Exempt to Permanent - Communications Specialist (9252) – Citywide (160292)

This posting has been amended for change in announcement closing date on October 1, 2025. 

This is a Citywide Exam posting. Your application to this posting is an application to take a citywide exam.

If you pass the exam, you will be emailed your score and ranking on the eligible candidate list. When a department has an open position with this job classification, they will use this eligible list to hire for that position. Departments will contact candidates from this list to gauge interest

Exam Type: Class Based Test

• Application Opening: September 26, 2025
• Application Deadline: The final day to apply is October 10, 2025.
• Compensation Range: $118,196 - $158,366 Yearly https://careers.sf.gov/classifications/?classCode=9252&setId=COMMN
• List ID: ETP-9252-160292; 

THIS IS A CITYWIDE RECRUITMENT FOR CURRENT CITY EMPLOYEES ONLY

This is an Exempt to Permanent position in accordance with Class-Based Test (CBT) Civil Service Rules. This recruitment is restricted to current exempt employees of the City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Unified School District, or San Francisco City College, working within the Communication Specialist (9252) classification.

San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment, as well as social issues & change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.

In addition to establishing a career with purpose and opportunity for professional growth, the City offers excellent benefits that include competitive salaries; medical, dental, and vision insurance; defined benefit retirement plan; deferred compensation plan; long-term disability insurance; life insurance; and a generous paid time off package.

Come explore first-hand the many opportunities that the City and County of San Francisco has to offer.

The 9252 Communications Specialist is used by the Humans Services Agency (HSA), Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and the Assessor-Recorder department (ASR). Under general supervision, the Communications Specialist performs a variety of specialized technical duties that may include helping to plan, implement and coordinate communications programs for the Department and additional related activities as assigned. This role supports one of Department program areas as its Communications Lead in the development, planning, implementation, and coordination of a multi-channel communications strategy in support of that program’s goals. As a Communications Specialist, key responsibilities include creating, updating, editing, and disseminating content and messaging to external audiences (e.g. Department clients, community partners, grantees, City partners, etc.) and internal stakeholders (e.g. Department employees across divisions and teams) on multiple channels (i.e. print, electronic, social media, web, mobile, broadcast, etc.), creating broad public awareness, and understanding and effectively communicating the Department policies and programs.

ESSENTIAL TASKS & DUTIES

According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job class and are not intended to be an inclusive list; may include additional duties as assigned.

1. Manages and administers all Department websites and mobile applications, including all creative, technical, and content-related issues regarding the site, to ensure they are accurate, timely, functioning, and fresh.

2. Manages and administers related contracts to ensure they are in compliance with City contracting procedures and requirements.

3. Creates and develops informative, user-friendly, customer-focused, and visually compelling content across all distribution channels (i.e. websites, social media, mobile-applications, broadcast, video, photography, and print marketing collateral) for internal and external communications.

4. Develops public relations and digital marketing programs that support the Department’s brand strategy objectives, engage the public, and identify innovative methods to bring targeted messages to market.

5. Researches and analyzes industry practices and procedures, pertinent legislation, and issues dealing with the community; prepares proposals for improvements related to community interests and issues.

6. Maintains and monitors consistency in creative direction and content of the Department’s website; works with technical support staff to ensure functionality of the site; prepares management and administrative reports relating to trends, site usage, improvements; assists in policy development and long-range planning and development and implementation of projects for the website.

7. Serves as liaison between Department staff and community groups, providing accurate public, stakeholder, and community information; manages crises communications; represents directors in their absence at various community, organizational, and governmental meetings; and manages daily office operation as required.

8. Contributes to the development and implementation of project strategy and work plans for future expansion of all communication channels by managing promotional activities including, but not limited to the message copy and on-going implementation of communications campaigns, customer service messaging, and department services campaigns; monitors communication campaigns for effectiveness and information on projects and special events with the goal of developing and maintaining positive community and internal employee relations; works with departmental programs and sections to coordinate informational activities.

