Strategy, Innovation and Change Director (0941) – Business Services Bureau – SFPUC – (154074)

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

• Application Opening: March 19, 2025
• Application Filing Deadline: April 1, 2025
• Recruitment ID: PBT-0941-154074; RTF0154071-01083942

WHO ARE WE? 
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)
Headquartered in San Francisco, we have 2,300 employees operating across eight counties serving more than 2.7 million customers in the San Francisco Bay Area – 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Our Mission: To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.

Our Vision: We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.

We are an award-winning and industry-leading utilities organization committed to our customers, community interests, and the environment. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at https://www.sfpuc.gov

We are proud of our infrastructure and programs, but most importantly, we value our highly qualified and dedicated workforce which ensures that this vision becomes a reality. 

To learn more about working at the SFPUC, visit our career site at https://www.sfpuc.gov/about-us/careers-sfpuc

Business Services Bureau
The Business Services Bureau oversees and manages the SFPUC’s internal and external service functions inclusive of Finance, Loans and Grants, Customer Service, Information Technology, Strategy, Innovation and Change, and Audit.

The Director of Strategy, Innovation and Change (SIC) leads and manages the daily operations of the bureau. SIC leads and facilitates strategic alignment, organizational maturity and transformation, and cross-functional process improvements to support SFPUC provide high quality services and respond to a continually changing environment. The Director is an important member of the senior leadership team for the Business Services Bureau and the SFPUC, and addresses agencywide challenges, supports risk management, and advises SFPUC leadership on strategic decisions.

The essential duties of this position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Direct the daily operations of the Strategy, Innovation, and Change bureau and manage supporting personnel.               
• Develop and implement bureau goals, objectives and initiatives while ensuring sufficient resources to achieve appropriate levels of service and successful project outcomes.   
• Lead and facilitate strategic planning and performance metrics for Business Services, focusing on responsible stewardship, financial sustainability, workplace excellence, and excellent service.             
• Lead development of strategic alignment initiatives through extensive analysis of cross-agency culture, context and work practices in collaboration with agency management.  
• Conduct internal assessments and industry benchmarking comparisons to inform senior leadership decisions and foster alignment of SFPUC programs and structure with strategic goals.
• Lead and guide SIC managers and staff in development of tailored project and change management plans, inclusive of risk identification and mitigation.
• Lead change management activities within Business Services and the SFPUC organization based on best practices, inclusive of communications plans, executive sponsorship, coaching, training, and resistance management.  
• Design and implement change management strategies and tools to optimize employee adoption of new business policies, processes and systems.             
• Coach and support project teams and leadership, at times within a matrix structure, to achieve project objectives; facilitate executive engagement for all SIC projects.  
• Administer the SFPUC Risk Management Program and ensure successful administration of the (enterprise) risk management framework; compliance to City risk management programs and guidelines; inclusive of the SFPUC Purchased Insurance Program; construction and professional services contractual risk management; and general risk advisory services.
• Foster a culture of innovation and excellence by encouraging problem-solving, questioning norms, and supporting new ideas in a safe environment.      
• Advise SFPUC leadership on applying the concept of innovation to align with organizational strategic goals and context.              
• Promote a respectful, collaborative workplace and build strong relationships with leaders and stakeholders.               
• Lead the continued advancement of growth and maturity of the Strategy, Innovation and Change function and personnel.         
• Related duties as assigned.

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record and ability to exercise the following competencies:

• Strategic Planning – Aligns departmental strategy, goals and objectives to the organizational strategic plan.  Formulates clear objectives and priorities; implements action plans with timelines and resources; and reports progress towards achieving the long-term goals of the organization.
• Innovation – Creates a thriving culture where employees feel both safe and encouraged to explore new ideas and improve existing ones; develops new insights; questions conventional approaches; and encourages others to develop new ideas and innovations.
• Change Management – Fosters a change-ready environment; and manages change for agency-wide projects requiring large-scale adoption by employees.  Provides communications, tools, recommendations and coaching to all levels of SFPUC management and employees.
• Relationship Management – Builds open, honest, and respectful relationships through effective communication and collaboration techniques – not only reaching out when needing help.  Fosters a culture that supports positive working relationships throughout the organization.
• Risk Management – Understands personal responsibility for managing risks and takes precaution in avoiding preventable risks; identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks seen as impacting the organization's achievement of strategic goals and objectives; ensures self and others are following procedures that prevent avoidable risks
• Adaptability - ​Adjusts, perseveres, and succeeds in meeting objectives despite rapidly shifting environment, demands, and resources; reacts appropriately to changing conditions or priorities; alters approaches to most effectively address different situations and people; responds positively to tasks and situations outside of comfort zone
• Business Acumen - Leverages business concepts, terms, and tools to achieve desired outcomes and develop sound budgets and plans surrounding the financial and operational functions of the organization
• Accountability – Inspires trust by acting with integrity, honesty, and fairness. Holds self and others to their roles and responsibilities. Acts as a responsible steward of the resources entrusted to the SFPUC.
• Decision Making and Problem Solving - Takes ownership of problems and makes responsible, transparent, and clear decisions; involves others in addressing problems and seeking solutions; gathers relevant information and conducts appropriate analyses; utilizes creative problem-solving skills; understands the impact of decisions

Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Strategic Planning, Project Management or other closely related program; AND

Experience: Six (6) years of managerial experience in strategic planning, project management, change management, risk management, or a closely related field, all of which must include supervisory

Substitution: Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year for year basis up to 2 years. Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one (1) year of work experience.

One year of full-time employment is equivalent to 2000 hours. (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week.) Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be considered at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Experience managing strategic planning, innovation and/or change management projects, preferably in a public sector environment.                                       
• Public sector experience in change management, technology implementation, risk management, including risk assessments, enterprise risk management, and/or controlled self-assessment.   
• Demonstrated experience building a team and service model to deliver strategic planning, innovation, change and risk management projects and initiatives in a public sector environment  
• Demonstrated strong analytical, planning, organizational and presentation skills and abilities.      
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Experience working in a large utility with significant capital investment.              
• Strong experience with Microsoft Office desktop applications (i.e., Excel, Word and PowerPoint).  

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

Verification: 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.

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.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications. 

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application. 

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

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

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ): Candidates may be required to complete a MQSQ as part of the employment application at a later time. This MQSQ is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant's experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications (MQ) for this position. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Supplemental Questionnaire Examination (Weight: 100%): Candidates who meet minimum qualifications will be invited via a separate link to complete the Supplemental Questionnaire Examination. The purpose of the Supplemental Questionnaire Examination is to evaluate the experience, knowledge, skills and abilities that candidates possess in job-related areas, which have been identified as critical for this position and include, but are not limited to:

• Skill to align departmental strategy, goals and objectives to the organizational strategic plan.  Formulates clear objectives and priorities; implements action plans with timelines and resources; and reports progress towards achieving the long-term goals of the organization.            
• Ability to create a thriving culture where employees feel both safe and encouraged to explore new ideas and improve existing ones; develops new insights; questions conventional approaches; and encourages others to develop new ideas and innovations.  
• Skill to foster a change-ready environment; and manages change for agency-wide projects requiring large-scale adoption by employees.  Provides communications, tools, recommendations and coaching to all organization levels.               
• Ability to build open, honest, and respectful relationships through effective communication and collaboration techniques.  Fosters a culture that supports positive working relationships throughout the organization. 
• Knowledge of risk management, including understanding personal responsibility and taking precaution in avoiding preventable risks; identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks seen as impacting the organization's achievement of strategic goals and objectives; ensures self and others are following procedures that prevent avoidable risks        
• Skill to adjust and succeed in meeting objectives despite rapidly shifting environment, demands, and resources; reacts appropriately to changing conditions or priorities; alters approaches to most effectively address different situations and people; responds positively to tasks and situations outside of comfort zone 
• Knowledge of business concepts, terms, and tools to achieve desired outcomes and develop sound budgets and plans surrounding the financial and operational functions of the organization  
• Ability to take ownership of problems and makes responsible, transparent, and clear decisions; involves others in addressing problems and seeking solutions; gathers relevant information and conducts appropriate analyses; utilizes creative problem-solving skills; understands the impact of decisions         
• Strong communication, presentation, and writing skills for interacting with all levels within the organizational and external stakeholders   
• Ability to work well independently or collaboratively in high-pressure, fast-paced environments and be able to make complex judgments without negative impacts

A passing score must be achieved on the Supplemental Questionnaire Examination in order to continue in the selection process and be placed on the eligible list.

Candidates will be placed on the eligible list in rank order according to their final score. Candidate scores on this examination may also be applied to other announcements involving other job titles, when directed by the Human Resources Director.

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. 

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of 12 months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. 

To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2023-24.pdf

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the List.

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: 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 by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

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
• 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

HOW TO APPLY
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov and begin the application process. 

•    Select the “Apply Now” button and follow instructions on the screen 

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com). 

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received. 

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Stefanie Lim, at [email protected] or 415-916-6632.

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.