Civic Design Lab Manager - Oakland, CA

[Alexandria McBride]

Who We Are:

The Civic Design Lab (CDL) is a civic service innovation organization that uses the racial equity framework to fix city systems for marginalized populations, build access and measure impact for Oaklanders. The CDL operates within Oakland City Hall and, under the leadership of Oakland’s Chief Resilience Officer, mobilizes Oakland residents and City staff to convene, incubate, and solve civic challenges. The CDL is currently funded through philanthropic donations from foundations through a 501 (c)(3) fiscal sponsor.

 

Who We Want:

An experienced Manager who will operationalize the CDL’s theory of change for Oakland. This person will be an experienced facilitator that engages and mobilizes multiple stakeholders, including: marginalized communities, City of Oakland staff and leadership, community partners, local business and non-profit organizations, and other members of the public around systems change. This person will have demonstrated skills in systems improvement (i.e. Lean, Six Sigma) and making measurable improvements to existing processes in large organizations or bureaucracies. Successful candidates will have leadership experience on agile teams. The CDL Manager will manage a team of fellows and will report to the Oakland's Chief Resilience Officer. 

Core Responsibilities:

·      Discovering priority issues for marginalized Oaklanders and City of Oakland staff and leadership.

·      Facilitating project teams to scope and implement projects based on project’s work plan, including interim team check-ins, developing success metrics, timelines for implementation, resources required, and appropriate levels of stakeholder involvement.

·      Conducting qualitative research (interviews, focus groups, observational data, etc.).

·      Analyzing data for problems and opportunities, based on a detailed understanding of any legacy data from databases, surveys, evaluations, etc.

·      Championing a systems-thinking culture and offering training across City of Oakland departments.

·      Performs other related duties as assigned.  

What We Are Looking For:

·       A track record working effectively across race and class differences to advance racial equity.

·       Training and/or experience using systems thinking to solve complex problems.

·       Strong interpersonal skills, with a proven ability to influence and build consensus across a broad range of backgrounds, organizational levels and personalities.

·       Experience collecting, interpreting and analyzing qualitative insights and quantitative data.

·       Experience managing a diverse team towards a common goal.

·       Outstanding written and verbal communication that can adapt for different audiences.

·       Autonomous self-starter who also works well in teams in a collaborative setting.

·       Resourceful and adaptable to changing circumstances and environments.

·       Able to translate problems into testable prototypes to gather quick feedback from internal teams as well as stakeholders at large.

·       A passion for public service.

·       Additional preferred skills:

o   Experience working in the public sector

o   Fundraising experience

o   Multilingual skills

o   Experiencing working in diverse, urban communities like Oakland  

Education:

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in a social science or relevant design or management discipline. Master’s degree preferred.

 

Experience:

Four (4) or more years of experience working in racial equality, social justice, organizational change management, policy/leadership development or systems design. Equivalent combination of education, certification and experience may be considered.

 

Compensation:

Located in Oakland, CA, this is a full-time position with health and benefits. Salary negotiable with an anticipated range of $95K - $120K depending on experience.

 

How to Apply:

Send cover letter and resume to civicde...@oaklandca.gov.