Deputy Spokesperson (1373), Media Relations, Chief of Staff & External Affairs Division - SF Municipal Transportation Agency

APPOINTMENT TYPE: Permanent Exempt - This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.

Application Opening: June 16, 2026

Deadline to Apply: July 1, 2026, 11:59 PM Pacific Time

Recruitment ID: 165133

Salary: $157,196 to $190,996 annually effective July 1, 2026

Division: Chief of Staff & External Affairs Division
Section/Unit: Media Relations
Work Location: 1 South Van Ness Ave., 7th Floor, San Francisco, CA

Work Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm
 

Please Note: A cover letter and resume must be attached to the online application.

⚠️IMPORTANT⚠️: Your application MUST include responses to the supplemental questionnaire found here: Deputy Spokesperson (1373) Supplemental Questionnaire, SFMTA – Fill out form

Applicants must complete the supplemental questionnaire and the online application by the filing deadline.  The application will not be reviewed without a completed supplemental questionnaire and vice-versa.

The SFMTA, a department of the City and County of San Francisco, oversees Muni, parking and traffic, bicycling, walking, and taxis. Over one million people get around San Francisco and rely on us to ensure safe and reliable travel.

Mission: We connect San Francisco through a safe, equitable and sustainable transportation system.

Vision: A city of diverse and vibrant neighborhoods seamlessly connected by safe, reliable, affordable transportation for all.

DIVISION DESCRIPTION:

The Chief of Staff & External Affairs Division is responsible for the management of and distribution of communications, marketing and community outreach with the purpose of disseminating clear, valuable and timely information with agency customers, community and key stakeholders, city and regional partners, members of the press and the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) workforce. The division includes the chief of staff office, government affairs, media relations, community outreach and engagement, digital and brand management (including special events), creative services, and strategic and internal communications. These functions support the entire SFMTA.

Under the direction of the Media Relations Manager & Chief Spokesperson within the Chief of Staff & External Affairs Division, the Deputy Spokesperson serves as an integral communications representative for the SFMTA. The position manages a high volume of complex and high-profile communications and reputational issues, coordinating messaging across the agency. The Deputy Spokesperson is a key point of contact for the media, providing timely and accurate information both in proactive and reactive opportunities to include updates on daily operations, policy changes, and critical incidents. This individual plays a critical role in advancing the SFMTA’s mission while providing transparency and strengthening public trust and informing and educating the public on SFMTA projects and services.

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Acts as the agency’s voice while promoting SFMTA activities and responding to real-time news inquiries via television, radio, and written statement interviews.
• Responds to daily inquiries from local and national media, drafts press releases and talking points and organizes press conferences.
• Identifies potential news stories to clearly communicate achievements.
• Assists in developing coordinated campaigns to educate the public on safety, operational efficiency and financial updates and transportation policies.
• Serves as an on-call representative for late-breaking news or transit emergencies, providing live updates to the public and media partners as needed.
• Conceptualizes impactful, data-driven, and compelling communications collateral including messages, talking points, social media posts, video scripts, and speeches. 
• Identifies emerging topics and leads the development and execution of proactive communication plans.
• Advises and counsels the Communications Director as well as executive and senior management on media and audience strategies.
• Uses data to evaluate, adjust and target communications.
• Performs other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Nature of Work:

The position may require working weekends and nights on an as-needed basis, driving a motor vehicle, working outdoors in varying weather conditions, standing, walking, and/or sitting for prolonged periods of time, occasional lifting of objects weighing up to 15 pounds and the transport of materials and equipment.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

1. Possession of a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university; AND
2. Six (6) years of full-time professional experience in publicity work, mass media, communications or similar work involving collection, dissemination and communication of news and information to the general public; AND
3. Possession of a current, valid Driver License.

Substitution:

Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis. Thirty (30) semester units or forty-five (45) quarter units equal one year.

Notes:

Applicants must meet the minimum qualifications by the final filing date unless otherwise noted. One year of full-time experience is 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 experience.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Exceptional verbal communication skills with experience speaking publicly and on the record with reporters.
• Proven experience in developing, pitching, and writing for diverse audiences, including press releases, blogs, and social media posts.
• A deep understanding of broadcast media with current relationships with local and national press across television, radio, and print publications.
• Knowledge of San Francisco’s transportation system, including transit operations and parking enforcement.
• Ability to assess community perceptions and craft strong narrative messaging to reinforce and promote transparency.
• Ability to use video equipment and editing software to produce stories or packages for the website, newsroom b-roll, and social media.
• Agility working in a dynamic, time-sensitive environment that requires rapid responses to planned and unanticipated events and emergencies under a deadline.
• Strong interest in enhancing urban transportation networks and a strong sense of advocacy for transit as a viable transportation mode.
• Understanding of diverse needs in San Francisco, including for neighborhoods, stakeholders and government partners.
• Ability to communicate fluently in one of the languages listed on San Francisco’s Language Access Ordinance (presently, Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino) is preferred.

Verification:

Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience at any point during the recruitment and selection process. More information can be found at: https://sfdhr.org/information-about-hiring-process#verification. Falsifying one’s education, training, or work experience or attempted deception on the application may result in disqualification for this and future job opportunities with the City and County of San Francisco.

All work experience, education, training, and other information substantiating how you meet the minimum qualifications must be included in your application by the filing deadline. Information submitted after the filing deadline will not be considered in determining whether you meet the minimum qualifications.

Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed City and County of San Francisco application.

Selection Process:

Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience.  Additional screening mechanisms may be used to determine candidates' qualifications.  Only those applicants who most closely meet the needs of the Agency will be invited to move forward in the selection process.

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed to advance through all the steps in the selection process.

• Information About the Hiring Process
• Conviction History
• Employee Benefits Overview
• Equal Employment Opportunity
• Disaster Service Worker
• ADA Accommodation
• Right to Work
• Copies of Application Documents
• Diversity Statement

This recruitment may be utilized to fill similar positions in this classification at SFMTA.

Applicants will receive a confirmation email from [email protected] 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.

For questions or inquiries, please contact the analyst, Tracy Pon at [email protected].

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.