Manager of Commission Affairs, Office of the City Administrator (0922)

Appointment Type
Permanent Exempt (PEX), this position is excluded by Charter Section 10.104 from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

About Us

The Office of the City Administrator of the City & County of San Francisco consists of 25 departments, divisions, and programs, including: Public Works, Department of Technology, Office of Contract Administration, Real Estate, Office of the County Clerk, Fleet Management, Convention Facilities, Animal Care and Control, Medical Examiner, and Treasure Island.

The Office of the City Administrator is overseen by Carmen Chu, the highest-ranking non-elected official of the City and County of San Francisco, who is responsible for a 2,700-strong workforce, and an annual budget of nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars.

The City Administrator is strongly committed to strengthening the local economy, ensuring the efficacy of government services, increasing the City’s safety and resiliency, and optimizing the City’s capital planning and infrastructure.

In November 2020, San Francisco voters approved Proposition B, a Charter Amendment reorganizing San Francisco Public Works and creating two commissions to oversee the work of the Department. Currently, San Francisco Public Works has approximately 1,700 employees and is responsible for street cleaning, street repair, tree maintenance, building repair, and the design and construction of infrastructure and building capital projects. The City Administrator has established a project team to plan for and implement the provisions of the Charter Amendment and create the infrastructure for the new Commissions. The 0922 Manager of Commission Affairs will be a key member of the Proposition B planning and implementation project team.

The Manager of Commission Affairs will be responsible for managing the affairs of the Public Works Commission and supporting the commitment to fair, equitable, and transparent decision-making. The Office of the City Administrator is seeking candidates who demonstrate collaborative leadership, strong team management, administrative expertise, and exceptional levels of communication. The individual is expected to exercise the highest ethical standards, independent judgement, discretion, initiative, and the ability to carry out responsibilities with little direction. The ideal candidate will be a self-motivated professional who can demonstrate tact and courtesy in politically sensitive situations, have excellent problem-solving and decision-making ability with an understanding of and experience in working collaboratively in a diverse and dynamic public sector environment. The Manager of Commission Affairs will report to the Public Works Commission upon its establishment. Until then, the position will report to the Proposition B Project Director. This is a unique opportunity to oversee the establishment of operational and administrative aspects of two policy-making public oversight bodies.

Essential Functions

• Facilitate Informed Decision-making: Creates an environment that promotes accountability, transparency, high standards, and innovation in the Commissions’ oversight of the departments. Coordinates with internal and external offices, programs, or sections to ensure that the documents summarizing the policy and operational matters before the Commission are complete, accurate, and adhered to the highest standards of presentation. Reviews or directs others to review a wide variety of documents as to form, content, consistency of application and adherence to established laws, policies, rules and regulations, i.e., Commission packets. Ensures Commissioners are informed in a timely fashion of relevant information and activities, including outside normal business hours as necessary and in emergency situations.
   
• Administrative Expertise: Coordinates Commission meetings including preparation, posting, dissemination of Commission notices, minutes, resolutions, and other important documents in accordance with state and local government laws. Facilitates most meetings and ensures adequate coverage in the event of an absence. Maintains expertise in public meeting laws and familiarity with parliamentary rules. Attests to Commission actions including contract awards and modifications. Responds to requests for information from the general public, governmental officials, and other interested parties concerning the Commission’s affairs. Ensures that Commissioners are compliant with required trainings and file timely Statement of Economic Interests. Prepares, develops, and monitors the Commission Secretary’s budget. Ensures that the Commission operates in accordance with the City Charter, Administrative Code, Brown Act and City policies, such as Statement of Economic Interests (Form 700) and Statement of Incompatible Activities. 
   
• Relationship Management: Establishes strong professional relationships. Interacts regularly with a diverse population including Commissioners, Public Works Director, City Attorney’s Office, Departmental staff, the public, governmental officials, public and private agencies, and others that involves the functional jurisdiction of the Commission. Works well with others and demonstrates diplomacy, has excellent oral communication skills, maintains confidentiality, exercises critical thinking and good judgment, and has the ability to prioritize assignments in a fast-paced environment.
   
