Job Description
The Port of San Francisco is seeking a visionary, collaborative, and strategic executive to serve as its next Assistant Port Director/Chief Operating Officer. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, this executive-level position serves as the Port's second-in-command and provides executive oversight of the Port's Operating divisions.
As the Port’s Chief Operating Officer, this position is responsible for advancing an integrated, enterprise-wide approach to managing one of the nation's most diverse waterfront portfolios. The Assistant Port Director provides strategic leadership over the Port's maritime industries, commercial real estate, waterfront development, and public-private partnerships while ensuring that business operations align with the Port's long-term financial, operational, and public policy objectives.
This executive will help shape the future of San Francisco's waterfront by integrating maritime commerce, real estate development, public access, infrastructure investment, resilience improvements and asset management into a cohesive business strategy. The successful candidate will foster collaboration across divisions, improve organizational effectiveness, identify new business opportunities, and maximize the long-term value of the Port's assets while advancing economic development, environmental stewardship, and public benefit.
Serving as a trusted advisor to the Executive Director and Port Commission, the Assistant Port Director/Chief Operating Officer will work closely with executive leadership, tenants, developers, elected officials, government agencies, community organizations, labor partners, and regional stakeholders to advance strategic initiatives and strengthen the Port's position as a world-class waterfront and economic engine for the City and County of San Francisco.
Key Leadership Responsibilities
- Serve as the Executive Director's principal advisor on business strategy, enterprise asset management, waterfront development, maritime commerce, and organizational performance.
- Provide executive leadership and oversight of the Port’s operating divisions, ensuring alignment of priorities, resources, and strategic initiatives.
- Foster collaboration across Port divisions to improve business processes, operational efficiency, customer service, and organizational effectiveness.
- Lead enterprise-wide initiatives that maximize the value of the Port's real estate and maritime assets while advancing the Port's strategic goals.
- Represent the Port before the Port Commission, elected officials, governmental agencies, industry organizations, community stakeholders, and business partners.
- Promote a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, equity, and continuous improvement throughout the organization.
Core Areas of Oversight
Enterprise Asset Management: Develop and implement comprehensive strategies that integrate maritime operations, commercial real estate, infrastructure investments, and development opportunities to maximize the long-term value of the Port's diverse asset portfolio.
Business Strategy & Portfolio Management: Identify emerging business opportunities, evaluate market conditions, develop innovative revenue strategies, and guide long-term planning to strengthen the Port's financial sustainability and competitive position.
Real Estate Development & Maritime Integration: Direct the strategic coordination of waterfront development projects, maritime operations, lease negotiations, tenant improvements, and asset management to ensure seamless project delivery from concept through long-term operation.
Organizational Leadership & Operational Excellence: Lead cross-functional teams, improve organizational effectiveness, streamline business processes, establish best practices, and promote collaboration across departments to achieve enterprise objectives.
Financial Planning & Performance Management: Provide executive oversight of business planning, budgeting, performance measurement, capital investment strategies, and return-on-investment analyses to ensure responsible stewardship of public assets.
External Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement: Cultivate productive relationships with tenants, developers, business organizations, labor groups, regulatory agencies, community organizations, elected officials, and regional partners to advance the Port's strategic priorities.
Qualifications
Education
Possession of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, business administration, finance, urban planning or related field is required.
Experience
Six (6) years of increasingly responsible management experience in a municipality, including at least three (3) years at a Division Head or equivalent level.
License
Possession of a valid California driver’s license (to be presented at time of appointment). Insurability under the Port’s automobile liability insurance must be maintained throughout employment.
Substitution
Education Substitution: Additional experience as described above may substitute for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of two years). One (1) year is equivalent to thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units.
Experience Substitution: Possession of a Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in accounting, finance, public policy, business administration, or a closely related field may substitute for one (1) year of the required experience.
The Ideal Candidate
The Port of San Francisco's next Assistant Port Director/Chief Operating Officer will be an accomplished executive who understands how to balance strategic vision with operational excellence. The ideal candidate will possess a proven ability to lead complex organizations, align diverse business interests, and maximize the value of public assets while advancing the Port's mission as an economic engine, transportation hub, and steward of San Francisco's iconic waterfront.
