PROJECT MANAGER – Flood Risk Reduction Projects | SFCJPA | Menlo Park, CA
About the San Francisquito Creek Joint Powers Authority (SFCJPA) –
The SFCJPA is a local agency formed and funded by five entities: Cities of East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and Palo Alto, Santa Clara Valley Water District and San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District. We plan and implement capital projects that reduce the risk of flooding in our member cities area. To accomplish this, we seek grant funding for design and construction for our flood risk reduction projects. We bid, award, and manage large consultant contracts, and we closely manage our grant funding. We have an engaged community and strive to keep them informed of our work. SFCJPA staff reports to a Board composed of elected officials from our five member agencies.
The SFCJPA will be implementing a multijurisdictional project in the Urban Reach 2 Project in and along the San Francisquito Creek. The area surrounding the creek is fully developed and the project has complex environmental, physical, social, and regulatory constraints. The Reach 2 project must allow for the continued vitality of the San Francisquito Creek as a designated critical habitat for steelhead trout, while significantly reducing the risk of flooding to people and property surrounding the creek.
About the position –
The selected candidate will work on the Reach 2 project, with the ability to assume leadership for this and or other SFCJPA projects. We have a Comprehensive Plan for our work that describes our projects including monitoring and adaptive management of the completed Reach 1 project from Highway 101 to San Francisco Bay, and the SAFER Bay Project. The selected candidate will report to the Executive Director.
Our stream maintenance activities are a growing effort. We lead an annual maintenance walk of the creek to identify trash, fallen trees or other items that require action. We assign work to our partner agencies and follow-up up to ensure the work has been completed prior to the rainy season. We are currently expanding this program toward a watershed approach.
We also support our member agencies by reviewing proposed development, residential remodel plans, or work in or adjacent to the creek. The SFCJPA does not have regulatory or enforcement authority. Our goal is to provide meaningful input during plan development to minimize development close to the creek in accordance with our member requirements and our Bank Stabilization and Revegetation Master Plan.
The SFCJPA is a key part of the San Francisquito Creek Multi-Agency Coordination (SFC MAC) group. We provide Subject Matter Expertise by monitoring storm threats, and we coordinate recommendations to activate the SFC MAC as well as provide public alerts of potential flooding.
The SFCJPA is a small agency, with an allocated staff of four full time positions and one intern. Work in this small team requires frequent and clear communication, the ability to perform ‘other duties as assigned’, and cross over into other projects and areas of expertise to support the work of the organization.
The SFCJPA strives to provide a healthy work-life balance. Work schedule and work location can be flexible. However, the role requires regular in-field and in-person work, including attendance at monthly board meetings, and other in-person team meetings, and so cannot be a fully remote position. In addition, there may occasionally be a need to work on weekends, evenings, or holidays, particularly for public engagement.
Required Qualifications –
- 3-5+ years of experience in environmental, engineering, infrastructure, construction, restoration, flood protection, or similar projects, demonstrating increasing levels of complexity and leadership.
- Experience and knowledge of CEQA/NEPA and project permitting/regulatory requirements, including, Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife, National Marine Fisheries Service, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and local requirements from member cities.
- BA/BS degree.
Desired Characteristics and Experiences –
The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate examples of the following skills.
- Project Management, including:
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- Budgeting and Cost Control: Managing and monitoring project budgets and costs. Anticipating budget variances. Participating in annual organizational budgeting process.
- Scope Management: Defining project scope, managing changes, and ensuring alignment with project objectives.
- Consultant/Contractor Oversight: Ensuring consultant’s/contractor’s deliverables (reports, documents, models, plans, designs, etc.) meet expectations. Creating scopes of work, contracts, and contract modifications, and managing the procurement processes with input and support from SFCJPA staff colleagues and member agencies.
- Adept with common office/organizational tools (Microsoft Office suite, project management tools, communications tools, virtual meeting tools, etc.)
- Teamwork and Collaboration: Active communication, collaboration and cooperation that promotes a positive collegial environment. Navigating conflicts, practicing reciprocal accountability, reaching consensus, and achieving win-win solutions.
- Communication: Clear and effective verbal and written communication skills, which includes but is not limited to; keeping colleagues and collaborators informed, asking for feedback and information, setting clear agendas, and taking good notes of key decisions or input, making Board and public presentations, and writing compelling grant applications.
- Organizational and Time Management: Setting and managing project tasks according to schedules, deadlines, critical path elements, and anticipating potential impediments. Identifying needed resources, potential grants, setting deadlines, and tracking progress. Prioritizing tasks and managing information, team dynamics, and workloads effectively.
- Problem-Solving: Identifying and resolving issues that arise during project planning and implementation. Being flexible, adaptive, and responsive to changes in project requirements or external factors. Comfortable with complexity and some uncertainty.
Employment Type: Full-time position with benefits. This is an at-will position, which means that either the SFCJPA or the Employee may terminate employment for any reason at any time.
Employment Duration: Sixty-day probationary period, after which the selected applicant will either be re-classified as a permanent employee or be dismissed, depending on job performance.
Compensation: The annual salary will be $90K – $130K/year, depending on qualifications and experience. The SFCJPA offers an excellent benefits package including CalPERS retirement (in addition to Social Security); paid holidays, vacation, and personal leave; EAP, and medical, dental, vision and life insurance.
Work Location: The SFCJPA office is in downtown Menlo Park, CA. The selected candidate will be expected to spend two to three days in each regular work week at the SFCJPA office. The Project Manager will need to be available in-person for project team meetings, monthly Board meetings, field visits or tours along the creek or shoreline, public presentations, and to review work products with consultants, and colleagues.
How to Apply:
Interested applicants are requested to submit a one-page cover letter and a resume to (mhparker@sfcjpa.org) with “Project Manager Application” in the subject line.
Applications will be accepted until April 3, 2024. We anticipate conducting interviews from April 15 – 24 and making a hiring decision by April 30.
