Community Development Specialist III

See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

Community Development Specialist III positions perform complex and responsible professional planning, support and coordination of community development and/or economic development programs, activities and services; negotiate, implement and manage and/or monitor contracts or projects that include community development, economic development, business finance, community revitalization, housing rehabilitation, real estate, public infrastructure or public service components; develop and manage budgets; coordinate project activities with community advisory boards, the community at-large, private sector stakeholders, other governmental entities and elected officials; attract and retain business enterprises; provide business assistance and business outreach services; promote workforce development, sustainability planning and development; data collection and research; assist in the preparation of community development or economic development studies and reports (such as the 5-Year Consolidated Plan, the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report, the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, Annual Action Plan and/or the Economic Development Strategy); assist with the management of various projects including commercial development, residential/affordable housing, infrastructure improvements and business lending activities; work in land development functions, including finance, land use planning or zoning; conduct various project or business feasibility analyses; administer state and federal grants; prepare and present reports to the City Council, Council Committees or other audiences; supervise staff; and perform other duties as assigned.

       NOTES:

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:  
  • 3.5% effective 7/1/27
  • 2% effective 7/1/28
  • 2% effective 1/1/29
  
  
• Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).

You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed college units = 120 semester/180 quarter).

     NOTE:

• Additional qualifying professional-level experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year for year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.

EXPERIENCE: Three years of full-time professional-level experience as described below. Qualifying experience must include performing the full range of professional-level duties in at least ONE of the following areas:

1. GRANT, CONTRACT AND/OR PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Grants management and administration, including the management and monitoring of federal grants, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entitlement program subrecipient agreements; special assessment district management (authorized under California or local law); project and contract management; and/or nonprofit contract administration.
2. BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: Business development program management/implementation; small business assistance programs; business expansion and retention programs; business marketing and outreach; workforce development; and/or state or federal business incentive programs.
3. COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: Community service programs; government-assisted or affordable housing programs; homeless services and shelter programs; and/or neighborhood revitalization programs; outreach event programs; emergency response programs.
4. PLANNING, PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT: Municipal building permit and land development entitlement processing; sustainability planning and development; community development and neighborhood infrastructure projects; and/or comprehensive land use planning.
5. FINANCE, COMMERCIAL LENDING AND BUDGETING: Community investment programs; business finance programs; commercial lending programs; infrastructure/public facilities financing; real estate development finance and community revitalization; and/or contract administrative/budgetary analysis.
6. SUSTAINABILITY/CLIMATE ACTION AND EQUITY:  Community engagement best practices; development of metrics related to climate action and equity; development and/or implementation of programs supporting climate equity; tracking and application of local, state and federal funding that relates to climate and equity.

      NOTES:

• A Master's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Planning, Management, Social Work, Social Policy or a closely related field may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of the required experience.
• City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.
  
HIGHLY DESIRABLE:
Depending upon the specific Community Development Specialist III position available for recruitment, one or more of the following may be highly desirable:

• Experience assisting businesses on complex permitting issues (e.g., local, state, federal regulations).
• Experience and training in inclusive community engagement strategies and best practices, social equity, or sustainability, and applying those theories to serve the public’s interest. 
• Experience in researching, analyzing and interpreting economic data, such as key regional economic drivers. 
• Bilingual (English/other). 

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

• Proof of degree/transcripts, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: (619) 533-3337; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.

Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS: Employment offers are conditional pending the results of all screening processes applicable to this position, which may include the following: confirmation of citizenship or legal right to work in the United States; completion of a pre-employment medical review and exam (which may include drug and alcohol testing); reference checks; and fingerprinting. Fingerprints will be submitted to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the California Department of Justice for a conviction record report. Certain positions may require additional screening processes, including a polygraph examination and/or background investigation. All screening processes must be successfully completed before employment begins. A positive test result for alcohol, cannabis/marijuana, illegal drugs, or inadequately explained prescription drugs, or misrepresentation, falsification, or omission of pertinent facts in any step of the screening or selection process, may constitute cause for disqualification or termination of employment. Nothing in this job posting constitutes an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego. Candidates must notify the Personnel Department of any change in their name, mailing address, email address, or phone number, otherwise they may miss employment opportunities. 

Rev. 8 - July 17, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)