This is a Position Based Test conducted in accordance with Civil Service Rule 111A.

• Application Opening - October 7, 2022
• Deadline to Apply:  October 24, 2022, 11:59 PM PST
• Recruitment ID:  RTF0120237-01131881
• Exam Type: Combined, Promotive and Entrance
• Exam Analyst:  Michael Eng
• Annual Salary:  $123,422 - $150,072/Yearly

The Department
The San Francisco Planning Department (CPC) plays a central role in guiding the growth and development in our City. The Department works with other City agencies and the community to help achieve great planning for a great city.   

The Community Equity Team
The Planning Department prioritizes racial and social equity tasks across all divisions coordinated through the Community Equity unit under the guidance of our Commissions’ Equity Resolutions and the Equity Council. This is a temporary (5-10 year) unit to support the transition of the Department towards a strong equity framework.  The purpose of this unit is to reflect upon our historical and current inequities and revise our policies and implementation strategies to reverse inequities for our American Indian, Black communities, other communities of color, and other historically marginalized communities. Community Equity includes three teams: Racial & Social Equity Plan Team, the Community Engagement Team, and Policies and Strategies Team. The teams work closely with community leaders and the San Francisco Office of Racial Equity and collaborate with staff of other City agencies and the general public. The unit is a collaborative, team-oriented environment working on a wide variety of issues to advance racial and social equity internally and externally. Community outreach and engagement is a critical part of our work.

The Team
The Racial & Social Equity Plan Team is responsible for developing and implementing the Department’s Racial & Social Equity Action Plan, for ensuring the Department is monitoring and evaluating implementation of the Plan, and for working with community members and staff to support advancement of the City’s and the Department’s and equity goals and Equity Resolutions through its internal and external work and processes, in collaboration with the community. External work may include working with community members on implementation of the Phase 2 Plan strategies, community-based strategies and other community identified needs.

Our Mission
The mission of the San Francisco Planning Department, under the direction of the Planning Commission, shapes the future of San Francisco and the region by: generating an extraordinary vision for the General Plan and in neighborhood plans; fostering exemplary design through planning controls; improving our surroundings through environmental analysis; preserving our unique heritage; encouraging a broad range of housing and a diverse job base; and enforcing the Planning Code. 

Our Racial and Social Equity Vision 
The Department’s racial and social equity vision is: 

We envision inclusive neighborhoods that provide all with the opportunity to lead fulfilling, meaningful, and healthy lives. We envision a city where public life and public spaces reflect the past, present, and future of San Franciscans. We envision a city where a person’s race does not determine their lives’ prospects and success. 

We envision an inclusive Planning Department and Commissions that represent and engage the communities we serve. We envision a department that proactively infuses racial and social equity in both internal operations and external Planning work. Together, we are reimagining what the Planning field is and can be – inclusive, diverse and one that centers racial and social equity both as a practice and as an indicator of success. 

To achieve this broader city vision, we must do our part and address racial and social equity within the Planning Department’s policies and practices. 

The 9775 Senior Community Development Specialist II for the San Francisco Planning Department (CPC) is responsible for working on development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Department’s Racial & Social Equity Action Plan, and for working with community members and staff to support advancement and implementation of the City’s and the Department’s equity goals and Equity Resolutions through its internal and external processes and work with communities.

Under general direction, the Senior Community Development Specialist II will be responsible for working on the development and implementation of the Department’s Racial and Social Equity Action Plan. This includes working with staff across the Department and consultants to develop Phase 2, leading specific implementation actions, and working closely with external stakeholders. Phase 2 of the Action Plan focuses on the external functions of the Department. The position reports to the Racial and Social Equity Plan manager and is part of the Racial and Social Equity Plan Team unit of the Community Equity Division.

Upon completion of the Phase 2 Action Plan, this position may also entail working with San Francisco communities on implementation and a variety of complex issues, including racial and social equity, anti-displacement and community stabilization, housing affordability, small business and recovery strategies as well as on community plans. This position would serve as a bridge from the Planning Department to community members, city agencies and organizations collaboratively developing and implementing programs and policies.

The Senior Community Development Specialist II will engage community stakeholders through a variety of methods, including one-on-one interactions, outreach to neighborhood organizations, public forums, focus groups, community meetings and may staff Advisory Committees.

The Senior Community Development Specialist II carries out assignments with considerable independence; leads complex projects, policy and processes; and manages project teams, partnerships, and community relationships on those projects. They may also supervise subordinate personnel.

