Cal. Public Resources Code § 33212

(a) The executive director of the conservancy shall be exempt from civil service and shall be appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the conservancy. The executive director serving on the effective date of the amendments to this section enacted at the 1981–82 Regular Session of the Legislature shall continue to serve until an appointment is made by the conservancy. (b) The executive director shall administer the affairs of the conservancy, employ staff, be responsible to the conservancy for program performance, and shall be considered the head of a department within the meaning of Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11150) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code. (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the status and employment of any employee shall not be affected by the appointment of a successor executive director as provided in subdivision (a) until the State Personnel Board has acted under this subdivision. The State Personnel Board shall endeavor to establish such classes of state service as may in its judgment be necessary to ensure that the provisions of this section do not disrupt the essential functions of the conservancy.