What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Development Officer (Urban Economic Coordinator) position at City of Oakland, CA?
The Position
The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city’s historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.
Why join the City of Oakland Economic and Workforce Development Department?
This City of Oakland’s Economic and Workforce Development Department (EWDD) is responsible for the City’s overall economic health and vitality, and includes several divisions including Real Estate Asset Management, Cultural Affairs, Workforce Development, Special Activities, and Public/Private Development.
The City of Oakland is currently recruiting to fill one (1) Senior Development Officer (Urban Economic Coordinator) vacancy in the Public/Private Development (PPD) Division of EWDD.
PPD is responsible for negotiating and implementing transformative mixed-use and affordable housing development projects on City-owned property. Current projects include the adaptive reuse of the historic Henry J. Kaiser Civic Auditorium, the conversion of the historic Fire Alarm Building into a new jazz museum, a new Samuel Merritt University headquarters and several dozen affordable housing projects throughout Oakland, including properties at Oak Knoll, the E. 12 St. near Lake Merritt, 3050 International Blvd, and the Liberation Park project at Foothill and 73rd.
PPD also manages the former Redevelopment Agency’s (RDA) capital improvements, such as streetscape projects, and assists with the management of City-owned facilities, such as the Oakland Ice Center, the Oakland Convention Center, and the Fox Theater. It also oversees the winding down of the Oakland Redevelopment Successor Agency (ORSA) and manages Oakland Renaissance New Markets Tax Credits (ORNMTC), the City's Community Development Entity (CDE) that provides funding for development projects in Oakland.
The Senior Development Officer (Urban Economic Coordinator) is a senior developer role that will oversee a portfolio of complex real estate development projects and other key initiatives, as well as supervise staff. You will serve as lead negotiator on complex projects, helping to ensure that the City's interests are served and protected in development projects on City-owned land. You will address crucial needs within a community and have a lasting impact on Oakland’s built environment.
We are looking for someone who is:
- An experienced project manager with a background in real estate development including affordable housing development, and familiarity with the Surplus Land Act and other regulatory frameworks governing real estate disposition and development.
- An effective and energetic collaborator, who is able to work productively with a broad range of people, including City staff, development partners, community stakeholders, elected officials and the public.
- An experienced negotiator who has negotiated real estate transactions with successful outcomes.
- A problem-solver who takes the initiative in identifying and addressing challenging issues and takes appropriate steps to attend to those issues.
- Detail-oriented and adaptable, able to manage multiple projects and deadlines.
- A strong writer and able to communicate complex ideas clearly and succinctly in City Council reports, emails, and other written communication.
- Passionate about cities, the built environment, and equitable economic development.
What you will typically be responsible for:
- Overseeing a portfolio of real estate development projects on City-owned properties including affordable housing, mixed-use, office, cultural, and retail projects.
- Negotiating transaction documents, such as Exclusive Negotiation Agreements (ENAs), Lease Disposition and Development Agreements (LDDAs) and Disposition and Development Agreements (DDAs), and Leases with private developers.
- Assessing the economic benefits of different development projects including tax revenue generation and jobs creation, and overseeing the work of economic consultants advising the City on development projects.
- Monitoring and supporting existing real estate projects with active public funding agreements or leases.
- Preparing and presenting recommendations to City Council.
- Working on public financing tools, such as Community Facilities Districts (CFDs), Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs), or New Market Tax Credits (NMTCs) as well as working on state and federal grants.
Urban Economic Coordinator
A few reasons you might love this job:
- You will work on impactful and transformative projects in the City of Oakland that will generate equitable community benefits.
- You will help Oakland residents and neighborhoods by transforming vacant or underutilized properties into thriving developments that include affordable housing, needed commercial and social services, infrastructure improvements and other amenities.
- You will work in an exciting and fast-paced environment where creativity, problem-solving and leadership are celebrated.
- You will work with dedicated and collegial colleagues who believe in public service.
A few challenges you might face in this job:
- You will deal with time-sensitive work and the need to balance multiple priorities and deadlines.
- You will manage projects that are politically sensitive or controversial.
- You will navigate complex bureaucratic processes and procedures.
Competencies Required:
- Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
- Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
- Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner
- Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
- Industry Monitoring: Grasping the external political, economic, competitive, and social factors affecting the industry
- Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal
- Negotiating: Reaching mutually satisfying agreements and compromise
- Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
- Political & Organizational Savvy: Working skillfully with politics, procedures, and protocols across organizational levels and boundaries
- Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
- Writing: Communicating effectively in writing
Minimum Requirements for Application
This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.
Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.
Education:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in economics, business administration, planning, or a related field. A master's degree in the same or related field is desirable.
Experience:
Five years of progressively responsible professional experience coordinating major economic development efforts related to business retention, expansion and recruitment or major commercial office, retail or industrial real estate development OR two years of experience comparable to Urban Economic Analyst IV for the City of Oakland.
License or Certificate / Other Requirements:
Successful incumbents in this position are expected to operate automotive vehicles in the performance of assigned duties. Due to the nature of the assignment and the hours worked, public transportation may not be a cost effective or efficient method for traveling to the various locations required. Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Driver's License throughout the tenure of employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as required in the performance of duties.
Desirable Qualifications:
- Experience in real estate development and financing in either the public or private sector.
- Experience in negotiating and administering complex transaction documents to create and facilitate public/private partnerships in real estate development.
- Familiar with project entitlement and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) processes.
- Experience in the tenets of project management and/or experience managing complex projects.
Supplemental Information
The Recruitment Process:
The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the “minimum qualifications” listed for each position.
Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.
Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.
In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final.
For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to the structured interview (sometimes referred to as an Oral Exam). The tentative date of the structured interview is the week of April 28, 2025.
For some recruitments, more than one type of assessment may be used. Depending on the number of candidates who pass the first assessment (multiple-choice test, structured interview, writing exercise, performance exam) you may be asked to complete a secondary assessment before the recruitment is finalized. If a secondary assessment is scheduled, you will be notified by email with specific details. If a secondary assessment is not scheduled, department hiring interviews will occur during this time frame.
Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you’re applying to a “restricted” posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.
The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
What’s in it for you?
- Work/Life Balance: 37.5 hour work weeks
- 15 paid holidays
- Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service
- Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security
- Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include Anthem, Blue Shield, United Health Care, and other HMO and PPO plans
- Dental: Delta Dental full premium for employees and eligible dependents
- Vision: VSP full premium for employees and eligible dependents
- Sick leave: Employees accrue 12 days per year
- Deferred Compensation: 457(b) pre-tax plan and an after-tax ROTH 401(k)plan
- Other benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Wellness Program, Employee Assistance Program, Tuition Reimbursement, Life Insurance up to $200k & Employee Training.
Applicants are required to submit criminal history information upon request after receiving a conditional offer of employment. If the requested information is not furnished in a timely manner, applicants will not qualify for further consideration and will be removed from the eligible list.
Disaster Service Workers
All employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker-related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.
How to Apply
Apply prior to the closing time of the job announcement and allow at least two to three hours to submit your application if you are a new user of the system.
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/oaklandca/default.cfm.
If you do not have access to a computer, there are computer stations available at any City of Oakland Public Library. There are also workstations at the Human Resources Management Department, 150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor, Oakland, CA 94612. Workstations are available during regular business hours (normally 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
Our online application system is provided by GovernmentJobs. If you have problems while applying online, please contact GovernmentJobs Live Applicant Support at (855) 524-5627 between 6:00 AM and 5:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday - Friday. You may also call the City of Oakland Human Resources Management Department during regular business hours at (510) 238-3112 for information; however, we are unable to provide technical support for the online application system. For recruitment-specific questions, please contact Ellaine Reyes at ereyes2@oaklandca.gov.
Employer
City of Oakland
Address
150 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza - 2nd Floor
Oakland, California, 94612
Phone
(510) 238-3112
Website
http://www.oaklandca.gov/
The City of Oakland is committed to the wellbeing of its employees and offers comprehensive health and wellness services along with an array of other benefits for most positions. Benefits may include*:
- CalPERS Medical
- Dental
- Vision
- Medical Waiver Plan – Cash-In-Lieu
- Flexible Spending Accounts
- Commuter Benefits
- Group & Supplemental Life Insurance
- Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH)
- Pension Benefits
- Deferred Compensation
- Specific benefits may vary depending on the assigned specific bargaining unit. Information regarding most benefits can be reviewed here: Employee Benefits Information Current MOUs may be reviewed here: City of Oakland Labor Agreements
Salary : $200,000
