BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER-Water Supply and Treatment-SFPUC-(0931)-(155379)

This is a Position-Based Test conducted in accordance with CSC Rule 111A.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC)

Headquartered in San Francisco, we have 2,300 employees operating across eight counties serving more than 2.7 million customers in the San Francisco Bay Area – 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.

Our Mission: To provide our customers with high quality, efficient, and reliable water, power, and wastewater services in a manner that values environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to our care.

Our Vision: We are an innovative utility leader, recognized for excellent results in service, safety, stewardship, and inclusiveness.

We are an award-winning and industry-leading utilities organization committed to our customers, community interests, and the environment. To learn more about our organization, please visit our website at https://www.sfpuc.gov/.

We are proud of our infrastructure and programs, but most importantly, we value our highly qualified and dedicated workforce which ensures that this vision becomes a reality.

To learn more about working at the SFPUC, visit our career site at https://www.sfpuc.gov/about-us/careers-sfpuc

Application Opening: 10/30/2025

Application Deadline: 11/20/2025

Under general administrative direction of the Water Supply and Treatment Division (WSTD) Manager, the WSTD Business Operations Manager is responsible for day-to-day divisional budget, procurement, human resources, business operations technology, records, policies and procedures, and other operational and administrative management functions.

Background

Water Supply Treatment Division (WSTD) is a division of the Water Enterprise with approximately 240 employees and facilities stretching across four Bay Area counties. This position will be responsible for budget development and administration of WSTD’s operating budget ($73 million) and capital and programmatic budgets ($1.3 billion over 10 years).

The division’s employees are primarily managed by a 0941 Manager, two 0933 Managers, a 5212 Principal Engineer, and this 0931 Manager.

The Business Operations Manager is a new position that was created as part of a realignment in WSTD. This position will continue the role and responsibilities of the previous Business Services Manager and will be given the added the responsibility of supervising the Dispatch group, handling dispatcher scheduling and coverage as a part of Operations.

The Business Operations Manager position will also play a pivotal leadership role within and outside the division, influencing decision making from an operational perspective by establishing effective relationships with staff across several City departments.

Work Location: 1000 El Camino Real, Millbrae, CA

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Essential Duties

1. Manages the WSTD Business Operations Section and directs the work of subordinate staff to ensure timely delivery of critical administrative and operational functions.
2. Develops and administers the division’s $73 million operating budget and $1.3 billion 10-year CIP budget; analyzes and budgets the division’s functional priorities and proposes new budget submissions for multi-year requests.
3. Facilitates the development of business software solutions to improve service delivery; tracks and supports software and hardware licensing, acquisitions, and assignments; implements and provides training for software solutions and business process improvements, including Maximo, Power BI, PeopleSoft, and SharePoint.
4. Evaluates opportunities for change, leads development and implementation of new goals, policies and procedures, and workforce planning/priorities.
5. Monitors the division’s expenditures and provides reports on the division’s budget status, forecasting long-term spending and planning to recurring and emerging operational issues.
6. Facilitates and executes business projects and programs, collaborating with multiple City departments.
7. Serves as liaison between the division and HR, overseeing compliance of human resources matters within the division.
8. Directs the division’s warehouse operations, including purchasing and inventory management of materials, supplies, and fuel to meet the division’s operational needs.
9. Manages Millbrae Dispatch, a communications center staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week responding to calls from emergency response agencies and relaying information using the i-INFO alert system for WSTD, Water Quality Division, and the Natural Resources and Lands Management Division.
10. Directs execution of professional services contracts, maintenance service contracts, and interdepartmental work orders to provide materials, supplies, and services allocated in the $73 million operating budget.
11. Oversees the division’s records management program and expands utilization of organizational resources such as SharePoint, and interdivisional workflow systems.
12. Performs a variety of tasks relative to assigned area of responsibility.

