External Job · via Smartrecruiters

0904-Mayoral Staff XVI

CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1San Francisco, CA

💰 $65,000 – $85,000/yrFull-time

Quick Summary

Director of Innovation leading San Francisco's innovation team through research, prototyping, and implementation of city-wide solutions.

Skills & Keywords

innovation managementproject managementstakeholder engagementdesign thinking

Key Responsibilities

Lead Large-Scale Transformation: Drive complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives from research and design through implementation, producing meaningful and measurable changes across city departments and community partners.
Manage a multi-million-dollar grant portfolio: Strategically manage a multi-million-dollar grant portfolio to sustain team operations and drive impact.
Build and Develop a High-Performing Team: Recruit, manage, and grow an exceptional innovation team, fostering a culture of curiosity, rigor, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Engage Senior Stakeholders: Build and maintain strong working relationships with senior government officials, community organizations, and private sector leaders, aligning priorities and keeping work moving forward.
Make Decisions Under Ambiguity: Exercise clear, timely judgment in complex environments with competing stakeholder input, stand behind those decisions, and communicate them with confidence and transparency.
Manage Up and Across: Proactively align the Mayor, City leadership, and other senior stakeholders around shared priorities while maintaining focus and momentum for the team.
Navigate Political Complexity: Anticipate organizational and political friction, manage it proactively, and keep the team moving forward with awareness and discretion.
Embed Innovation Across City Government: Ensure the i-Team operates as a true partner to city departments, integrating work into existing structures rather than operating in isolation.
Lead a city-wide Open Innovation Challenge with community stakeholders and philanthropic partners.
Prioritize Ruthlessly: Focus the team's energy on the highest impact work, make tough calls about what not to pursue, and maintain discipline around scope and feasibility.
Apply Innovation Methods: Deploy design-based innovation methodologies across the full project lifecycle, including research, synthesis, ideation, prototyping, and testing, selecting the right tools and frameworks for each challenge.
Manage Complex Projects: Own initiatives from design to completion, setting clear milestones, maintaining accountability, and delivering results on time.
Communicate with Clarity and Impact: Translate complex ideas into compelling narratives for diverse audiences, from frontline community members to the Mayor, through exceptional written and verbal communication.
Champion Resident-Centered Impact: Center the needs of San Francisco residents in every phase of the work, maintaining an unwavering commitment to improving lives and delivering equitable outcomes.