Medical Therapy Unit Clinic Chief Therapist Manager (0923 Manager II)

The Department of Public Health prioritizes equitable and inclusive access to quality healthcare for its community and values the importance of diversity in its workforce. All employees at the Department of Public Health work to advance equity, inclusion, and diversity with a specific lens and focus on race, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, disability, and immigration status. 

• Application Opening: January 9, 2026
• Application Deadline: Application filing will close on or after January 23, 2026
• Salary: 0923 Manager II (Range A Salary between $146,718 and $187,252)
• Appointment Type: Permanent Civil Service
• Recruitment ID: PBT-0923-163222

The Mission of the San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) is to protect and promote the health of all San Franciscans. SFDPH strives to achieve its mission through the work of multiple divisions - the San Francisco Health Network, Population Health, Behavioral Health Services, and Administration. The San Francisco Health Network is the City’s only complete system of care and has locations throughout the City, including Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, Laguna Honda Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, and over 15 primary care health centers. The Population Health Division (PHD) provides core public health services for the City and County of San Francisco: health protection, health promotion, disease and injury prevention, and disaster preparedness and response. Behavioral Health Services operates in conjunction with SFHN and provides a range of mental health and substance use treatment services.

The San Francisco California Children Services (CCS) Medical Therapy Program (MTP) is a program under Children’s Medical Services (CMS) that provides physical and occupational therapy, medical case management, and utilization review for specialty medical care to children with certain eligible handicapping or catastrophic conditions ages birth to 21 years at the Medical Therapy Unit (MTU) sites.

The MTU Clinic Chief Therapist Manager serves as the primary therapy consultant assisting the CCS Medical Director to determine eligibility for CCS therapy services and to authorize related services according to State program medical criteria. The Chief Therapist plays a pivotal role in leading and managing the provision of physical and occupational therapy services to children with CCS-eligible disabling conditions. This position combines leadership, administrative responsibilities, and direct patient care.

Essential Duties

Program Management & Operations – Overall responsibility for the daily operation of the Medical Therapy Unit

• Oversees program development to provide high quality therapy services including appropriate communications with clients/families and coworkers and meeting professional and program requirements for documentation
• Develops internal processes and identifies opportunities for improvement in workflow and quality assurance
• Prepares annual budget and assist fiscal team with management of Pos, invoices, and other fiscal related tasks for the MTU

Supervision & Staff Development - Supervises direct reports including Senior Occupational Therapist, Senior Physical Therapist, and clerical staff

• Supervises Medical Therapy Unit staff including training, professional development, and delegation of tasks
• Leads hiring for Medical Therapy Unit staff
• Evaluates staff performance by following guidelines for annual performance reviews and providing regular feedback for growth and career advancement

Compliance & Standards - Ensures that all services are delivered in compliance with CCS policies and procedures, as well as relevant state and federal regulations

• Assures that the Medical Therapy Unit is compliant with regulations and requirements of California Department of Health Care Services, California Children's Services (DHCS/CCS), Medi-Cal, professional standards, licensure requirements, and CCSF/DPH standards and requirements
• Develops procedures and ensures adherence to best practices in pediatric therapy
• Provides subject matter expertise to CCS leadership on policy development affecting Medical Therapy Unit service delivery

Clinical Leadership – Demonstrates clinical expertise within and outside the department

• Participates in statewide work groups to establish best practices
• Collaborate with school administrators and other healthcare professionals to ensure a comprehensive approach to the child's care
• Directs research applicable to therapy services
• Represents the department in intra and interagency committees, workgroups, and meetings, including presentations and trainings regarding the program at the local, regional, and state levels
• Coordinates and manages Medical Therapy Conferences

Interdisciplinary Collaboration – Collaborates with clients, caregivers, and CCS staff to develop and implement individualized care plans

• Offers recommendations for Durable Medical Equipment (DME) like orthotics, wheelchairs, and other assistive devices
• Provides consultation to CCS Case Managers, Medical Directors, Medical Consultants, and others as needed regarding client services
• Assists with the development of Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and Interagency Agreements (IAA) in collaboration with the San Francisco Unified School District, managed health plans, and DHCS

Equity – Prioritizes equitable outcomes for clients and staff

• Applies the tenets of racial humility, health & social equity, and health disparities to procedure development and policy recommendations
• Prioritize equity processes in MTU infrastructure to achieve equitable outcomes for clients as well as staff
• Works with culturally diverse staff and communities, including but not limited to marginalized communities, Medi-Cal patient populations, minorities, immigrants, etc.
• Fosters and nurtures a climate that imbues inclusive excellence and diversity, promoting equity, and addressing racial, health, and social disparities

Direct Patient Care – As needed, participates in the direct treatment of patients

• Administering therapeutic evaluations, providing treatment sessions, and monitoring the child's progress towards therapy goals
• Builds rapport with patients and families

The Medical Therapy Unit Clinic Chief Therapist Manager (0923 Manager II) may perform other duties as assigned or required.

Required Minimum Qualifications (all applicants must verify that they meet both elements below):

License:
Possession of a valid, current Occupational Therapist License issued by the California Board of Occupational Therapy OR

Possession of a valid, current Physical Therapist License issued by the Physical Therapy Board of California

Experience:
Four (4) years of professional experience as a licensed Occupational Therapist or Physical Therapist.

Applicants must meet the minimum qualification requirement by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.

One-year full-time employment is equivalent to 2,000 hours (2,000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week).

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: The stated desirable qualifications may be considered at the end of the selection process when candidates are referred for hiring:

• Advanced Practice Certifications
• Certifications in applicable treatment techniques including but not limited to Neurodevelopment Treatment and Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation
• Two years supervising physical therapists and/or occupational therapists or supervising in a therapy setting
• Experience treating pediatric patients with neuromuscular and musculoskeletal conditions
• Strong clinical, technical, and communication skills

Important Note: Please make sure it is absolutely clear in your application exactly how you meet the minimum qualifications. Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. Please be aware that any misrepresentation of this information may disqualify you from this recruitment or future job opportunities.

Selection Procedures: 

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

Training & Experience (T&E) Evaluation (Weight: 100%) 

After this job ad is unpublished, qualified applicants will receive an online exam link. The exam is designed to measure knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in job-related areas which may include but not be limited to: Knowledge of Medi-Cal and Medicaid rules and regulations, including eligibility, documentation, and compliance standards; Knowledge of professional therapy standards relevant to occupational and physical therapy evaluation and treatment; Knowledge of occupational and physical therapy practices specific to pediatric populations, including assessment, treatment and developmental considerations across conditions; Ability to establish & maintain working relations with other DPH divisions, local, state, and federal officials and regulatory agencies; Knowledge of principles, practices and techniques of program administration including planning, budget, staffing, development and evaluation

The T&E will be emailed to the address listed on the candidate’s online application. Candidates will be required to respond to the T&E in the time frame indicated and must submit the completed questionnaire as directed in order to have it evaluated. Responses cannot be changed once submitted. Candidates will be evaluated based on their T&E responses.

Candidates must achieve a passing score in order to continue in the selection process. Candidates will be placed on the confidential eligible list/score report in rank order according to their final score.

Additional selection processes may be conducted by the hiring department prior to making final hiring decisions.

Certification: 
The certification rule for the eligible list resulting from this examination will be the Rule of the List. 

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 six (6) months and may be extended with the approval of the Human Resources Director. 

How to apply: 
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted online at careers.sf.gov. 

Our e-mail communications may come from more than one department so please make sure your email is set to accept messages from all of us at this link. 

Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment. Please consider using a personal email address that you check regularly rather than a work or school account. 

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. 

Terms of Announcement and Appeal Rights: 
This is a Position Based Test (PBT) administered in accordance with Civil Service Rule 111A. 

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 Workers 
• Reasonable Accommodation 
• Right to Work 
• Copies of Application Documents 
• Diversity Statement 
• Veterans Preference 
• Seniority Credit in Promotional Exams 

If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the analyst Steven Scoles at [email protected] or (628) 271-6828.  

We may use text messaging to communicate with you on the phone number provided in your application. The first message will ask you to opt in to text messaging. 

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.