Executive Director

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) seeks a dynamic leader with experience enforcing or implementing government ethics, campaign finance, or transparency laws, policies, or programs to be its next Executive Director. The ideal candidate will be a highly skilled communicator and strategist with exceptional judgment who brings a passion for public service and government integrity, demonstrated experience leading diverse and high-performing teams, and a proven ability to develop and implement innovative strategies to achieve organizational goals. 

The PEC is an independent Commission within the City whose mission is to promote “fairness, openness, honesty, and integrity in City government” and “inclusive, representative, and accountable democracy in Oakland.” The Commission’s primary responsibilities include enforcing the City’s government ethics, campaign finance, lobbying, and transparency laws; providing education and advice to encourage compliance with these laws; and administering the City’s campaign public financing programs. The PEC employs a comprehensive, culture-change approach that blends effective prevention, strong enforcement, and collaborative leadership activities to create an ethical culture and build public trust in Oakland.

The Commission was established by the voters in the City Charter in 1996. The Commission’s independence, authority, and staffing were strengthened by Charter amendments in November 2014, and again in November 2024. In November 2022, Oakland voters approved Measure W, establishing the Democracy Dollars campaign public campaign financing program, to be administered by the Commission. 

We are looking for someone who is:

• Knowledgeable and passionate about ethics, campaign finance, and transparency. You will lead a dedicated staff charged with educating and enforcing the city’s laws relating to the ethical conduct of public servants, candidates, lobbyists, and other PEC clients. You will also be responsible for launching and implementing the Commission’s landmark Democracy Dollars campaign public financing program.
• Able to oversee enforcement activities. You will oversee the PEC’s Enforcement Unit, which is responsible for investigating violations of Oakland’s ethics laws, including performing interviews, conducting research and data analysis, writing reports, and developing charging recommendations. 
• A visionary strategist with a track record for execution and implementation.  You will be responsible for strategic planning to achieve organizational goals and objectives, such as developing best practices, policies, legislation, and innovations in campaign finance, government ethics or transparency laws and systems. 
• An inspiring manager and leader. In addition to implementing administrative principals and methods including program and policy development and implementation, you will oversee and manage employee supervision for your growing staff. 
• Analytical and detail oriented. You will oversee budget development and administration for the PEC Department.
• A talented communicator. You will reach out to a broad audience and diverse community groups to implement education, outreach, and engagement programs. 
• An advocate for best practices reform. You will draft sample ordinances and policies and advocate for the Commission’s budget and legislative priorities before the City Council and other city officials.

What you will typically be responsible for: 

• Providing direction to execute the mission of the Public Ethics Commission by ensuring state and local law requirements are met, advising about and enforcing the laws within the PEC’s jurisdiction, and overseeing or conducting investigations and audits. 
• Developing policies, programs, and activities and enforcing the laws within the PEC’s jurisdiction. 
• Advising PEC Commissioners regarding laws, policies, and procedures, and reviewing and recommending legislative changes to the laws under the PEC’s jurisdiction.
• Establishing and maintaining collaborative relationships with Commissioners, public officials, City staff, other departments and organizations, media, and the general public in the performance of assigned duties.
• Preparing budget reports and requests, maintaining fiscal controls, entering into contracts, managing the PEC’s budget, and advocating for the PEC’s fiscal priorities. 
• Preparing or reviewing reports to the City Administrator, City Council or other departments or commissions; working closely with Council and other public and private groups to coordinate plans or communicate about proposed projects.
• Supervising, training, developing and evaluating subordinate staff; inspiring and leading staff to achieve the PEC’s objectives. 

Read the complete job description by clicking here.

* Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!

Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:  

• Your work will ensure fairness, ethics, and transparency in City government. 
• You will lead a talented team of staff in partnership with an engaged and mission-aligned governing board.
• You will assist City public servants and members of the community in promoting and meeting best practices in public ethics. 
• Your work will positively impact segments of the community that are often overlooked in politics. 
• You will oversee implementation of the city’s landmark Fair Elections Act which will put Democracy Dollars vouchers directly into the hands of community voters during elections.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Utilizing limited resources to address program needs, including a significant enforcement caseload. 
• Becoming an expert in and ensuring timely compliance with relevant laws and policies. 
• Coordinating best practices with multiple City departments. 
• Responding to multiple public records requests and other demands from the public. 
• Managing communication and taking direction from a diverse Commission comprised of community members. 

Competencies Required:

• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability 
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations 
• Thinking & Acting Systematically: Formulating objectives and priorities, and implementing plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment 
• Coaching & Developing Others: Supporting others in stretching and expanding their capabilities 
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing 
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue 
• Interpersonal Savvy: Considering and responding appropriately to the needs and feelings of others in different situations 
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships 
• Presentation Skill: Formally delivering information to groups 
• Using Technology: Working with electronic hardware and software applications

Minimum Requirements for Application

The following qualifications are guidelines, as the appointing authority has broad discretion in filling positions in this classification.  

Education:  

A Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university in public or business administration, public policy, political science, law or a related field. Possession of a Juris Doctor or Master’s degree is highly desirable.

Experience: 

Five years (5) of progressively responsible professional experience in public administration, public policy, complaint investigation, litigation, legal advisory support or related area including two years in a supervisory or management capacity. Experience with campaign finance, lobbyist, transparency or ethics laws and regulations is highly desirable.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Possession of a Juris Doctor or Master’s degree 
• Experience with campaign finance, lobbyist, transparency, or ethics laws and regulations 
• Experience prosecuting legal violations in a criminal, civil, or administrative context.
• Background or experience with civil planning or administration 
• Leadership or management certificates 

Supplemental Information

This is an at-will position, exempt from the provisions of the City of Oakland Civil Service Rules, per Charter Section 902. All applications received will be forwarded to the Public Ethics Commission for further consideration. 

 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 offers dental, vision and a variety of HMO and PPO health plans. 
• 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, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Employee Training and Development, & Telecommuting