Program Manager (Human Resources) - San José Fire Department

The San José Fire Department's mission is to serve the community by protecting life, property, and the environment through prevention and response. It is a high-volume, high-performance, all-risk fire department that protects approximately 200 square miles including, residential, commercial, high-rise, wildland interface areas, and several high-hazard occupancies.

For additional information visit sjfd.org. 

The San José Fire Department is seeking to fill one (1) full-time Program Manager position in the Bureau of Administrative Services and reports to the Deputy Director.

The salary range for this classification is: $134,490.72 - $174,851.04.

This salary range includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable compensation. The actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates’ qualifications and experience.

This position leads the San José Fire Department’s Human Resources/Employee Services Unit, which provides comprehensive human resources and employee services supporting a large public safety department, approximately 863.48 (723 sworn and 140.48 civilian) authorized budgeted positions and six bargaining units.

The Human Resources Unit is responsible for recruitment and outreach initiatives, hiring and separations of sworn and civilian classifications, return-to-work and workplace accommodations coordination.

The Employee Services Unit is responsible for employee and labor relations, performance management, discipline and internal affairs, citywide training and organizational development, leave management, and timekeeping administration.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of the Bureau of Administrative Services, the Program Manager oversees a team that includes one (1) Senior Analyst, three (3) Analysts, two (2) Staff Specialists, one (1) Senior Account Clerk and one (1) Senior Office Specialist, of which three are direct reports. This position serves as a key advisor to the San José Fire Department’s Senior Leadership Team and plays a critical role in advancing the Fire Department’s workforce strategies and organizational effectiveness. 

The Program Manager also collaborates closely with several City of San José departments and offices, including the City Attorney’s Office, Finance Department, Human Resources Department, and Office of Employee Relations, to ensure alignment with labor agreements and citywide, state and federal policies. 

The Program Manager is challenged with leveraging a broad set of City administrative systems, policies, and procedures related to all Human Resources and Employee Services matters. This includes providing direction, education, and guidance to managers, supervisors, and line personnel about the best approaches for recruitment and on-boarding, as well as managing staff performance and development in alignment with the San José Fire Department’s Core Values.

The San José Fire Department is seeking a leader who will adopt a collaborative and creative approach to managing heavy and dynamic workloads, navigating complex policy issues, pursuing service delivery improvements, and advancing key organizational initiatives. In particular, the successful candidate will be able to strike an effective balance between the constraints of a unionized Civil Service environment and the operational needs of a large department that seeks to advance a diverse workforce that is committed to serving the community by protecting life, property and the environment through prevention and response.

The key responsibilities of the Program Manager position include, but are not limited to the following:

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.

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a closely related field.

Experience: Five (5) years of directly-related experience, including two (2) years of supervisory experience.

Form 700 Requirement: This position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions. You must complete and file an “Assuming Office Form 700” with the City Clerk’s Office within the first 30 days of employment with the office.

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.

Job Expertise: Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies, and federal and state rules and regulations.

• Knowledge of Firefighter Bill of Rights
• Advanced knowledge of employee due process rights
• Advanced knowledge of and experience in recruitment, retirement and attrition metrics and analytics (For example, substantial knowledge and direct experience in forecasting vacancies, tracking employee and candidate demographics, identifying trends, generating reports and presenting findings and recommendations.)

Collaboration: Develops networks and builds alliances; engages in cross-functional activities.

Communication Skills: Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.

Decision Making: Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; uses effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions.

Leadership: Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational supports and direction.

Planning: Acts to align own unit's goals with the strategic direction of the organization; defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet those objectives.

Problem Solving: Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem; collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.

Supervision: Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.

Selection Process: 

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. Only those 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.

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Ginger Quijano at [email protected].