The Office of the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) oversees a division responsible for implementing agency-wide strategies and programs to meet the SFMTA's key policy objectives. In collaboration with the SFMTA Executive Team, the CSO division advances agency-wide strategy execution, leads major program design and management, analyzes strategic risks and opportunities, and leads business process improvement initiatives to enhance agency government operations.

The CSO Design Strategy and Delivery Section employs a collaborative, data-driven, and iterative human-centered design process. Leading and supporting mission-critical internal and external work streams and projects, the team creates unique solutions to the most difficult challenges confronting the SFMTA. This internal consulting group provides program development, management, and implementation services for major Agency initiatives, as well as an in-depth review and perspective of organizational and business systems designed to maximize the SFMTA's effectiveness. Team members manage numerous key strategic projects and policy initiatives, fostering alignment across different divisions and units. Uncertain issues are given structure, leading to changes in policies, systems, processes, and procedures.

The Design Strategy Program includes a unique portfolio of projects with a focus on advancing the SFMTA to financial sustainability and advancing best practices in transportation program delivery, decarbonization of the transportation system and the organizational effectiveness of the SFMTA.

Recruitment ID: PEX-1374-146514

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent Exempt, Full Time appointment – This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

Application Opening: April 5, 2024

Application Filling Deadline: April 19, 2024

Annual Salary: $155,402 and $188,864 annually 

NOTE: A cover letter and resume must be attached to the online application.

Position Description:

The Principal Strategist will seek to understand and develop solutions to complex challenges facing the SFMTA, supporting all the SFMTA’s divisions and functions to implement priority projects using big picture thinking, practicing technical craft and masterful case-making and advocacy. A core responsibility of this position is to support the agency to become financially sustainable, fulfill service commitments to the community, and doing so in the most efficient manner possible. This position will play an active role in problem solving for divisional clients throughout the SFMTA including identifying issues, forming hypotheses, designing, and conducting analyses, and synthesizing conclusions into recommendations for the senior and executive management of the SFMTA. This position is a force multiplier that will have exposure to the most difficult problems facing the SFMTA. Collaboration is key to achieve targeted milestones, policy objectives or critical path tasks. To be successful in this position you will need to build relationships with agency clients; you will need to chart a path forward and lead efforts forward, even when information is ambiguous and challenging. You should be eager to involve clients in the process, highly responsive to feedback, and excited to present your ideas in front of executives.

Examples of Important and Essential Duties

• Collaborates with cross functional project teams to motivate, create, and implement short- and long-term policy, programmatic or project strategies in collaboration with divisions of the SFMTA including Transit, Streets, Finance & Information Technology, External Communications & Marketing, and Government Affairs.
• Contributes to collective strategy practices, identifies problems, performs research, and analyzes trends/results to determine actions that are feasible and financially sustainable.
• Leads the development of briefs that inspire stakeholders and project teams alike to come up with idea development and implementation that is clear and meets the expectations of clients and partners.
• Leads research activities including interviews and other fieldwork activities defining the best method(s) for delivering research insights.
• Leads the synthesis process identifying themes and insights, synergies, connections, and patterns often presenting these findings to Senior and Executive management.
• Defines recommended approach and execution of strategy; understands and translates complex technical and business needs into insights and action plans.
• Designs new service and business models that enhance and extend internal client capacity while creating new opportunities for revenue and efficiencies and enforce processes and best practices across all engagements.
• Creates compelling new value propositions and crafts actionable recommendations to improve operations, processes, and service with related communication plans.
• Creates concise, visually compelling stories that distill service strategies in inspiring presentations, maps, and frameworks.
• Creates highly visual frameworks, maps, and conceptual models to articulate complex ideas into intuitive strategic presentations.
• Monitors project related work schedules and completion dates.
• Performs other related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND
2. Five (5) years of professional-level experience in business, management consulting, planning, public administration, government/public affairs OR product development. Professional-level experience in the functional areas consist of interpreting laws and regulations, and/or exercising independent judgment in the application of defined principles, practices, and regulations.

Substitution: Additional professional-level experience may be substituted for the required education in Minimum Qualifications on a year-for-year basis. One year (2000 hours) of qualifying experience will be considered equivalent to thirty (30) semester units/forty-five (45) quarter units.

Possession of a Masters degree may substitute for one year of the required professional experience.

Desirable Qualifications:

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and/or to identify job finalist(s) at the end of the selection process when referred for hiring.

• Knowledge and experience in using analytic and modeling tools.
• Knowledge and experience in using both qualitative and quantitative data to generate insights and opportunity areas for further exploration.
• Knowledge and experience in using strong presentation and storytelling skills to prepare compelling presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to develop effective communications, presentations, and summaries for executive leadership, and ability to convey complex information to diverse audiences.
• Knowledge and experience in using strong leadership and collaboration skills to guide high performing teams using persuasion and influence.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate, build consensus, and gather support from multiple stakeholders, including community groups, underserved or marginalized communities.
• Experience managing consultant teams.
• Knowledge and experience in financial analysis and business case development with a proven track record in both qualitative and quantitative research.
• Ability to creatively solve problems through identification of gaps and developing solutions to close those gaps, whether in policy, process or operations.  
• Ability to construct and deliver inspiring and convincing arguments verbally as well as visually. 
• Ability to work creatively with a hands-on approach in a dynamic and multidisciplinary setting.

Verification: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification. 

Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

Selection Process:
Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be used to determine candidates' qualifications. Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to move forward in the selection process.

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

For questions or inquiries, please contact: Wilson Hoang, Human Resources Analyst at [email protected].

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.