• Forward-thinking and Outcome Focused: Serves as the Commission’s custodian of records. Maintains and manages onsite and electronic Commission records; maintains the information on the Public Works Commission’s website page to ensure it reflects the most relevant and current information. Seeks and implements process improvement and workflow efficiencies.
   
• Planning and Implementation: Work as part of a team to establish the administrative and operational aspects of the Public Works and Sanitation and Streets Commissions prior to formation, arriving at decisions and policy recommendations through collaboration with a working group of multi-departmental stakeholders. Conduct best practices research and gather information from other commissions and jurisdictions. Draft recommendations for transparency measures, performance metrics, contract approval thresholds, and other policies and documents to be adopted by the commissions. Organize and oversee commissioner onboarding and training sessions. Develop document templates and new processes and procedures for departmental staff.

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND

2. Five (5) years of professional experience supporting a commission, board, city council, board of supervisors, or executive director of a large organization.

SUBSTITUTION: Applicants may substitute up to two (2) years of the required education with additional qualifying full time experience.  One year (2,000 hours) of additional qualifying experience will be considered equivalent to 30 semester units/45 quarter units.

Desirable Qualifications

The ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker with outstanding executive-level administrative skills and excellent team management and leadership qualities. The ideal candidate will also need to have a record of success that illustrates a career history that supports the ability to have the following:

• Strategic Leader: Outstanding leadership skills and have high emotional intelligence; excellent decision- making skills and the proven ability to take ownership of programs/projects; superior project management skills and ability to remain calm under pressure and exercise flexibility and adaptability in sensitive situations.
   
• Strategic Thinker and Problem Solver: Demonstrates results-focused and solution-driven approach with proven problem-solving skills; strong analytical skills with the ability to fully comprehend the impact of decisions on both the Commission and Public Works.
   
• Relationship Builder: Ability to establish and maintain positive and productive working relationships with the public, representatives of other organizations and agencies, and all levels within the organization.
   
• Excellent Communicator: Proven excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with other city employees, the public, members of union and civic organizations, or other agencies; excellent presentation and interpersonal skills to engage effectively with all levels of the organization.

Verification: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point in the application and/or departmental selection process. Written verification (proof) of qualifying experience must verify that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications stated on the announcement. Written verification must be submitted on employer’s official letterhead, specifying name of employee, dates of employment, types of employment (part-time/full-time), job title(s), description of duties performed, and the verification must be signed by the employer. City employees will receive credit for the duties of the class to which they are appointed. Credit for experience obtained outside of the employee’s class will be allowed only if recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Commission Rules. Experience claimed in self-employment must be supported by documents verifying income, earnings, business license and experience comparable to the minimum qualifications of the position. Copies of income tax papers or other documents listing occupations and total earnings must be submitted. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at http://sfdhr.org/index.aspx?page=456.

Note: 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. 

Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but not before 5:00PM on October 1, 2021.

Important: Your application MUST include a resume and cover letter.  To upload, please attach using the "additional attachments" function.

Compensation:  $115,544 - $147,524 annually

Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered. Mailed, hand delivered or faxed documents/applications will not be accepted.

Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be implemented in order to determine candidates’ qualifications. Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to participate in the selection process. Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview. Qualified applicants with disabilities requiring reasonable accommodation in the selection process must contact the Agency by phone at (415) 554-6000 or, if hearing impaired at (415) 554-6015 (TTY).

Important Information

• Conviction History
• Benefits 
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Workers

In line with the Official Public Health Order to slow the spread of COVID-19, “shelter-in-place” has been issued for all San Francisco residents that is expected to be in effect until further notice. As a result, Department of Human Resources (DHR)’s office (located at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103) is currently closed to the general public. If you have any questions, please feel free to email the Human Resources Analyst listed on this announcement.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

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.

Carol Isen - Human Resources Director