Director of Innovation

• 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

• Bachelor's degree in a related field, or equivalent practical experience
• Experience managing a team of 5 or more people
• Seven or more years of experience leading complex, cross-functional initiatives in government, nonprofit, or private sector environments
• Demonstrated experience driving work from problem definition through implementation, including managing stakeholders, navigating ambiguity, and delivering measurable outcomes
• Experience working across multiple stakeholders or systems, including senior leadership and external partners

• Ten or more years of experience in public policy, service delivery, organizational transformation, or related fields, including at least five years of people management experience
• Experience leading multiple teams of 10 or more
• Experience leading or contributing to innovation, transformation, or service improvement efforts, including applying human-centered design, data analysis, and policy tools in practice
• Strong understanding of how government operates, including the ability to navigate organizational, operational, and political dynamics
• Experience developing and implementing research-driven solutions that translate insights into real-world outcomes
• Experience building or scaling programs across departments or organizations
• Experience leveraging and coordinating cross-sector resources, including public, private, and philanthropic partners
• Exercises independent judgment and takes ownership, stepping in to move work forward even in the absence of clear direction
• Demonstrates a strong bias toward action, balancing urgency with thoughtful decision-making in complex and high-stakes environments
• Communicates with clarity and intention, translating complex ideas into actionable insights for diverse audiences, including senior leaders, frontline staff, and community stakeholders
• Leads with curiosity and discipline, seeking to understand root causes through data, research, and lived experience before jumping to solutions
• Builds trust quickly and navigates relationships with empathy and credibility, especially across departments, communities, and stakeholders with differing perspectives
• Prioritizes and executes effectively in complex environments, focusing on the highest impact work and maintaining momentum under pressure
• Demonstrates strong emotional intelligence and sound judgment, particularly when navigating ambiguity, conflict, and competing priorities
• Brings a systems mindset, connecting work across silos and understanding how policy, operations, and service delivery intersect
• Committed to continuous learning and field building, proactively sharing knowledge, tools, and best practices to strengthen organizational capacity
• Values the mission of public service and is motivated by improving outcomes for residents, with a strong commitment to equity and community impact

Employee Benefits Overview