Location
Description
Per the City’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy, the City requires all employees starting on or after February 11, 2022 to provide proof of vaccination as a condition of employment absent a documented medical and/or religious exemption. Proof of vaccination means that employees are required to be “up-to-date” with regards to the COVID-19 vaccine. Consistent with the Santa Clara County Public Health Order issued on December 28, 2021, "up-to-date" means that employees are required to be vaccinated with the entire recommended initial series of a COVID-19 vaccine (two doses of the Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine).
Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third-party job board application system. To apply, applicants must complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers.
The total salary range for the Council Policy & Legislative Director classification is $68,619.98 - $109,791.76 annually. This amount includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.
The Mayor serves as the political leader of San José, and under the City Charter, is responsible for recommending policy, program, and budget priorities for the City. The Office of Mayor-elect Matt Mahan is recruiting for a full-time Council Policy & Legislative Director and seeking a highly qualified professional to serve as a member of the Mayor’s Policy Team. The position will work on several priority initiatives, make recommendations, and develop action plans for meeting the Mayor’s policy objectives. Policy areas of focus may include public safety, housing, homelessness, environment, neighborhood quality of life, land use, or economic development. Bilingual language skills (Vietnamese, Spanish, and/or Chinese) both oral and written skills are desirable, but not required.
Responsibilities for the position may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Leads initiatives within an assigned policy portfolio. Drives policy priorities through government and legislative process. Research best practices on assigned policy portfolio.
- Gathers background information relative to issues pending before the City Council.
- Drafts routine to complex correspondence, memoranda, and reports.
- Prepares or assists in preparation of speeches and talking points for the Mayor.
- Develops and maintains positive working relationships with council offices, city staff, community organizations, residents, business community, non-profit organizations, and government agencies as they are key partners on policy and as a representative of the Mayor’s Office.
- Coordinates arrangements for meetings, programs, or other civic functions on behalf of the Mayor.
- Coordinates projects city-wide with City administration.
- Attends meetings and community events with the Mayor, requires availability on evenings and weekends.
- Analyzes a wide variety of materials on assigned projects, programs, and topics.
- Responds to constituent inquiries and issues, resolves complaints, and interprets operating policies for residents of the community and other interested parties.
- Attends and represents the Mayor at City-related meetings and activities, meeting with governmental agencies, private industry, and related meetings.
- Conducts public meetings and events on behalf of the Mayor and/or prepare summaries of public and private meetings, reports, memoranda, and other documents for review by the Mayor.
- Provides support in community engagement efforts with neighborhood, district or city-wide business or community groups or associations and other interested parties regarding community concerns, issues, and priorities.
- Performs other duties of a similar nature or level as required.
Employees in this classification are not members of the classified civil service and appointment would be on a contract “at-will” basis and is for a specified period of time to be determined by the appointing Councilmember and does not extend past the end of the elected official's or appointing authority's term. Candidates must be willing to work evenings and weekends on occasion, and as exempt management employees, are not eligible for overtime compensation. This unclassified position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income and business positions.
Ideal Candidate
Minimum Qualifications
Any combination of training, education, and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to advise and support the Mayor on matters of constituent services; public policy; community outreach and engagement; and communications.
Education: Typically requires a Bachelor’s Degree in political science, public administration, business administration, journalism, public relations or related field.
Experience: Typically requires five or more years of government or public service experience. Experience working for an elected official at the federal, state, or local level or as a public or private sector manager is highly desirable. A Master’s Degree in public or business administration; or a degree in a technical field related to a municipal function is highly desirable.
Required Licensing: Possession of a valid California Driver’s license is required.
Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San José will not sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.
Desirable experience, knowledge and skills for this position include:
- A Master’s Degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university, preferably in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, or related field,.
- At least four (4) years of professional experience in public policy areas.
- Experience in local government or a political office.
- Demonstrates a history of receiving progressively increasing responsibilities and documented success at each level.
- Experience managing complex projects and/or interdepartmental teams.
- Direct report to or worked alongside an organization’s senior leadership team.
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with others and to provide excellent service to internal and external customers, stakeholders, and colleagues.
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing (email, letters, report writing and editing).
- Ability to exercise sound judgment in developing, analyzing, and evaluating various programs and services.
- Ability to manage programs, activities, and projects within the scope and authority of the Mayor.
- Strong organizational, administration, and project management skills.
- Ability to thrive and succeed in a high-energy, fast-paced environment that is the Mayor's Office of America’s 10th Largest City.
Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process may consist of one or more interviews. You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process. Please note that there is a 4,000-character limit, including spaces, for each text response.
To be considered for this position, you must fill out the online application on the City of San José website and submit the following as attachments to your application:
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Two (2) writing samples that best demonstrate your level of proficiency.
You must upload your cover letter, resume and writing samples to your application in order to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration.