The successful candidate will be an enterprise leader capable of bringing together multiple business lines, disciplines, and stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes. They will possess exceptional business acumen, political awareness, and relationship-building skills, with a demonstrated ability to navigate complex public-sector environments while fostering collaboration, innovation, and accountability.
The leader will possess:
- Executive leadership experience overseeing complex organizations with multiple operational and business functions.
- Strong strategic planning, organizational development, and enterprise asset management experience.
- Exceptional financial, business, and commercial acumen, including experience evaluating investments, maximizing asset value, and developing long-term business strategies.
- Experience leading organizational change, improving business processes, and implementing cross-functional initiatives.
- Excellent negotiation, conflict resolution, and consensus-building skills.
- Outstanding written, verbal, and public communication skills, including experience presenting to governing boards, elected officials, community organizations, and executive leadership.
- Demonstrated ability to develop productive partnerships with tenants, developers, governmental agencies, business organizations, labor representatives, and community stakeholders.
- A collaborative leadership style that empowers staff, builds high-performing teams, and fosters accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Demonstrated integrity, sound judgment, political acumen, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to public service.
- A strong commitment to advancing the Port's values of equity, inclusion, transparency, and environmental stewardship.
Additionally, the ideal candidate will be a champion of the Port's commitment to a culture of belonging and inclusion advancing Port operations and opportunities through equitable policies and practices.
Verification
Please make sure it is clear on your application exactly how you meet the minimum qualifications.Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications as listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications.
Important Note(s):
- Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process.
- One-year full-time employment is considered equivalent to 2000 hours (2000 hours of qualifying work experience is based on a 40-hour work week). Any overtime hours that you work above forty (40) hours per week are not included in the calculation to determine full-time employment.
- Applicants must meet minimum qualification requirements by the final filing date unless otherwise noted.
- Please be aware that any misrepresentation of this information may disqualify you from this recruitment or future job opportunities.
Additional Information
Compensation and Benefits
The normal annual salary range (A) is $228,332 and $291,330. Appointment above the maximum of the normal range may be considered based on documented and substantiated recruitment and retention issues or exceptional skills. A special approval process is necessary for appointment above the normal salary range. Further compensation information about this class is available in the compensation manual.
In addition, the City and County of San Francisco (City) offers comprehensive benefit programs that include:
- Medical, Vision, Dental, and Life insurance
- Long-term disability plan; Flexible Spending Accounts
- Pension Plan; Retiree Healthcare; Deferred Compensation Program
- Paid Management Training Program; Wellness Program
- Paid Vacation, Holidays, Sick Leave; Management Leave
- Additional information about the City’s benefits: https://careers.sf.gov/benefits/
Selection Procedures
Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience. Additional mechanisms may be implemented in order to determine candidate’s qualifications. Only those applicants who most closely meet the requirements for this position will be invited to participate in the selection process.
Note: Applicants meeting the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement to the interview.
How to Apply
Applications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Visit https://careers.sf.gov/ and begin the application process.
- Select the “Apply Now" button and follow instructions on the screen
Human Resources Analyst Information: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment, please send your inquiries to Sadia Afandi, at [email protected].
Applicants may be contacted by email about this recruitment and, therefore, it is their responsibility to ensure that their registered email address is accurate and kept up-to-date. Also, applicants must ensure that email from CCSF is not blocked on their computer by a spam filter. To prevent blocking, applicants should set up their email to accept CCSF mail from the following addresses (@sfgov.org, @sfdpw.org, @sfport.com, @flysfo.com, @sfwater.org, @sfdph.org, @asianart.org, @sfmta.com, @sfpl.org, @dcyf.org, @first5sf.org, @famsf.org, @ccsf.edu, @smartalerts.info, and @smartrecruiters.com).
Applicants will receive a confirmation email that their online application has been received in response to every announcement for which they file. Applicants should retain this confirmation email for their records. Failure to receive this email means that the online application was not submitted or received.
Additional Information Regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco:
All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.
The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with cancer, a history of cancer, or genetic characteristics), HIV/AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.
Business & Strategy