Director Office of Racial Equity

THE OFFICE OF RACIAL EQUITY

In June 2020, the City Council approved the creation of a new Office of Racial Equity in theCity Manager’s Office. This Office will be responsible for advancing a citywide racial equityframework that will examine and improve San José’s internal policies, practices, andsystems to eradicate any structural and/or institutional racism that may exist in our Citygovernment. The Office of Racial Equity will achieve this goal through communityengagement, policy analysis and development, trainings, data collection, as well as strongeraccountability measures for City departments.

Director City of San José’s Office of Racial EquityCity Manager's Office

Known as the “Capital of Silicon Valley,” the City of SanJosé plays a vital economic and cultural role anchoringthe world’s leading region of innovation. Encompassing178 square miles at the southern tip of the San FranciscoBay, San José is Northern California’s largest city and the10th largest city in the nation. With more than one millionresidents, San José is one of the most diverse large citiesin the United States. San José’s transformation into aglobal innovation center has resulted in one of the largestconcentrations of technology companies and expertise inthe world, including major tech headquarters like Cisco,Adobe, Samsung, PayPal, and eBay as well as start-upsand advanced manufacturing.

San José’s quality of life is unsurpassed. Surrounded bythe Diablo and Santa Cruz mountain ranges and enjoyingan average of 300 days of sunshine a year, residents haveeasy access to the beaches along the California coastincluding Santa Cruz, Monterey, and Carmel; Yosemiteand Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada; local and NapaValley wine country, and the rich cultural and recreationallife of the entire Bay region.

San José has received accolades for its vibrantneighborhoods, healthy lifestyle, and diverse attractionsfrom national media including Business Week and Moneymagazines. The downtown area is home to high-riseresidential projects, theaters, museums, and diverseentertainment attractions such as live music, live theater,cafes, restaurants, and nightclubs.

Inquiring minds are served by the Tech Interactivemuseum, the San José Museum of Art, and many localgalleries and venues. Nineteen public school districts andover 300 private and parochial schools provide residentswith a range of educational choices. Universities in andnear the city include San José State University, SantaClara University, Stanford University, and threeUniversity of California campuses.

San José is proud of its rich culturaldiversity and global connections, and the essential role the City playsin connecting residents and businesses to the nation and the world.

THE CITY

In 2011, the City adopted Envision San José2040, a long-term growth plan that setsforth a vision and a comprehensive roadmap to guide the City’s anticipated growththrough the year 2040. The Plan proactivelydirects significant anticipated growth innew homes and workplaces into transit-accessible, infill growth areas and supportsevolution toward  a more urban landscapeand lifestyle. The San José area is poweredby one of the most highly educated andproductive populations in America. Morethan 40% of the workforce has a bachelor’sdegree or higher, compared with 25%nationally, while 40% of San José residentsare foreign born, and 50% speak a languageother than English at home.

THE OFFICE OF RACIAL EQUITY In June 2020, the City Council approved the creation of a new Office of Racial Equity in the CityManager’s Office. This Office will be responsible for advancing a citywide racial equity frameworkthat will examine and improve San José’s internal policies, practices, and systems to eradicate anystructural and/or institutional racism that may exist in our City government. The Office of RacialEquity will achieve this goal through community engagement, policy analysis and development,trainings, data collection, as well as stronger accountability measures for City departments.

The City also oversees convention, cultural, andhospitality facilities that include the San JoséMcEnery Convention Center, Center for thePerforming Arts, California Theater, MexicanHeritage Plaza, and the SAP Center San José –home of the National Hockey League’s San JoséSharks.

City operations are supported by 6,592 full timeequivalent positions and a total budget ofapproximately $4.1 billion for the 2020-2021fiscal year. San José is dedicated to maintainingthe highest fiscal integrity and earning highcredit ratings to ensure the consistent delivery ofquality services to the community. Extensiveinformation regarding San José can be found onthe City’s website at www.sanjoseca.gov.

