Career Opportunity

Urban Forestry Superintendent - Public Works (0941)(138144)

Recruitment: RTF0143304-01127372

Published: April 23, 2024

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

About:

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below.

Amended to reflect updated Application Deadline: Monday April 22, 2024, 5:00 PM (PST)

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

Application Opening: Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Application Deadline: Monday April 22, 2024, 5:00 PM
Continuous *Applicants are encouraged to apply immediately as this recruitment may close at any time, but no earlier than Monday, March 25, 2024.
Compensation Range:  $184,314 and $235,274 annually
Recruitment ID: PBT-0941-138144
Appointment Type: Permanent Civil Service

Amendment: Please note this job announcement has been amended on March 14th, 2024, to reflect additional information regarding the selection procedure/examination requirements.

San Francisco Public Works (Public Works) has a far-reaching portfolio with a $453 million annual operating budget, an active capital portfolio that exceeds $3 billion and a workforce of 1,700-plus employees. The department operates around the clock, touching every neighborhood in San Francisco. The staff designs and manages the construction of civic buildings and streets; cleans and greens the right of way; maintains civic buildings; manages multi-million-dollar bond programs; trains people for jobs; keeps the right of way free of hazards; paves the roads; repairs bridges and public stairways; expands accessibility; and works at the forefront addressing some of San Francisco’s biggest challenges. With a mission to enhance the quality of life in San Francisco for residents, visitors and business owners, Public Works is committed to providing outstanding public service through an equity lens.

Please visit the “About Us” section of our website at https://www.sfpublicworks.org/about to learn more about the department’s core values, Racial Equity Initiative, leadership team, history, budget and more.

Role description

As the Urban Forestry Operations Superintendent, you'll lead the Bureau of Urban Forestry (BUF) under the Department of Public Works. Reporting to the Deputy Director of Operations, your role involves setting policies, procedures, and budgets, preparing and maintaining operational records, and representing the department in key interactions with officials, organizations, legislative bodies and the public.

Important and Essential Duties:
Your duties as Urban Forestry Operations Superintendent may include, but are not limited to, the following: 

• Developing, reviewing, investigating, interpreting, enforcing, and analyzing operating procedures, rules, regulations, policies, methods, and reports.
• Supervising the application of standard personnel procedures, including selection, disciplinary proceedings, and employee development.
• Directing the preparation of annual budget estimates, reviewing expenditures, approving modifications, reviewing, and setting policies for materials procurement, contract specifications, and equipment requests.
• Directing the preparation of requests for proposals and contracts for services to or for the bureau; planning and directing all bureau operations through subordinate second-level supervisory personnel.
• Responsible for managing the bureau-wide safety and training programs.
• Representing the bureau and its affairs to superiors, government officials, business and industrial organizations, contractors, and the public by presenting before commissions, boards, and community groups.
• Directing the inspection of urban forestry-related work done by the bureau to ensure conformity with accepted standards.
• directing the operations of equipment and fleet vehicles including accessories such as Global Positioning System (GPS) and electronic mobile devices.
• Directing responses to citizen inquiries or complaints about work done by the bureau or about the performance of bureau employees.
• Directing the preparation and maintenance of detailed and complex operational reports and records, including periodic (quarterly, annual) bureau performance reports; using a personal computer to write complex detailed reports and appraisals, and accessing department/bureau’s databases, spreadsheets, and other software applications.
• In the event of emergencies, directing the bureau's operations and serving as a member of the emergency response team for the department; driving a vehicle to meetings; and performing other related duties as required.

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications:

Education:
Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university;

AND

Experience:
Six (6) years of verifiable managerial experience, experience must include six (6) years supervising journey-level Arborists, Gardeners and other skilled trade professionals, team leads, and forepersons working in Urban Forestry. Professional experience must include planning and managing programs related to any of the following areas: maintenance and waste management; public infrastructure construction, maintenance, and repair; code compliance/enforcement for streets, facilities, or buildings; or urban forestry operations involving the preservation and restoration of public lands.

AND

Possession and maintenance of a valid class C driver's license at appointment.

SUBSTITUTION: Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-to-year basis up to a total of four (4) years. One year (2000 hours) of experience equals 30 semester or 45 quarter units.

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

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. 

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.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT

Valid Driver’s License: Applicants must possess a valid Class C driver’s license with no restrictions that would prohibit them from legally performing the essential functions and duties of the role. 

What else should I know?

SELECTION PROCEDURE/EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS
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 will be required to complete a MQSQ as part of the employment application. 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.

Management Test Battery (Weight: 50%):
Candidates deemed qualified will be invited to participate in a computer-based examination designed to measure competencies in job-related areas which may include but not be limited to: Problem Solving; Leadership; Decision Making; Interpersonal skill; Human Resources Management; Team Building; Communication; Conflict Management and Process Improvement. For more information about this Management Test (and a suggested reading list), please click here. Please note: this examination is only held in San Francisco. A passing score must be achieved on the Management Test Battery to continue in the selection process.

This is a standardized examination and, therefore, test questions and answers are not available for public inspection or review.

Scores attained on the Management Test Battery will be valid and 'banked' for three years, starting from the date of the examination. This means that, during this three-year time period, you will not be required to take the Management Test Battery. The Management Test Battery may be used for many other classes; therefore, your test score may be applied to one or more of these classes if you choose to apply to future recruitments. If the selection process for the future announcement is held within one year of the date of this examination and it includes the Management Test Battery, your score will be automatically applied to that announcement. However, after one year, you have the option to either (a) apply your test score to the other announcement or (b) re-take the Management Test Battery. Re-testing is permitted no sooner than one year from the date of the examination and only in association with your eligibility for another announcement for which the Management Test Battery is used. Please note that, should you re-test, your re-test score would become your official score since it is the most recent.

Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight 50%):
Candidates deemed qualified will be invited to participate in an examination designed to measure their relative knowledge, skills and abilities in job-related areas, which may include, but not be limited to: knowledge of federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations; management ability, supervisory ability, problem solving ability, analytical ability, human relations ability and written communication ability.

Note: Candidates must achieve a passing score on both the Management Test Battery and the Supplemental Questionnaire examination in order to be ranked on the eligible list.

Eligible List/Score Report:
Once you pass the exam, you will be placed on an eligible list and given a score and a rank. The duration of the eligible list will be 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 exam will be “Rule of the List”.

Post-Eligible List:
Candidates will be invited to interview based on test scores and experience that most closely matches the responsibilities of the position determined from a review of the application materials.

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.smartrecruiters.com/CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1/.

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.

What else should I know?

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

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: At the City and County of San Francisco, we share a commitment to a diverse, inclusive and equitable community. Each member of our organization is responsible and accountable for what they say and do to make San Francisco an inclusive and equitable place to live and work by employing fair and just practices to and for all.

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.

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact Lateef Taylor at lateef.taylor@sfdpw.org.

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.