Deputy Chief Innovation Officer (Unclassified) (Mayor's Office)

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov .

About the Department

The City of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is one of the nation's best managed cities and one of the top ten cities in which to live, work and do business. Moreover, San José is the center of cultural government and economic activity for the region. The employees of the City of San José have embraced the following values: Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect and Celebration.

The San José City Council consists of ten Councilmembers elected by district and a Mayor elected at-large, each for four-year terms. The Mayor serves as the political leader of San José, and under the City Charter, is responsible for recommending policy, program, and budget priorities for the City.The Mayor and Council are responsible for representing the residents of San José, providing accountability, reviewing public policy and programs, and adopting those policies which best meet the needs of the residents, visitors, and businesses in San José.

The Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation (MOTI) is charged with making San José the most innovative city in America. Key initiatives for MOTI include fostering economic development through startup focused initiatives like the SJ AI Incentive Program, promoting AI literacy through partnerships with San Jose Public Libraries and San Jose State University such as the MLK AI Hub, and co-developing pilots alongside the private industry and city staff such as our object detection pilot. MOTI has also played a significant role in leading the annual Citywide budget process since 2023.

Position Duties

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third-party job board application system. To apply, applicants must complete an application via the City of San Jose’s website at http://www.sanjoseca.gov/citycareers .

Deputy Chief Innovation Officer for the Mayor’s Office

The Office of Mayor Matt Mahan is seeking a visionary leader who is passionate about applying innovative technological solutions to better serve the community and advance Mayor Mahan’s strategic vision for San José. The person will help lead a small but dynamic Technology and Innovation team that is responsible for carrying out the Mayor's Smart City vision.

The total salary range for the Deputy Chief Innovation Officer is $100,000 - $126,523.54 This amount includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay. The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

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

• Act as a public face of the Mayor's Office of Technology and Innovation as appropriate, including representing the city on major stages around the world, interacting with the press, and writing blogs and op-eds
• Advise the Mayor on major technology and innovation trends and develop strategies and programs to tackle these issues in San José
• Identify, support, and institutionalize pathways for the piloting, implementation, and supplementation of AI and novel technologies with the goal of enhancing service delivery (e.g. "Government Sandbox" initiatives)
• Facilitate, organize, and execute events, convenings, and forums that advance San Jose’s Local AI Ecosystem, such as the SJ AI Innovates series
• Explore, develop, and nurture public/private partnerships centered on innovation with regional stakeholders (e.g. SJSU)
• Facilitate learning opportunities related to Incubators/Accelerators or Government Tech with hands-on experience and/or conferences
  • GovAI Coalition engagement and involvement
  • NewDeal AI Task Force management
• Manage key donor relationships and fundraise as appropriate from corporate sponsors and foundations
• Work with the policy team to develop state and national strategies working with our representatives in office to advance San Jose's innovation mission
• Staffing the Mayor at relevant meetings and events
• Promote employee and resident upskilling and skill attainment programs and initiatives
• Support the annual budget process in a limited capacity
• 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 official's 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.

Minimum Qualifications

Any combination of training and experience that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to advise the Mayor on matters of public policy.

Required Licensing: Possession of a valid California Driver’s 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.

Other Qualifications

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 Mayor’s Team.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, political science, public administration, business administration, public relations or related field. A Master’s degree in public or business administration; or a degree in a technical field related to a municipal function is highly desirable.

Experience:Three (3) or more years of government, public service, or research experience. Experience working for an elected official at the federal, state, or local level or as a public or private sector manager is highly desirable. Candidates with significant private industry experience are also encouraged to apply.

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 possess all the following attributes:

• Experience in technology policy, AI, emerging technologies, data, and organizational change management
• Passion for and preferred experience with the San José community
• Ability to create and lead multi-stakeholder coalitions to support the work of MOTI
• A strong communicator who has the ability to express ideas clearly and concisely, with both precision and sensitivity (politically and culturally)
• Experience with communications, press, and fundraising preferred
• A highly-organized individual who demonstrates sound judgment and extreme attention to detail, with the ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks on tight deadlines
• A "people person" who can relate to a diverse group of individuals, and who has the ability to initiate, develop and maintain productive relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders
• An individual who demonstrates high ethical standards, discernment, and discretion
• Strong project management and organizational skills, including using online project management tools
• An understanding of government processes and an appreciation for navigating complex bureaucracies

Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. 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.

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process. Please note that there is a 4,000-character limit, including spaces, for each text response.

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
• 3 References
• 1 Writing Sample

You must answer all job-specific questions in order to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration.

1. Briefly describe your experience, and successes, in any two of the following areas: 1) Technology Policy; 2) Technology Development or Deployment; 3) Technology Research; 4) Technology Communications; 5) Technology Ethics; 6) Workforce Upskilling

2. Think about the most complex assignment or project you’ve been given in a work setting. Describe the situation, the approach you took, and the ultimate outcome.

3. Please describe your experience working in a fast-paced and complex environment, particularly any experience working with elected officials or senior executives in an advisory capacity.

4. If chosen, what initiatives would you be interested in advancing that would improve the quality of life for the residents of San José? For one of the named initiatives, provide a clear problem statement, a potential technology or methodology that can be used, and metrics of success.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Stephen Caines at Stephen.Caines@sanjoseca.gov.

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 be advised that use of AI content in your responses may result in your removal from the hiring process.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through 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 CityCareers@sanjoseca.gov and we will research the status of your application.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Closing Date/Time: Continuous

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• City of San Jose

• 408-535-1285

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