Career Opportunity

Public Relations Officer - Streets Division, Livable Streets - SF Municipal Transportation Agency (1314)

Recruitment: RTF0137265-01123100

Published: July 10, 2023

Accepting applications until: July 31, 2023

Apply using SmartRecruiters, the City and County of San Francisco's application portal.

About:

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent Exempt - Full Time not to exceed three (3) years. This position is excluded by the Charter from competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the appointing officer.

Application Opening Date: July 10, 2023

Application Filing Deadline: July 31, 2023

Recruitment ID: PEX-1314-137266

Annual Salary: $107,016 to $130,078

1314 Classification and Compensation Database here

Please Note: A resume and cover letter must be attached to the online application.

Division:  Streets

Section/Unit: Livable Streets

Location: One South Van Ness Avenue, 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA

Work Hours: Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Role description

POSITION DESCRIPTION:

The SFMTA oversees all transportation modes for the City and County of San Francisco, including the San Francisco Municipal Railway (Muni), bicycling, walking, on-street and off-street parking management, and taxis.

The Livable Streets mission is to create safe and inviting streets and sidewalks for all who walk and use a bicycle, focusing on projects that advance San Francisco’s ambitious policy goals to prioritize active transportation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eliminate traffic deaths in San Francisco. Street reconfiguration projects to improve the safety and comfort of people walking and biking are a major component of Livable Streets’ work.

In 2019, the SFMTA established a new program to streamline delivery of critical safety improvements. The Vision Zero Quick-Build Program focuses on nimble, low-cost projects that can be completed within months, followed by a 12-month period for evaluation, feedback and refinement.

These projects involve heavy emphasis on teamwork and consensus building within the agency, with Stakeholders including historically disadvantaged communities, and with elected officials, as well as a thorough understanding of how bicycle and pedestrian projects affect transit, accessibility, and traffic operations. The position will coordinate communications and outreach for the planning, design and construction of quick-build capital projects.

Due to the high visibility these projects often have with the public, a strong public communications program is needed including public outreach and engagement, media support, information, and education. The outreach program will be used to shape many details of the proposed projects, as well as ensure that stakeholders are fully informed about upcoming street changes. A public hearing will be a cornerstone of each project, requiring high quality information for the public to review, and clear mechanisms for soliciting and responding to feedback. Clear communication with the public and opportunities to provide meaningful feedback must continue throughout the post-construction evaluation period, to allow for design adjustments that reflect community input.

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Oversees implementation of a comprehensive and coordinated public outreach and information program for quick-build projects, to fully inform stakeholders of proposed changes and collect feedback that will be used to modify design proposals.
• Implements the SFMTA’s Public Outreach and Engagement Team Strategy (POETS) to ensure consistent implementation of outreach strategy across quick-build projects (and proactively identify synergies between projects).
• Develops and provides oversight of materials and graphics for presentation to community, internal staff or policymaker groups to explain the activities and services of the Agency and assists in content production as needed.
• Facilitates meetings and assists with meeting planning and preparation including conducting site visits to meeting venues.
• Maintains and updates project-related web pages in a timely manner.
• Keeps the public and stakeholder groups informed of project activities by selecting and applying the appropriate public participation techniques, reaching out to and engaging individuals and groups and providing information to the media, as necessary.
• Establishes, develops and maintains relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external.
• Drafts press releases, newsletters, social media and project collateral. Responds to media inquiries in consultation with the Communications Division.
• Tracks and responds to correspondence and constituent feedback.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

NATURE OF WORK: The position may require working weekends and nights on an as needed basis.

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications:

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public relations, journalism, English, mass communications, public administration, public policy or a closely related field; AND
    
2. Four (4) years of verifiable full time professional experience in editorial, newspaper, magazine, radio, television, public relations, social media, digital engagement, or advertising. This experience must be equivalent to job code 1312 Public Information Officer for the City and County of San Francisco and must include at least one (1) year of experience in planning and conducting a public relations, public information, or public education program.

Substitution: 

• Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of 2 years). Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one year.
• Possession of a master’s degree from an accredited college or university in public relations, journalism, mass communications or a closely related field may substitute for up to one (1) year of the required experience.

Notes:

1. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

2. One (1) year full-time experience 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 experience.

Desirable Qualifications:

The stated desirable qualifications may be used to identify candidates advancing to the interview process and/or to identify job finalist(s) at the end of the selection process when referred for hiring.

• Interest in city planning and sustainable transportation.
• Knowledge of bicycle and pedestrian transportation planning and infrastructure.
• Collaborative work style, including ability to work effectively with colleagues with different perspectives and from different backgrounds.
• Experience conducting inclusive community and stakeholder outreach for infrastructure projects, including work in historically disadvantaged communities.
• Oral and written proficiency in Chinese (Cantonese) and/or Spanish preferred.
• Proficiency with graphic design principles and software (e.g., Adobe Creative Cloud).

What else should I know?

Verification:
Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification. 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.

Selection Process:
Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience. Additional screening mechanisms may be used to determine candidates' qualifications.  Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to move forward in the selection process.

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

For questions or inquiries, please contact: Michelle Serrano-Nacorda, Human Resources Analyst at michelle.serrano-nacorda@sfmta.com

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.