Mayor’s Speech Writer (Senior Council Assistant) (Mayor’s Office)

The City of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is one of the nation's best managed cities and one of the top ten cities in which to live, work and do business. Moreover, San José is the center of cultural government and economic activity for the region. The employees of the City of San José have embraced the following values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect and Celebration.

The San José City Council consists of ten Councilmembers elected by district and a Mayor elected at-large, each for four-year terms. The Mayor and Council are responsible for representing the residents of San José, providing accountability, reviewing public policy and programs, and adopting those policies which best meet the needs of the residents, visitors, and businesses in San José.

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.

Per the City’s COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination Policy, the City requires all new hires to provide proof of vaccination as a condition of employment absent an approved medical or religious exemption. “Fully vaccinated” means the employee has received two doses of Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson.

Please let us know immediately if you believe that you have a medical and/or religious exemption so you can be provided information on how to submit an exemption request and commence the interactive process. Please be advised that if you are eligible and have not been vaccinated but plan to do so, you will need to provide proof of vaccination prior to your start date. If you have any questions regarding the COVID-19 Mandatory Vaccination policy, please contact the Office of Employee Relations at employee.relations@sanjoseca.gov.

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 Mayor’s Speech Writer (classification is Senior Council Assistant - Unclassified) is $81,424.98 - $129,285.00. 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 Office of Mayor Matt Mahan is seeking a talented and experienced writer to join our communications team. As the Mayor's Speech Writer & Communications Specialist, you will play a crucial role in shaping impactful messaging that effectively communicates the Mayor's vision, policies, and key messages to a diverse range of audiences. Your exceptional writing skills, political acumen, and ability to capture the Mayor's voice will be essential in creating compelling speeches that inspire, inform, and engage the public.

Responsibilities for this position may include, but are not limited to the following:

• Collaborate closely with the Mayor, Chief of Staff and Chief Communications Officer to understand their vision, policy initiatives, and strategic priorities.
• Write compelling and persuasive speeches, op-eds, talking points and social media posts that align with the Mayor's goals and resonate with diverse audiences, including residents, stakeholders, community groups, and the media.
• Craft messaging that incorporates storytelling techniques, statistics, and real-life examples to captivate and connect with the audience on an emotional level.
• Ensure messaging adheres to the Mayor's preferred tone, voice, and messaging, while maintaining consistency across all communication platforms.
• Collaborate with other members of the Mayor's communications team to coordinate messaging and align speech content with broader communication strategies.
• Review and edit drafted talking points to ensure accuracy, clarity, and grammatical correctness.
• Stay up-to-date with local, regional, and national issues, policy developments, and public sentiment to inform the creation of relevant and timely communications.
• Assist in preparing briefing materials, talking points, and presentations for the Mayor's public appearances, press conferences, and community events.
• Work within tight deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining exceptional attention to detail.
• Other duties of a similar nature of level.

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 elected official and does not extend past the end of the elected official's or appointing authority's term. Candidates must be willing to work frequent evenings and weekends, 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.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to advise the Mayor or Council Member on matters of public policy, democratic processes, constituent service, or citizen involvement.

Desirable Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, political science, literature or a related field. Advanced degrees are a plus.

Experience: Proven experience as a writer, preferably in a political or government environment.

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 Jose 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.

The ideal candidate will offer the following abilities and knowledge, as demonstrated in employment history or other experience. We desire a well-rounded, dedicated, and enthusiastic individual with a broad combination of skills and abilities. A competitive candidate will possess all the following attributes:

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with a keen eye for detail.
• Strong understanding of political dynamics (nationally and locally, especially in the South Bay and San Jose), policy issues, and the ability to translate complex concepts into clear and engaging language.
• Exceptional research skills and the ability to gather information from a variety of sources.
• Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, including elected officials, government staff, and community members.
• Flexibility to adapt writing style and tone to meet the needs and preferences of the Mayor.
• Proficiency in using productivity and communication tools, such as word processors, presentation software, and project management platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and manage multiple priorities.
• Discretion and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information.
• Good attitude, strong ability to collaborate, creative and receptive to feedback.
• Understanding of the local media landscape and connections in local outlets is a plus.

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:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Three (3) writing samples that best demonstrate your level of proficiency

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact amanda.wong@sanjoseca.gov.

To learn more information about City Benefits, click here.

To learn more information about Mayor and City Council, click here.

Link to California Equal Pay Act.

This position will remain open until filled and applications will be reviewed continuously; therefore, we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible. Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. If you do not receive the confirmation, please email CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application. Please contact Human Resources at (408) 535-1285 or via email at Human.Resources@sanjoseca.gov if you have any questions.