9. Creates, proofs, and edits content including: writing stories and articles, creating and editing digital images and video, managing the digital asset library, and creating and managing the master content calendar for all sites; prepares and issues press releases and articles concerning the Department’s role in the community, current issues and relevant legislation through various mediums; maintains consistency in the website and print material design; responds to complaints or requests for information; ensures that all content is in compliance with federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

10. Develops and coordinates a system for communication with website end-users to ensure site interactivity reflects the Department’s commitment to customer service; provides assistance, direction and support to social media messaging; conducts website and mobile applications analytics to identify trends for potential design improvements; maintains the security of the website; updates dynamic and static content; and ensures hyperlinks are refreshed and updated.

11. Provides assistance, direction, and support to the communications program as directed.

Education:

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND

Experience:

1. Current Category 16, 17, or 18 Exempt Employee in Class 9252 who has worked at least 2,080 hours in class 9252; AND
2. Three (3) years of experience working in the field of internal communications, public affairs, public information, or public relations unit. Experience must include one (1) year of professional experience in social media, digital engagement or web content management.

Substitution of Education: Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of two (2) years. Thirty (30) semester units of forty-five (45) quarter units equal one (1) year).

Supplemental Information: Incumbents in this class must work on-call assignments, which involve around-the-clock, weekend and holiday work. Due to the nature of this work, mandatory overtime is required.

Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications requirements by the filing deadline unless otherwise noted.

Verification of Education and Experience:
Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Review SF Careers Employment Applications for considerations taken when reviewing applications.

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. If education verification is required, information on how to verify education requirements, including verifying foreign education credits or degree equivalency, can be found at https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/experience-education/.

Note: Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included on your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Applications completed improperly may be cause for ineligibility, disqualification or may lead to lower scores.

Selection Procedures

1. Job Application - Applicants must fully complete the job application. Information from resumes does not substitute for the information on the job application or preliminary questionnaire.
2. Preliminary Questionnaire – Training and Experience Assessment (100% Weight) - During the application process, candidates will be prompted to complete a Preliminary Questionnaire as part of the online employment process. Please answer the Preliminary Questionnaire carefully and thoroughly; it will serve as the Training and Experience Assessment for this recruitment and will be used to determine your eligibility for this recruitment and your score and rank on the eligible list. Qualified applicants will be ranked on the eligible list based on the length of their exempt City service (in Category 16, 17, and/or 18) in the 9252 Communications Specialist class, along with any additional qualifying points (e.g., promotive status), as outlined in Civil Service Commission (CSC) rules. All work history will be verified using official City records, which will serve as the final authority in determining qualifying service.

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. For more information, visit https://careers.sf.gov/knowledge/process/

The duration of the eligible list resulting from this examination process will be six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director.

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. [Note: The correction of clerical errors in an announcement may be posted on the Department of Human Resources website at https://careers.sf.gov/.

The terms of this announcement may be appealed under Civil Service Rule 110.4. Such appeals must be submitted in writing to the Department of Human Resources, 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-5413 by close of business on the 5th business day following the issuance date of this examination announcement. Information concerning other Civil Service Commission Rules involving announcements, applications and examination policies, including applicant appeal rights, can be found on the Civil Service Commission website at https://sf.gov/departments/civil-service-commission.

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
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

Where to Apply

All job applications for the City and County of San Francisco must be submitted through our online portal. Please visit https://careers.sf.gov/ to begin your application process.

Computers are available for the public (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday) to file online applications in the lobby of the Dept. of Human Resources at 1 South Van Ness Avenue, 4th Floor and at the City Career Center at City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 110.

Ensure your application information is accurate, as changes may not be possible after submission. Your first and last name must match your legal ID for verification, and preferred names can be included in parentheses. Use your personal email address, not a shared or work email, to avoid unfixable issues.

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.

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).

Applicants will receive a confirmation email 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. 

Exam Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst Ryan Brown by telephone (415) 557-5501 or by email at [email protected]. 

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.