The City of San José is a full-service Charter Cityand operates under a hybrid Council-Managerform of government. The City Council consists of10 Council Members elected by district and aMayor elected at-large. The City Manager, whoreports to the Council, and the executive teamprovide strategic leadership that supports thepolicy-making role of the Mayor and the CityCouncil and motivates and challenges theorganization to deliver high quality services thatmeet the community’s needs. The City activelyengages with the community through Council-appointed boards, commissions, and projectspecific engagement opportunities. In addition toproviding a full range of municipal servicesincluding police and fire, San José operates aninternational airport, municipal water system, aregional wastewater treatment facility, over 200neighborhood and regional parks, an accreditedzoo, and a library system with 24 branches.

CITY GOVERNMENT

The Director of the Office of Racial Equity is a new position in the City of San José’s City Manager’sOffice. The position is integral to the development of the City’s equity framework that will guide theCity Administration as we address the issues of systemic racism. Reporting directly to the CityManager, the Director will be responsible for establishing the new Office, including hiring a team ofthree other new Office positions, be a thought-leader and change agent, and engage the community indesired policy changes to achieve better outcomes for all.

Be an experienced and visionarypractitioner in dismantling institutionalracism and recreating systems ofbelonging and anti-oppression.

Have experience and proven ability tolead and manage change in a complex

Understand the local context regardingrace, gender, and economic disparitiesand inequities.

Have experience developing,implementing, and leading diversity,equity and inclusion programs, withdemonstrable outcomes.

Have experience developing programs,policies, or practices to expand inclusivityin organizational culture.

Have experience identifying andaddressing equity concerns related topublic projects or policies.

organization, including in localgovernment.

Be an established leader who enjoys workingin a fast-paced, high profile and progressiveenvironment, which is supported bycollaboration, transparency, and ethics of thehighest level.

Be a bridge-builder with the San Josécommunity and trusted to be a local leader ofracial equity.

Have worked directly with immigrant andrefugee communities.

Have a proven ability to foster a

Be responsible for the overall administrationof the Office of Racial Equity and the Office’srelationship with internal and externalpartners. 

Be a data-driven decision maker and proposecitywide policy and administrative changesthat positively impact equity in Citygovernment and the delivery of services tothe community.

progressive and diverse workforce, leadactivities that promote workplacediversity and serve as an expert advisor onmatter of equity and disparities.

THE POSITION

The ideal candidate will…

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

The Director of the Office of Racial Equity is required to have a Bachelor’s Degree from an accreditedcollege or university with a major in public administration, business administration, or a disciplinerelated to race and equity, and ten (10) years of progressively responsible professional experience thatdemonstrates proficiency at the management and policy-making levels of a corporate or publicorganization responsible for a complex range of programs and activities, including five (5) years at amanagement and policy-making level.  An equivalent combination of education and experience tosatisfactorily perform the duties of the job may be substituted in-lieu of a Bachelor’s Degree.

The salary range for this position is $162,463.63 to $253,926.81 per year. The Directorof the Office of Racial Equity also receives an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation in addition to the compensation listed above. The actualsalary shall be determined by the final candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work inthis country. Please be informed that the City of San José will not sponsor, represent, orsign any documents related to visa application/transfers for H1-B or any other type ofvisa the requires an employee application.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

In addition, the City provides an excellent array of benefits, including:

For more information on employee benefits, please visit the City’s HR Benefits website.

Tell us about your proudest accomplishment in the area of racial equity. What would you hope to accomplish in the area of racial equity during your first year atthe City of San José? Who are the most important stakeholders when approaching racial equity work in SanJosé? Describe your experience in strategic planning or framework development.

The final filing date is 11:59pm PST on Sunday, August 23, 2020.

To be considered for this exceptional opportunity, please submit an electronic version of yourcover letter and resume that reflects your prior experience in racial equity work to RandiPerry, Senior Executive Analyst, via email at randi.perry@sanjoseca.gov. Please also submitthoughtful responses to the following questions:

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Resumes will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this brochure.  Candidatesdeemed to have the most relevant qualifications will be invited to virtual panel interviews viaZoom that are currently planned to take place on September 3 and 4, 2020. The finalcandidate(s) will then meet in person with the City Manager and members of his Senior Staff.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS