or more positions; "medium" means from 50 through 199 positions; "small" means from 20 through 49 positions; and "very small" means 19 or fewer positions. 
      
      
   3. Categories:
      
      
      1. Department Head - a County official under State law, or by Board of Supervisors determination, whose position meets the definition of management as a second level or higher supervisor, and who is responsible for a function area or areas of County government which are sufficiently distinct and which encompass a staff of sufficient size to warrant a separate department which reports directly to the County Administrative Officer.
         
         
      2. Assistant Department Head - a second level or higher supervisor position which reports directly to a department head, which warrants designation as an assistant department head based upon the size of the organization and span of control of the department head, and, in some cases, legal requirements. Whether or not a more than one position in a department is designated as an assistant department head is dependent upon the span of control and the uniqueness/commonality of departmental functions. Assistant department heads are usually found only in large or medium size departments, but may be found in certain small departments due, in part, to legal requirements that are applicable to a particular function.
         
         
      3. Other Executive Management - there are two types of "other executive management", division managers and executive management staff.
         
         
         1. Division Managers - a second level supervisor or above with responsibility for directing the work of subordinates through lower level supervisors and who significantly affects departmental policy. "Division managers" are typically found in large departments where they are a third level supervisor over a major departmental division. "Division manager" positions are also found in medium size departments, usually where there is no assistant department head, and where they are a second level or higher supervisor or a major departmental division. "Division managers" may also be found in small departments, but only if there is no assistant department head position, and where the employee is a second level supervisor over a major departmental division.
            
            
         2. Executive Management Staff - professional staff in classes which recommend or otherwise significantly affect County policy and whose activities impact on employee relations issues on an on-going basis. These are: analysts in the CAO's Office and Personnel Department, and agency personnel officers; attorneys in County Counsel; and administrative assistants to the Board of Supervisors.
            
   PROCEDURE:
   
   
   1. A class is determined to be "Executive Management" by the County Administrative Officer.
      
      
   2. To effect this designation, the Board of Supervisors must adopt the designation in a Board action.
      
      
   3. Similarly, a Board action is required to change this designation.