Democracy Dollars Program Manager

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 Public Ethics Commission?

The City of Oakland Public Ethics Commission (PEC) is currently recruiting for the Democracy Dollars Program Manager. This management level position is primarily responsible for overseeing implementation of Oakland’s landmark Democracy Dollars public campaign financing program. Under this Program, all eligible Oakland residents will receive four $25 vouchers, which they may contribute to the City of Oakland or Oakland Unified School District candidate of their choice. The Program is expected to launch in 2028. Under the general direction of the Executive Director, the Program Manager is responsible for developing and carrying out all policies, procedures, and logistics necessary for implementing the Program; overseeing the design and performance of technology systems to facilitate voucher redemption; planning and implementing a public education campaign to promote broad and inclusive participation in the Program; and hiring and managing all Program staff.

The Program Manager will also provide oversight over the Commission’s other regulatory programs, including its campaign finance filing officer and lobbyist disclosure filing officer programs.

The ideal candidate will have experience administering complex government programs and specific experience relating to administering programs relating to, or ensuring compliance with, laws relating to campaign finance, campaign public financing, election administration, and/or government integrity. A master’s degree or law degree, as well as a passion for government integrity and effectiveness, are strongly desired.

The PEC is an independent agency within the City of Oakland with a dual mission to “promote fairness, openness, honesty, and integrity in City government” and to “promote a more inclusive, representative, and accountable democracy in Oakland.” The Commission is responsible for enforcing Oakland's government ethics, campaign finance, transparency, and lobbyist registration laws. The Commission also administers the City of Oakland’s public campaign financing programs to prevent corruption or its appearance and to ensure wealth, or access to networks of wealth, are not prerequisites to running for office in the City of Oakland. In 2022, the voters passed Measure W to create the Democracy Dollars Program to strengthen the City’s existing public financing programs.

Join us in our mission to uphold the values of integrity, accountability, and inclusivity within Oakland government. If you are ready to make a meaningful impact, we encourage you to apply!

We are looking for someone who is:

Self-motivated. Though you will be supervised by the Executive Director, you will have the primary responsibility for launching and administering the Democracy Dollars Program.

A leader. You will be developing a new form of campaign public financing, with only one precedent, which will require having a strong vision for how to implement and grow the program.

An inspiring manager. When the Program is fully launched, you will be responsible for managing at least 3 other staff and may be responsible for overseeing the work of several contractors.

A talented communicator. You will develop and implement broad and inclusive education, outreach, and engagement programs to encourage candidate and public participation in the Program.

A good problem solver. You will have to develop policies and procedures to implement the Program and may have to quickly troubleshoot and overcome Program challenges within a tight election timeframe.

Detail-oriented. You will need to develop and oversee many different policies and procedures to ensure the Program runs effectively and efficiently while also ensuring the Program complies with the legal requirements of Measure W, local campaign finance law, and state campaign finance law.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Overseeing and managing the Democracy Dollars Program and performing short-and long-range planning and goal setting for the Program.
• Directing, supervising, and evaluating assigned staff; providing staff training and development; completing performance appraisals; and overseeing the selection of new employees.
• Preparing reports and giving presentations about the Program to the Commission, City Council, community organizations, and the public.
• Developing, adopting, and implementing policies, procedures, and logistics necessary for program implementation.
• Negotiating and administering contracts with vendors, service providers, and funding agencies, especially the contract with MapLight for the development of the software necessary to implement the Program.
• Creating Program benchmarks, assessing Program effectiveness; and developing recommendations to improve the Program in future election cycles.
• Proposing and managing the Program budget.

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A few reasons you might love this job:

• You will be building a new and inspiring program, which will require creativity, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
• Your work will be of great importance to the people of Oakland - promoting accountable and representative democracy - and nationally, as reformers will consider whether this form of public financing should be expanded to other jurisdictions.
• You will have a large degree of autonomy over how to manage the Program, under the supervision of the Executive Director.
• You will be part of a team of professionals who are dedicated to strengthening democracy and accountability in Oakland.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• You will develop policies and procedures that have been untested as there is only one precedent for the voucher form of public financing adopted in Oakland.
• You will be utilizing limited financial and staff resources to address program needs.
• You will manage multiple competing priorities and projects. The ability to see the bigger picture and prioritize projects and effectively manage your time and staff's time will be essential.
• You will be utilizing limited financial and staff resources to address program needs.

Competencies Required:

• Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment
• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Allocating Resources: Prioritizing the use of fiscal and material resources to maximize organizational effectiveness
• Analyzing & Interpreting Data: Drawing meaning and conclusions from quantitative or qualitative data
• Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims
• Delivering Results: Meeting organizational goals and customer expectations and making decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks
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  Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Managing Organizational Complexity: Maneuvering through complex political situations and functions within the organization
• Managing Performance: Ensuring superior individual and group performance
• Project Management: Ensuring that projects are on-time, on-budget, and achieve their objectives
• Self-Management: Showing personal organization, self-discipline, and dependability
• Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications

Minimum Requirements for Application

This recruitment is being announced in accordance with Section 5.03 of the Civil Service Rules. The eligible list generated from this announcement will only be used to fill Program Manager positions specialized in Democracy Dollars, including full-time and permanent part-time positions, if applicable, and may be used to fill future vacancies with the same Selective Certification.

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.

Education:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public or business administration, behavioral sciences, human resources, political science, finance, accounting, social work, or a closely related field. A Master’s degree or Juris Doctorate is desirable.

Five (5) years of experience performing progressively responsible and complex program administration duties involving public administration, public policy, law, civic engagement, public education and outreach, or similar programmatic, analytical, and public-facing experience, including two (2) years of supervisory experience. Experience must include program development, administration, evaluation, and compliance. Previous experience with grant proposals and applications and securing funding sources for programs, campaign finance, lobbyist registration, transparency, or ethics laws and regulations is highly desirable.

Supplemental Information

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 sent a writing exercise (weighted 100%), which will then be evaluated and rated by subject matter experts. The tentative date that the writing exercise will be sent to you for completion in the end of December 2025.

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 with a flexible/hybrid schedule
• 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.

• Benefits described herein do no trepresent a contract and may be changed without notice. Additional information can be found here:

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 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 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 Erin Zadlo at ezadlo@oaklandca.gov