Career Opportunity

Assistant Superintendent - Bureau of Urban Forestry - Public Works (0932)(157643)

Recruitment: REF52848Q

Published: June 17, 2025

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

About:

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below.

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

Application Opening:  Monday, June 16, 2025
Application Deadline:  Monday, June 23, 2025, at 5:00 PM PST
*The application filing will be open at least through Monday, June 23, 2025, at 5:00 PM PST and will close at any time thereafter.
Compensation Range: $164,034 to $209,300 annually
*Effective July 1, 2025, Range A compensation for this classification is between $167,336 and $213,512
Recruitment ID: PBT-0932-157643, RTF0157386-01150371, REF52848Q
Appointment Type: Permanent Civil Service 

The current position is located at the San Francisco Department of Public Works. The eligible list resulting from this examination may be utilized for future positions in this class in other City departments. 

San Francisco Public Works (SF Public Works) is recruiting to fill the position of Assistant Superintendent (0932) in our Bureau of Urban Forestry.

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

Under general direction, this position reports to the Bureau of Urban Forestry Superintendent to play a critical leadership role in managing and overseeing supervisory personnel responsible for urban forestry, landscape maintenance, and vegetation management across city environments. The role ensures operational efficiency and success with the consistent application of policies, procedures, and safety standards, and supports our citywide greening and sustainability goals.  The role frequently participates in Commission hearings and other public meetings to explain and clarify bureau procedures, policies and programs.

Important and Essential duties:

• Provide strategic oversight of urban forestry landscaping and vegetation programs through direct supervision of second-level supervisors and their teams.
• Assist in planning, prioritizing, scheduling, and evaluating daily operations and long-term initiatives in line with bureau policies and regulatory requirements.
• Coaches and develops subordinate staff to improve performance
• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness and efficiency of the landscape crews service delivery; identifies and recommends alternative approaches or improvements; implements revisions, adjustments and changes
• Enforce compliance with established safety protocols and training programs; foster a culture of safety and continuous improvement.
• Support fiscal oversight of the bureau by contributing to budget development and execution, and by monitoring the use of materials, supplies, and mechanical equipment.
• Manage procurement and resource distribution, ensuring necessary materials, vehicles, and equipment are maintained and replaced appropriately.
• Oversee development of interdepartmental work orders and contract proposals; assist with bid evaluations and vendor recommendations.
• Represent the Bureau in labor negotiations, inter-agency coordination, public meetings, and communications with elected officials, community groups, and the public.
• Partner with sister-agencies to achieve optimal results in landscape maintenance, young tree care and vegetation management
• Investigate and resolve complaints, service requests, and operational issues; document findings and propose action plans.
• Conduct field inspections to ensure conformance with performance standards, city codes, and environmental objectives.
• Utilize digital tools to produce operational reports, memos, staff evaluations, spreadsheets, and presentations.
• Maintain effective communication through devices such as two-way radios, cell phones, and digital correspondence platforms.
• Participate in Citywide emergency response efforts and deploy resources as needed during critical events.
• Partner with and participate in community volunteer days to build rapport with and support from community groups and individuals.

How to qualify

Minimum Qualifications 

Education:
Possession of a Baccalaureate Degree from an accredited college or university.

Experience:
Six (6) years of professional-level experience in urban forestry, landscaping, and maintenance activities, including management of trees and other vegetation. Three (3) years of this experience must be supervising journey-level trades/craft staff performing urban forestry and landscaping activities and maintenance of the public right-of-way or land.

Note: Apprenticeship/trainee/intern experience is not considered qualifying

Licenses/Certifications:
Possession of a valid California driver’s license (Candidates must maintain a valid California driver’s license throughout employment.)

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

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

• Possession of an advanced degree or bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Urban Forestry, or a related degree program. 
• Arborist Certification from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
• Previous professional Urban Forestry experience working in the Public Sector.

Verification:
Please make sure your application is complete and demonstrates how you meet the minimum qualifications. 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: Any misrepresentation or 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.

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:

Management Test Battery (Weight 100%):
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. 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.

Note: Candidates must achieve a passing score on the Management Test Battery exam 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 the “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 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 the application process, please contact our team by email at dpw-hr-exams@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.