Mayors Policy and Legislative Advisor

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The City of San José the Capital of Silicon Valley is one of the nations best managed cities and consistently ranks among the top places to live work and do business. As the cultural governmental and economic center of the region San José is home to a diverse community that values integrity innovation excellence collaboration respect and celebration.

The San José City Council is composed of ten Councilmembers elected by district and an at-large Mayor who serve as the Citys legislative and policy-making body. Under the City Charter the Mayor is responsible for recommending policy program and budget priorities aligned with the needs of residents businesses and visitors.

Mayor Matt Mahan is focused on five core priorities: ending unsheltered homelessness improving community safety cleaning up neighborhoods growing the economy and accelerating housing production.

The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan is seeking highly motivated effective and collaborative professional to join the Mayors Policy Team as a Policy Advisor.

This mid-level role is ideal for someone with experience in local government or an elected officials office who thrives in a fast-paced environment exercises strong independent judgment and can drive complex policy initiatives from concept to implementation. The Policy Team works across City departments and with external partners to advance the Mayors core priorities and deliver measurable outcomes for residents.

The total salary range for the Policy Advisor is $105000 - $180000. This amount includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. The actual salary shall be determined by a candidates unique combination of skills training and experience.

Policy focus areas for this role may include: public safety housing homelessness economic development land use environment and neighborhood quality of life.

Responsibilities for this position may include but are not limited to the following:

• Lead initiatives within an assigned policy portfolio driving the Mayors priorities through research analysis stakeholder engagement and the legislative process.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with City departments Council offices community organizations business leaders nonprofits and government agencies.
• Coordinate cross-departmental projects citywide and collaborate closely with the City Administration.
• Conduct policy research and develop actionable recommendations based on data best practices and community needs.
• Draft clear persuasive memos reports and correspondence that articulate policy proposals and justify recommended actions.
• Support development of the Mayors budget messages and policy documents.
• Partner with the Mayors Communications Team to prepare talking points speeches and supporting materials.
• Attend community meetings and public events on behalf of the Mayor including some evenings and weekends.
• Respond to constituent inquiries resolve issues and interpret operating policies for residents and community partners.
• Assist with planning and execution of meetings programs and civic events.
• Represent the Mayor at City-related meetings intergovernmental discussions and community forums.
• Other duties as assigned

Employees in this classification are not members of the classified civil service and appointment would be on a contract at-will basis and is for a specified period of time to be determined by the appointing elected official and does not extend past the end of the elected officials term. Candidates must be willing to work frequent evenings and weekends and as exempt management employees are not eligible for overtime compensation. This unclassified position requires a disclosure of outside investments real property interest income and business positions.

Any combination of training and experience that provides the knowledge skills and abilities to advise the Mayor on matters of public policy democratic processes constituent service or citizen involvement.

Required Licensing: Possession of a valid California Drivers license is required.

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

Desirable Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the most desirable combination of training skills and experience which will allow them to serve as a member of the Mayors Team.

Education: Masters Degree in Public Policy Public Administration Political Science or a related field is strongly preferred.

Experience:

• At least four (4) years of professional work experience in public policy local government or an elected officials office.
• Demonstrated increases in responsibility and strong performance at each career stage.
• Experience managing complex projects and/or coordinating interdepartmental teams.
• Experience working directly with senior leadership or executive-level decision makers.

The ideal candidate will offer the following abilities and knowledge as demonstrated in employment history or other experience. We desire a well-rounded dedicated and enthusiastic individual with a broad combination of skills and abilities. A competitive candidate will demonstrate:

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking analytical ability and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work independently and drive workstreams with minimal supervision.
• Excellent time and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholders.
• Sound judgment in evaluating policies programs and operational issues.
• A proactive self-starting work style and an ability to thrive in a high-energy fast-paced environment.

Selection Process

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicants training and experience based on the application. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews which may include practical/writing exercises.

To be considered for this position you must fill out the online application on the City of San José website and submit the following:

• Cover Letter
• Resume
• Two (2) Writing Samples that best demonstrate your level of proficiency

If you have questions about the duties of these positions the selection or hiring processes please contact Mackenzie Mossing at .

To learn more information about City Benefits click on the Benefits tab of this job posting.

To learn more information about Mayor and City Council click here.

Link to California Equal Pay Act.

This position will remain open until filled and applications will be reviewed continuously; therefore we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.

Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not acceptedthrough CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION please email and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be avaluable tool for learning research and professional growth. We encouragecandidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials liveassessments and interviews. Howeverwe value authenticity accuracy and truthfulness.Application responses and interview answers must reflect your ownknowledge skills and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation it cannotreplace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensuresfairnesstransparency and equityfor all applicants in the hiring process.