Communications Manager
Applications are being accepted for the position of Communications Manager with the City of South San Francisco.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: OPEN UNTIL FILLED. INITIAL SCREENING OF APPLICATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE ON JANUARY 8, 2024. INTERERSTED CANDIDATES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY IMMEDIATELY FOR CONSIDERATION. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED BY THE INITIAL SCREENING DATE WILL HAVE PRIORITY.
THE CITY OFFERS AN ATTRACTIVE BENEFIT PACKAGE, AS WELL AS CALPERS RETIREMENT PLAN AND SOCIAL SECURITY PARTICIPATION.
The City of South San Francisco is a General Law city with a population of 66,185 residents that grows to 110,000 during business hours. South San Francisco is strategically located on the west shore of the San Francisco Bay, in northern San Mateo County, 10 miles south of San Francisco. This City is also located along the Bay Area's main transportation routes, including 101, 280, Caltrain, BART, San Francisco Bay Ferry, and the San Francisco International Airport.
The City of South San Francisco is a full-service city with 12 City Departments including Police; Fire; Parks and Recreation; Public Works; Economic and Community Development; City Attorney; Library; Finance; Information Technology; Human Resources; City Clerk; and Office of the City Manager. The City has a Council-City Manager form of government with more than 460 full-time regular employees.
The City of South San Francisco proudly remains The Industrial City, a reflection of its steel mill and ship building past. In recent years, the City has been redefined to reflect the innovative, entrepreneurial, and industrious spirit, which has made South San Francisco the Biotech Capital of the World.
South San Francisco’s biotechnology cluster is the largest in the world, with roughly 45,000 life science workers, 200 biotech companies, and over 12 million square feet of office/R&D facilities – with an additional 9 million square feet of new R&D facilities in the development pipeline.
South San Francisco enjoys a high quality of life, with an extensive public parks system, active library and learning programming, and a dynamic, engaged community making South San Francisco a great place to live, learn, work, and play.
THE DEPARTMENT
The City Manager is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the City of South San Francisco. The City Manager’s Office implements policy decisions of the City Council, provides leadership, strategic direction to the City’s leadership team, organization, and ensures that initiatives and programs align with the City’s mission and reflect the values of our community. The City Manager's Office provides overall guidance to all City operating departments and is responsible for the administration of City programs to ensure the delivery of high-quality services in an efficient and cost-effective manner. This includes oversight of major City-initiated projects, outreach to and involvement with community members on issues of local concern, direction of the annual budget process, and coordination of City Council agendas.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal Communications Manager will have knowledge of principles and practices of communications methods and marketing techniques; principles and practices of public relations and community outreach; political issues, community development issues, and legislative developments of importance to the community and City; and social media, web design, and graphic/visual presentation methods. The ideal candidate will also have the ability to analyze difficult problems, develop a positive course of action and follow through on its implementation; demonstrate sound professional judgment, reason logically, and think imaginatively and creatively; manage social media and website, including posting, evaluating, and delivering City messaging; and establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of the work.
QUALIFICATIONS: Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities would be:
Experience: Four years of progressively more responsible professional communications or public relations experience, including at least one year in a supervisory capacity.
Training: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college with major coursework in communications, journalism, marketing, or a related field.
Licenses/Certificates: Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid appropriate California driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record, which must be maintained as a condition of employment.
Bilingual Skills: Spanish language skills are preferred but not required.
THE SELECTION PROCESS:
The process will first consist of a review of application materials and responses to the supplemental questionnaire, which must be detailed and complete. A resume is REQUIRED, but does not substitute for a complete application. Applications with "see resume" as a substitution for the work experience description; those with unclear past employment information; or those with insufficient information to evaluate possession of minimum qualifications will not be considered. The most highly suitable and qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an oral panel interview. This assessment is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
Upon completion of this examination, an eligible list will be established which will be used for the appointment to the position. Possession of minimal qualifications does not guarantee advancement in the selection process and placement on the eligible employment list. Top scoring candidates will be invited to the next phase of the selection process, which will consist of any or all of the following: a departmental interview and written/performance exercise. All applicants will be notified by email as to whether or not they are invited to participate further in the selection process.
Appeals concerning administration of an examination must be submitted in writing within 2-business days from the date the event occurred.
Note: The City of South San Francisco reserves the right, at its discretion, to limit the number of qualified candidates invited to the selection process. Admission to the examination may be limited to those applicants who demonstrate the best combination of qualifications on the application and resume, in addition to an assessment of supplemental questionnaire responses. Applicants possessing the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed admission to the examination.
To review complete job descriptions which include all special requirements, go to www.ssf.net
Benefits
Salary: $137,612.00 - $167,273.00 annually
Retirement: CalPERS retirement formula is 2% at age 60 for Classic members or; 2% at age 62 for “new members” as defined by Government Code §7522.04(e). Social Security and Medicare participation and option to participate in 457 deferred compensation plans. City contributes equivalent of 1.5% of base pay towards a medical after-retirement account, with a $100/month employee contribution.
Health Insurance: City offers a choice of medical HMO (two providers) or PPO plan, and offers vision and dental coverage. City pays 100% of vision and dental premiums for employee and eligible dependents. Employees shall contribute 10% of the HMO premium cost based on category of coverage (single, two, family). For PPO, employee pays cost difference between PPO and HMO plans. City provides 100% City-paid short- and long-term disability insurances. The City offers a discretionary benefit account for employees who demonstrate health coverage elsewhere.
Income Protection: $50,000 Life Insurance, Disability Insurance, opportunities to purchase additional life insurance and Long Term Care.
Vacation: Fifteen to thirty working days annual vacation, based on the length of service.
Holidays: Fourteen paid holidays per year, including two half-days and one floating holiday.
Programs: 125 Flexible Spending account for unreimbursed medical and dependent care expenses, Employee Assistance Program, City Recreation Classes (12 free per year, excluding lab fees and ingredient fees), and Reduced-fee Child-care Programs are available.
This classification is in an employee bargaining unit.