Are you seasoned sustainability leader ready to manage San Francisco’s Zero Waste team? Are you interested in pioneering trend-setting zero waste policies and programs that get adopted far and wide by other jurisdictions? If so, we invite you to take advantage of an opportunity to utilize your abilities and zeal to build a better future for San Francisco and beyond.

Who We Are - The San Francisco Department of the Environment (SF Environment) advances climate protection and enhances quality of life for all San Franciscans. SF Environment is a department within the City and County of San Francisco, a local government committed to innovation, leadership and collaboration in creating environmental change.  SF Environment is recognized worldwide for its environmental policies and programs, which center on achieving zero waste, reducing toxic chemical hazards, advancing environmental justice, promoting low-carbon transportation modes, expanding clean energy infrastructure, greening our built environment and protecting our urban forest. We’re a passionate, mission-driven team that values credibility , collaboration, impact, innovation and equity. SF Environment is also a great place to work, offering an attractive benefits package that includes healthcare and retirement.

SF Environment Racial Equity Statement  - For over 20 years, SF Environment has worked with San Francisco’s Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) communities to mitigate environmental burdens, increase accessibility of environmental programs and benefits, engage community members, and improve health outcomes. BIPOC communities are disproportionately exposed to environmental stressors that include air and soil pollution, illegal dumping of toxics and other materials, industrial land uses and transportation impacts. They are more likely to live in housing conditions with limited access to green space and where poor indoor air quality from pests, mold, and the use of toxic products contributes to the prevalence of asthma and other health disparities. They are more likely to be employed in areas with high levels of exposure to toxics. Now, they are the first communities feeling the impacts of climate change, with the fewest resources to respond. SF Environment has a longstanding commitment to the principles of environmental justice, whereby communities most impacted by environmental stressors and climate change are prioritized and the long-time work of community leaders is recognized and supported. We are committed to uplifting the contributions of local environmental leaders of diverse racial backgrounds and ensuring that racial equity is the cornerstone of all of our programs, policies, and services.

The Zero Waste Program Manager will lead the Zero Waste team, evolving its vision, objectives and strategies. Through leadership of a team of zero waste professionals, the Zero Waste Program Manager will advocate for, develop and direct the implementation of leading zero waste policies and programs. They will create incentives and collaborate on outreach and with other SF Environment teams, city departments and a wide range of organizations and people to expand and increase the city’s zero waste efforts. The position also helps secure program funding and manages the budget for the team. The Zero Waste Program Manager will help cutting edge initiatives spread around the state and field inquiries from around the world.

The Zero Waste Program Manager reports to the SF Environment Director and oversees at least 10 staff plus fellows and interns.

What You’ll Do - The duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this position and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

• Manage zero waste for all sectors in San Francisco, including construction & demolition, commercial, residential and city government;
• Promote waste prevention (reducing waste at the source and reuse), recycling and composting (source separation), highest and best use of resources, and eliminating landfilling and incineration;
• Develop objectives, strategies and actions to achieve desired outcomes, measure progress, evaluate and adapt;
• Provide zero waste expertise, envision and design policies, programs, outreach, incentives, compliance measures and enforcement, and guide implementation;
• Cultivate and supervise a team of 10 or more staff, and oversee the Zero Waste budget, contracts and grants;
• Collaborate productively with senior staff to further integrate zero waste across SF Environment program areas, ensure zero waste initiatives reflect key elements of other areas and inform decisions about the direction of the department; and
• Professionally represent SF Environment, serve as the primary evolutionary agent for service providers and department lead in any rate processes, act as principal contact with state and other agencies, and promote best zero waste practices internationally.

Supervision Exercised - This position manages the Zero Waste team, including direct supervision of Class 5642 Senior Environmental Specialists in the construction & demolition, commercial, residential and city government sectors.

Minimum Qualifications

Any of the Following Combinations Are Considered as Qualifying Training & Experience

(1)  Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, and seven (7) years of professional experience managing and implementing environmental programs. Four (4) years of this experience must be in the area of recycling; OR

(2)  Possession of a baccalaureate degree in public administration, business administration, environmental science or other field related to zero waste (including but not limited to environmental studies, economics or geography), from an accredited college, and five (5) years of professional experience managing and implementing environmental programs. Four (4) years of this experience must be in the area of recycling; OR

(3)  Possession of a juris doctor or a master's degree in public administration, business administration, environmental science or other field related to zero waste (including but not limited to environmental studies, economics or geography), from an accredited college of university, and three (3) years of professional experience managing and implementing environmental programs in the area of recycling; OR

(4)  Possession of a Ph.D. degree in public administration, business administration, environmental sciences or other field related to zero waste (including but not limited to environmental studies, economics or geography), from an accredited college or university, and two (2) years of professional experience managing and implementing environmental programs in the area of recycling.

AND

Special Conditions

1. A minimum of two (2) years of zero waste experience; AND
2. A minimum of two (2) years of experience supervising multiple employees concurrently or leading a team on a major project.

Note:

• One (1) year is equivalent to 2,000 hours worked. 2,000 hours of qualifying experience is based on a 40-hour work week.
• Qualifying experience can be gained concurrently.

The above minimum qualifications reflect special conditions associated with the position to be filled. They may differ from the standard minimum qualifications associated with this classification. Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications and special condition by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

Desirable Qualifications - The desirable qualifications may be used to select among finalists at the end of the selection process. We do not expect any one candidate to have all the qualifications listed.  We highly encourage you to apply if you are interested in joining us.

• Skilled in staff leadership, development, and project management.
• Experience gaining adoption of and compliance with legislation.
• Experience navigating and working in or with large organizations.
• Fluency in Cantonese, Spanish or other languages commonly spoken in San Francisco besides English.
• An understanding of equity, inclusion and diversity concepts.

• Salary Range - $120,588 - $146,536 per year
• Application Opening: December 13, 2021
• Application Deadline: January 24, 2022 (application period has been extended to January 24, 2022. Previous applicants do not need to reapply)
• Recruitment ID: REF4801

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. Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Please email Adam Romoslawski, Senior Human Resources Consultant, at [email protected] should you have questions about the application process. For questions regarding the status of your application or the selection process, please refer to the Selection Procedures section.

Selection Procedures

Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every position to which they apply. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (Weight: Qualifying) - After submitting your application and receiving the confirmation email, you will receive an email with a link to the Minimum Qualification Supplemental Questionnaire (MQSQ). This Questionnaire is designed to obtain specific information regarding an applicant’s experience in relation to the Minimum Qualifications for this position as required for the minimum qualifications review. Applicants must also complete the official application. It is essential that applicants provide complete information in identifying their education, experience and training. The MQSQ will be used to evaluate if the applicant possesses the required minimum qualifications.

Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation (Weight: 60%) - Candidates who respond to the MQSQ and advance beyond the minimum qualifications review will be prompted to complete a Supplemental Questionnaire. All candidates must complete the Supplemental Questionnaire and it must be submitted before the provided deadline. The information provided on the Supplemental Questionnaire must be consistent with the information on the application and is subject to verification. Once submitted, applicant responses on the Supplemental Questionnaire cannot be changed

Performance Evaluation (Weight: 40%) - Candidates who advance beyond the minimum qualifications review will also be prompted to complete a Performance Evaluation. All candidates must complete the Performance Evaluation and it must be submitted before the provided deadline. The information provided on the Performance Evaluation must be consistent with the information on the application and is subject to verification. Once submitted, applicant responses on the Performance Evaluation cannot be changed. Applicants must achieve a passing score on the Supplemental Questionnaire Evaluation and Performance Evaluation in order to be ranked on the eligible list.

The Supplemental Questionnaire and Performance Evaluation are designed to measure knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in job-related areas as described within this announcement. This includes knowledge of: zero waste principles and application; local, state and federal solid waste legislation and institutions; behavior change methods and generation reduction and source separation strategies; materials and recovery equipment and technologies; and recycling and composting markets. This also includes the ability to: communicate effectively in writing and orally, including making presentations; design, plan and manage projects including identifying objectives, setting priorities, developing strategies, managing implementation and deliverables; develop productive collaborative working relationships with public agencies, the private sector and others; conduct analysis; utilize a computer, including word processing and spreadsheets; and manage, motivate and mentor staff.

After the eligible list is finalized/adopted, the department may administer additional selection procedures to make a final hiring decision (e.g. interviews, written exercise, etc.). Applicants meeting the Minimum Qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through all steps of the selection process.

Certification - The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be Rule of Ten (10) Scores. Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Eligible List - 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 six months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

Upon approval of the Human Resource Director (see Civil Service Rule 111A.26.5), the eligible list/score report resulting from this announcement may be used by other departments that also use this classification or a similar classification. To find other Departments which use this classification, please see here.

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
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT:  All City and County of San Francisco employees are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment.  For details on how it is applicable to your employment, please click here.

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.