Career Opportunity

Planner IV-Environmental Review (5299) - Natural Resources & Lands Management Division - SFPUC (133863)

Recruitment: RTF0133443-01032145

Published: May 31, 2023

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About:

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

• Application Opening Date: Wednesday, May 31, 2023
• Application Filing Deadline: Friday, July 14, 2023 at 11:59PM (PDT)
• Recruitment ID: PBT-5299-133863/RTF0133443-01032145
• Location: The position will work at 525 Golden Gate Avenue, San Francisco CA, 94102 or 1657 Rollins Road, Burlingame CA, 94010

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.org/.

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 here.

Role description

About the Natural Resources and Lands Management Division

The Natural Resources and Lands Management (NRLM) Division within the Water Enterprise of the SFPUC is responsible for the management of approximately 61,000 acres of Bay Area watershed lands under SFPUC ownership as well as 150 miles of utility right-of-way. NRLM Division is responsible for managing, protecting, restoring, and monitoring the ecological resources on these lands and environmental compliance for the operations and maintenance of the Hetch Hetchy Regional Water System which serves 2.7 million customers. We are committed to responsible natural resources management that protects and restores viable populations of native species and maintains the integrity of the ecosystems that support them for current and future generations. We strive to become a leader in science-based and collaborative environmental stewardship in order to continue providing high-quality and reliable water supplies to our customers.

About the Position
Under general supervision of the NRLM Planning and Compliance Manager, and in collaboration with NRLM staff, this Planner will lead the Division’s efforts to develop or update land and resource management plans such as a wildfire risk reduction plans, and invasive species management plans. These efforts will ultimately culminate in updating the SFPUC’s Alameda and Peninsula Watershed Management Plans, or their components, including federal and/or state environmental compliance permits in support of maintenance and operations. The Planner IV will collaborate with and support SFPUC staff charged with implementing these updated or newly developed plans. These plans will support broader operations and maintenance activities such as, asset maintenance planning; budget planning and tracking; and issuance of land use agreements such as for third party utility use, grazing operations, or native plant nurseries. This Planner IV will also represent the SFPUC in regional planning efforts that are related to operations and maintenance of Water Enterprise assets within the Bay Area counties related to transportation planning, environmental restoration, climate adaption/mitigation, trail planning, and wildfire risk reduction. This Planner IV may also perform a wide range of related duties as required.

Ideal Candidate: Ideal candidate is an experienced planner who is highly organized and motivated; is able to skillfully navigate high stakes conversations with diverse stakeholders; maintains accurate records; stays up to date on best practices for lands and natural resources stewardship and management; and is knowledgeable about environmental regulatory compliance in California.

Working Relationships: This position works with City Attorneys, Real Estate Services Staff, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Managers, Biologists, Foresters, Maintenance and Environmental Planners, Contract Managers, State and Federal Regulatory Agency Staff, Community Stakeholders, and others.

Nature of Work: The nature of work may require working in the field in remote settings, including watersheds, estuaries, streams, rivers, and on reservoirs. The position may require driving or hiking to remote locations on unimproved dirt roads in inclement weather.  The positions may require overtime and work on weekends.

Essential duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to:

1. Supervises professional personnel engaged in environmental review work. Manages the work of consultant teams and staff. Writes scopes of work, evaluates and approves budgets, directs work, and evaluates and approves deliverables. Sets team goals and priorities, develops individual work plans, assigns tasks, and supervises work of multidisciplinary teams. Reviews and oversees the development of environmental planning documents, environmental permits, and environmental review (NEPA/CEQA) documents such as environmental impact reports. Plans, schedules, and organizes complex environmental review and planning efforts, keeping projects on schedule and budget while efficiently and accurately synthesizing input from various stakeholders and experts.
2. Compiles and analyzes technical environmental data for major projects and complex planning efforts on SFPUC lands. Compiles land and natural resources planning data from multiple sources and prepares data for analyses. Analyzes georeferenced or other types of planning data using various statistical methods and software tools. Directs and creates various data analyses and visualizations, including charts, graphs, and maps in order to clearly and concisely present data, findings and recommendations to expert and non-expert audiences.  Oversees development of systems for archiving, retrieving, managing and analyzing data and records. Prepares and presents reports and plans. Updates existing plans and develops new plans related to the management of watershed and utility right of way lands and the stewardship and protection of natural resources affected by SFPUC activities.
3. Reviews and evaluates proposed environmental legislation and drafts comment and interpretation on how these may affect SFPUC interests. Prepares recommendations for modification of SFPUC environmental procedures to conform with State and Federal laws and regulations, local ordinances, and SFPUC plans and policies. Ensures plans and activities are consistent with local, state, and federal laws, SFPUC plans and policies, and up to date science including climate change adaptation and natural resources and land management best practices.
4. Makes environmental evaluations of projects on SFPUC lands to insure compliance with legal requirements in such areas as water and wetland protection and endangered species.
5. Interprets environmental laws and requirements for department personnel, project managers, and consultants. Leads and directs the environmental regulatory efforts and implementation of updated or newly developed NRLM plans and associated environmental review documents and environmental permits (Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act, Fish and Game Code), and/or tracking and reporting on environmental regulatory compliance. Addresses government, community, business and other groups to explain environmental review requirements and procedures. Communicates effectively and courteously across a wide range of interests and expertise to staff, managers, technical experts, departmental officials, regulatory personnel, and the public; addresses community, business and other groups to explain planning programs and problems and promote good public relations for the department; may represent the department at the Board of Supervisors committee meetings, other government agencies, commissions or boards.
6. Acts for the Natural Resources and Lands Management Planning and Compliance Manager at meetings with other agencies, project sponsors, departmental staff and in other activities as required.

