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Director of Public Affairs (0953 Deputy Director III) - DPH - EXEMPT

CityAndCountyOfSanFrancisco1San Francisco, CA

💰 $145,000 – $185,000/yrFull-time

Quick Summary

Senior executive-level director responsible for department-wide public affairs, communications, media strategy, and public records for San Francisco Department of Public Health.

Skills & Keywords

Public AffairsMedia RelationsCrisis CommunicationsExecutive Leadership

Additional Information

The Director of Public Affairs (0953 Deputy Director III) is a senior executive-level manager responsible for department-wide public affairs, communications, public records, and media strategy affecting multiple major divisions within DPH, including Population Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Laguna Honda Hospital, Behavioral Health, Primary Care, and Administration.

Under policy direction of the Director of Health and the Deputy Director of Health, the Director of Public Affairs operates at the highest level of department leadership, providing vision, leadership, and execution across communications, media relations, legislative messaging, and public-facing strategy. The role routinely engages with City and County department heads, elected officials, the Mayor’s Office, the Board of Supervisors, and media outlets on complex and sensitive public health matters with significant organizational, fiscal, and public trust implications.

In addition, the Director of Public Affairs is accountable for translating executive direction into coordinated action across the department’s public affairs and communications ecosystem. Acting under the policy direction of the Director of Health and the Deputy Director of Health, the Director establishes clear priorities, timelines, and decision pathways for high-impact public-facing initiatives, aligns senior leaders around those priorities, and ensures disciplined follow-through. The role elevates risks, surfaces trade-offs, and reinforces accountability to ensure that public commitments and records are credible, coordinated, and executable within existing governance and operational frameworks.

The Director of Public Affairs plays a critical, cross-divisional role in protecting public trust, advancing public health priorities, and ensuring the department communicates effectively during both routine operations and moments of crisis. Decisions made in this role carry department-wide and citywide impact.

The Director of Public Affairs (0953 Deputy Director III) performs the following essential job duties:

Department-wide Public Affairs and Communications Leadership

Executive Strategy, Coordination, and Execution

Media, Legislative, and Government Relations

Crisis, Emergency, and High-Impact Issue Leadership

People, Budget, and Organizational Impact

The Director of Public Affairs (0953 Deputy Director III) may perform other duties as assigned/required.

Directs the development and implementation of department-wide public affairs, communications, and media strategies spanning multiple DPH divisions
Ensures alignment between public messaging, department priorities, and operational realities
Independently represents DPH on highly complex and sensitive public health issues affecting public safety, regulatory standing, and departmental credibility
Provides executive oversight of public records and disclosure functions, including coordination with designated custodians and legal partners
Coordinates and aligns senior executives across DPH, under deputized authority of the Director of Health and the Deputy Director of Health, to resolve cross-divisional issues requiring policy, procedural, or communications solutions including disclosure-related matters
Sets department-wide priorities and sequencing of public-facing initiatives and guides leadership through decision points
Reinforces execution discipline through structured coordination, issue resolution, and escalation of risks and trade-offs
Leads media strategy and oversees all media relations for the department
Consults and coordinates with the Mayor’s Office and Board of Supervisors on public health policy messaging
Represents the department before commissions, boards, committees, and federal, state, and local agencies
Leads public affairs and communications strategy during public health emergencies, regulatory actions, and other high-impact events
Ensures rapid, accurate, and coordinated communication and information disclosure across leadership, operational divisions, and external stakeholders
Directly supervises department-wide communications and public affairs functions and associated public records operations
Leads and supports subordinate managers to promote high standards of performance and continuous improvement
Develops, administers, and monitors budgets exceeding $5 million, including legislative and policy matters affecting $10+ million in revenues and expenditures