Ideal Candidate and Competencies:

The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record and ability to exercise the following leadership competencies which are critical for success in the role of Business Operations Manager at SFPUC’s Water Supply and Treatment Division.

Accountability- Acts with integrity, honestly, and fairness; inspires trust. Clearly defines roles and responsibilities for self and others. Holds self and others to their roles and responsibilities. Complies with legal and ethical guidelines. Acts as a responsible steward of the resources entrusted to the SFPUC.

Business Acumen- Understands and leverages business concepts, terms, and tools to achieve desired outcomes. Makes informed decisions and develops sound budgets and plans surrounding the financial and operational functions of the organization. Demonstrates expertise in the utility industry landscape. Develops compelling business cases to support organizational plans and objectives.

Decision Making and Problem Solving- Takes ownership of problems and makes timely, responsible, transparent, and clear decisions. Involves others in addressing problems and seeking solutions. Gathers relevant information and conducts appropriate analyses. Understands the impact of decisions.

Innovation- Creates a thriving culture in which employees feel both safe and encouraged to explore new ideas and improve existing ones; develops new insights, questions conventional approaches, and encourages others to develop new ideas and innovations.

Relationship Management- Builds open, honest, and respectful relationships through effective communication.

Minimum Qualifications

•              Education: Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND

•              Experience: Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in business operations that includes budget administration, procurement and supply chain management, and compliance and personnel administration, of which three (3) years must include experience supervising professionals; AND

•              Licenses: Possession of a current valid CA driver’s license.

Substitution: Additional qualifying work experience as described above may be substituted for up to two years of the required education on a year-for-year basis. (One year of work experience is equal to 30 semesters or 45 quarter units).

Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

Selection Procedures

After application submission, candidates deemed qualified must complete all subsequent steps to advance in this selection process, which includes the following:

Supplemental Questionnaire (SQ) (Weight: 100%): Candidates who meet minimum qualifications will be invited via a separate online link to complete the Supplemental Questionnaire Examination. The purpose of the SQ Examination is to evaluate the experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities that candidates possess in job-related areas, which have been identified as critical for this position and include, but are not limited to:

• Knowledge, principles and practices in management, administration, and budgeting
• Knowledge, principles, and the ability to supervise, train and coordinate the work of employees
• Ability to identify, analyze and report activities, issues, and problems; and be able to recommend appropriate solutions
• Ability to establish, and maintain effective working relationships with departmental staff, representatives of other agencies, and the public

Eligible List/Score Report:
A confidential eligible list of applicant names that have passed the civil service examination process will be created, and used for certification purposes only. An examination score report will be established, so applicants can view the ranks, final scores and number of eligible candidates. Applicant information, including names of applicants on the eligible list, shall not be made public unless required by law. However, an eligible list shall be made available for public inspection, upon request, once the eligible list is exhausted or expired and referrals resolved. The eligible list/score report resulting from this civil service examination process is subject to change after adoption (e.g., as a result of appeals), as directed by the Human Resources Director or the Civil Service Commission.

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be of 12 months, and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

To find Departments which use this classification, please see https://sfdhr.org/sites/default/files/documents/Forms-Documents/Position-Counts-by-Job-Codes-and-Department-FY-2022-23.pdf

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights:  

Applicants must be guided solely by the provisions of this announcement, including requirements, time periods and other particulars, except when superseded by federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations. Clerical errors may be corrected by the posting the correction on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 111A.35.1. The standard for the review of such appeals is ‘abuse of discretion’ or ‘no rational basis for establishing the position description, the minimum qualifications and/or the certification rule. Appeals must include a written statement of the item(s) being contested and the specific reason(s) why the cited item(s) constitute(s) abuse of discretion by the Human Resources Director. Appeals must be submitted directly to the Executive Officer of the Civil Service Commission within five business days of the announcement issuance date.

Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview  
• Equal Employment Opportunity 
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Veterans Preference
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams [required for Combined, Promotive, Entrance (CPE) Exams only]
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected] that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.