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications: Minimum qualifications reflect the lowest level of acceptable education and/or experience required of an individual such that the individual reasonably could be expected to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position.  Candidates must meet all the requirements established by the MQs to be considered for the position.

• Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. AND
• Experience: Requires five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in the areas of planning, environmental review, or environmental law, of which at least four (4) years must be in environmental review or environmental law, including management and scheduling experience;

Substitution: Advanced degrees in related fields of planning, science or law may be substituted for up to two (2) years of experience; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

Note: 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.)

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted. Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.

Desirable Qualifications: The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify job finalists at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring.

• Knowledge and experience with natural resource protection and land management, ecology, environmental permitting and regulatory compliance (Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, or California Fish and Game Code), climate science, or related field. 
• Possession of a valid driver’s license. (Please note: a valid California driver’s license is required as the final candidate.)

Verification of Education and Experience: Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. For more information on how to verify your experience or education please click here.

Verification of required work experience typically must be on the employer’s letterhead, and must include the applicant’s name, job title, description of job duties, dates of employment, hours per week, and signature of the employer, supervisor, or appropriate representative.

Employees of the City and County of San Francisco may submit performance evaluations showing duties performed to verify qualifying City experience. City employees will receive credit for the duties of the class to which appointed. Credit for experience obtained outside of the employee's class will be allowed only if recorded in accordance with the provisions of Civil Service Commission Rules. CCSF employees will not receive credit for experience obtained outside of their classification unless recorded in accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Rule 110.9.1/111A.11.2.

Experience claimed in self-employment will only be accepted if supported by documents verifying income, earnings, business license and experience comparable to minimum qualifications above. Copies of income tax papers or other documents listing occupation and total earnings must be submitted.

Verification of qualifying education is a copy of your transcript or diploma. For more information, please click here.

Verification of required valid licensure/certification typically must be a photocopy of the license/certificate including the name of the issuing agency as well as the name of the license/certificate holder, license/certificate number, and expiration date.

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.

What else should I know?

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): (Weight:  Qualifying) Candidates will 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 Evaluation (Weight:100%): Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be sent a Supplemental Questionnaire via electronic mail after the closing of this filing period. The Supplemental Questionnaire is designed to measure the knowledge, skills and/or abilities in job-related areas required for the position.  Applicants will be given a deadline to return the Supplemental Questionnaire. Those who do not respond by the established deadline will not be eligible to continue in the examination process and will not be added to eligibility list resulting from this process. All applicants’ responses to the Supplemental Questionnaire are subject to verification.

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.

NOTE:  Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all of the steps in the selection process.

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 six (6) months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Certification: The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of the Ten (10). The hiring department may administer additional position-specific selection procedures prior to making final hiring decisions.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see here.

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 here.

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, @careers.sf.gov 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.

Recruitment Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst, Laurie Gee via email at LGee@sfwater.org.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment. Someone is fully vaccinated when 14 days have passed since they received the final dose of a two-shot vaccine or a dose of a one-shot vaccine. Any new hire must present proof of full vaccination status to be appointed. Any new hire who will be routinely assigned or occasionally enter High-Risk Settings, must provide proof of having received a COVID-19 booster vaccine by March 1, 2022, or once eligible.

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.