The essential duties include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting research and formulating complex policy or program recommendations for the Department, Planning Commissions, community members, and other city Commissions/Boards actions, by selecting, collecting, recording, tabulating, organizing and analyzing technical, physical, economic, social and statistical data.
• Working in partnership with San Francisco communities and other city agencies, as the point person from the Planning Department, co-leading and co-managing complex implementation programs, policies and strategies addressing a variety of complex issues, including but not limited to implementing the Racial & Social Equity Action Plan to advance equity, small business retention strategies, anti-displacement and neighborhood stabilization strategies, and other key community goals.
• Conducting community outreach, engagement and consultation processes to facilitate difficult conversations on racial and social equity, to assess needs and identify appropriate strategies for advancing equity and preventing displacement of historically marginalized communities, while building community capacity. This will include working closely with community partners, department staff, and other City Agencies including the San Francisco Office of Racial Equity.
• Providing support for neighborhood stakeholders, including the development and presentation of reports to organizations and public forums and other documentation; relationship and trust-building through one-on-one interactions; and may include staffing community advisory committees.
• Attending meetings or participating in work-related activities outside of normal working hours (evenings and weekends) in various community locations, as needed.
• Supporting the development of Phase 2 of the Racial & Social Equity Action Plan, inclusive of metrics and implementation tracking strategy.
• Helping refine and co-manage a consultant’s work plan, including supporting coordination and review of consultant deliverables.
• Upon completion of the consultant’s deliverable, working with managers to incorporate recommendations in the Departments processes and work.
• Providing information orally and in writing to community organizations, city agencies, property owners, developers, the Planning Commission and the general public regarding Planning Department activities, goals and programs.
• Champion and embody a culture of inclusion and belonging and the Department’s mission and values.
• Performing other related duties as assigned

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university AND four (4) years administrative/professional experience in community development, housing and/or housing development, workforce development, finance, education, social work, children/youth work, or criminal justice; OR
    
2. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with a major in one of the following fields: public or business administration, urban planning, government, social work, education, finance or criminal justice AND three (3) years of administrative/professional experience in community development, housing and/or housing development, workforce development, finance, education, social work, children/youth work or criminal justice; OR
    
3. Possession of a Master's degree from an accredited college or university in public policy, planning, social work, public administration, finance, education, criminal justice, or business administration AND two (2) years of administrative/professional experience in community development, housing and/or housing development, workforce development, finance, education, social work, children/youth work, or criminal justice; OR
    
4. Possession of a Ph.D. or Juris Doctor degree from an accredited college or university AND two (2) years of administrative/professional experience in community development, housing and/or housing development, workforce development, finance, education, social work, children/youth work, or criminal justice.

SUBSTITUTION:
Verifiable administrative/professional experience involving community development, housing and/or housing development, workforce development, finance, education, social work, children/youth work, or criminal justice may substitute for the educational requirement in Minimum Qualification #1 on a year-for-year basis.

Note: Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Verification of Education and Experience:  Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://sfdhr.org/how-verify-education-requirements

Selection Procedures

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

1. Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ) - Qualifying
Candidates will be sent an MQSQ via email as part of the employment application. Applicants will be required to respond to the MQSQ in the time frame indicated, and submit their answers as directed. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQs) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

2. Supplemental Questionnaire Exam (SQ) - Weight 100%
Candidates who meet the minimum qualification for this position will be sent a Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) via email to complete and return. Applicants will be required to respond to the SQ in the time frame indicated, and submit their answers as directed.

The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to determine relative knowledge, skills and ability levels in job related areas which may include, but not be limited to:  knowledge of the principles and practices of community development; knowledge of racial and social equity principles; time management ability; oral communication ability; and written communication ability.

The SQ will account for 100% of the total weight of the final score.

A passing score must be achieved on all components of the selection procedures in order to be placed/ranked on the score report. The department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures to make final hiring decisions.

Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of Ten (10).  Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be six (6) months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Upon approval of the Human Resource Director (see Civil Service Rule 111A.26.5), the eligible list/score report resulting from this announcement may be used by other departments that also use this classification or a similar classification. To find other Departments which use this classification, please see:  Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2021-22.pdf (sfdhr.org).

Terms of Announcement:

This is a Position Based Test conducted in accordance with Civil Service Rule 111A. Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations.  Clerical errors may be corrected and, if so, an amended note will be posted on this official job announcement.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis’ for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule.  Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director.  Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco

• Information About The Hiring Process
• Position Based Testing Information
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Questions:  If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Michael Eng, by telephone at 628-652-7522, or by email at [email protected].

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.