Chief Policy and Intergovernmental Relations Officer; Unclassified); Mayor’s Office

The City of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is one of the nation's best managed cities and one of the top ten cities in which to live, work and do business. Moreover, San José is the center of cultural government and economic activity for the region. The employees of the City of San José have embraced the following values:
Integrity, Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Respect and Celebration.

The San José City Council consists of ten Council members elected by district and a Mayor elected at‑large, each for four-year terms. The Mayor serves as the political leader of San José, and under the City Charter, is responsible for recommending policy, program, and budget priorities for the City.

The Mayor and Council are responsible for representing the residents of San José, providing accountability, reviewing public policy and programs, and adopting those policies which best meet the needs of the residents, visitors, and businesses in San José.

The Mayor serves as the political leader of San José, and under the City Charter, is responsible for recommending policy, program, and budget priorities for the City.

The Mayor’s Policy and Intergovernmental Relations Team is responsible for helping the Mayor develop, advance, and deliver an outcome-oriented policy agenda and represent San José’s interests across all levels of government.

Policy duties include reviewing City Council and Committee agendas and memoranda, as well as external agendas for boards, commissions, and other working groups in which the Mayor participates; developing concise analyses, recommendations, and briefing materials that enable timely executive decision-making; conducting in-depth analysis of administrative staff’s policy and program formulation, implementation, and evaluation; identifying emerging policy opportunities and risks; proactively engaging in interjurisdictional policy and special initiatives that affect the City;

tracking City Council referrals; and working with the Mayor, Chief of Staff, and office leadership to establish priorities, define measurable goals, develop near‑term initiatives, and assess whether strategies are producing the intended results.

The Policy team also works closely with the City Administration to move adopted policy direction from concept to implementation, identify barriers to execution, and recommend adjustments when progress is not occurring at the pace or scale required.

Intergovernmental Relations duties include developing and executing the Mayor’s legislative and intergovernmental strategy; monitoring and advocating for legislation at the federal, state, regional, and local levels; staffing the Mayor in special intergovernmental groups; building coalitions with elected officials, public agencies, and external partners. Intergovernmental work is done collaboratively with the City Manager’s Intergovernmental Relations team and City consultants in Sacramento and D.C.

Successful execution of these duties requires building and maintaining trusted relationships with key stakeholders inside and outside City Hall; exercising strong political and organizational judgment; maintaining discretion regarding sensitive information; and working collaboratively with other functions within the Mayor’s Office to align policy development, budget strategy, communications, neighborhood engagement, innovation, and public/private partnerships.

The Chief leads a staff of five full‑time‑equivalent positions and two temporary positions.

The Chief Policy and Intergovernmental Relations Officer reports to the Mayor’s Chief of Staff, serves as a principal policy advisor to the Mayor, and is a member of the Mayor’s Office leadership team. The Chief helps the Mayor and Chief of Staff…