Technical Project Lead (#9976)

Company DescriptionThis recruitment is to fill one (1) Technical Project Lead position.**Application Opening: 04/16/2026Application Filing Deadline: 4/30/2026, 11:59PM PSTRecruitment ID: PEX-9976-163353 (RTF0163352-01134797)Salary: $156,000 - $196.300 / AnnuallyAnalyst: Zoey FengAppointment Type: Permanent ExemptThis position is exempt from Civil Service Commission rules pursuant to the City and County of San Francisco, Charter Section 10.104, and incumbents serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer.AboutSan Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city at the forefront of economic growth and innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment, as well as social issues and change.This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to enhancing the quality of life for the diverse population of San Franciscans and residents of the greater Bay Area. Our employees play an important role not only in making our City what it is today, but also in shaping the future of San Francisco.The City is currently undertaking a major permitting reform initiative through PermitSF, a citywide effort to modernize and streamline permitting processes across multiple departments. This initiative includes the implementation of a new enterprise permitting software platform and the redesign of business processes to improve transparency, efficiency, and customer experience.We are seeking a skilled and collaborative Technical Project Lead to support this critical transformation. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in cross-functional environments, understands the complexities of government operations, and is passionate about improving public services.Job DescriptionRole Description:As a Technical Product & Platform Lead for PermitSF, you will serve as the primary technical authority guiding the implementation of a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) permitting platform within a complex, multi-system government environment. This role sits at the intersection of product, architecture, and delivery.You will be responsible for defining and governing system architecture, data models, and integration patterns across legacy systems, cloud platforms, and departmental applications. You will translate business and operational needs into scalable technical solutions, ensuring the permitting platform interoperates effectively within the City’s broader technology ecosystem.This role requires strong systems thinking, fluency in modern cloud and integration architectures, and the ability to make pragmatic trade-offs in a COTS-driven environment.Essential FunctionsTechnical Architecture & Platform DesignDefine and maintain the target-state architecture for PermitSF, including system boundaries, integration patterns, and data flows across platforms. Evaluate and design how the COTS permitting solution integrates with existing City systems (e.g., permitting, asset management, GIS, identity, and data platforms). Establish architectural principles and guardrails to balance scalability, maintainability, and vendor constraints. Data Architecture & GovernanceDesign and oversee data models, data flows, and data ownership across systemsEnsure consistent handling of core entities (e.g., permits, addresses, contractors, inspections) across disparate systemsPartner with data teams to enable downstream analytics, reporting, and data sharing (e.g., data warehouses, DataSF)Systems Integration & InteroperabilityLead the design and implementation of integrations across legacy systems, cloud services, and third-party platforms (APIs, webhooks, middleware)Define integration patterns (real-time vs. batch, system of record, synchronization logic) and ensure reliability and performanceTroubleshoot and resolve complex cross-system issues related to data consistency, latency, and system behaviorGuide decisions related to cloud architecture, environments, and deployment models acrossEvaluate performance, scalability, and cost implications of design decisions, especially in integration-heavy workflowsTechnical Product ManagementTranslate business requirements into technical specifications, including workflows, data schemas, and system interactionsPartner with vendor teams (e.g., OpenGov) to shape configuration, extensions, and feature development within platform constraintsPrioritize technical features, integrations, and enhancements based on impact, feasibility, and long-term maintainabilityTechnical Delivery LeadershipLead technical workstreams across multiple concurrent implementations, managing dependencies across systems and teamsIdentify and mitigate technical risks, including integration complexity, data quality issues, and platform limitationsEstablish and enforce best practices for technical documentation, configuration management, and release processesStakeholder Engagement & Technical TranslationAct as the bridge between business stakeholders, engineering teams, and vendorsCommunicate complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical audiences and support informed decision-makingBuild strong relationships with departmental technical teams to align on standards, constraints, and integration approachesKnowledge, Skills, And AbilitiesTechnical & Architectural StrengthsStrong understanding of system architecture, including distributed systems, APIs, and integration patternsExperience working with both legacy enterprise systems and modern cloud-based platformsFamiliarity with data architecture concepts, including data modeling, data governance, and system of record designExperience with integration technologies (REST APIs, webhooks, middleware, ETL processes)Understanding of identity and access management, security considerations, and enterprise architecture standardsProduct & Delivery OrientationAbility to operate as a technical product manager, balancing user needs, technical constraints, and platform capabilitiesExperience translating ambiguous business problems into structured technical solutionsStrong prioritization skills across competing technical and operational demandsSystems Thinking & Problem SolvingAbility to reason across multiple interconnected systems and anticipate downstream impacts of design decisionsStrong troubleshooting skills in complex, integrated environmentsComfort navigating ambiguity and making decisions with incomplete informationCommunication & CollaborationAbility to communicate effectively with engineers, vendors, and non-technical stakeholdersStrong facilitation skills to drive alignment on technical decisions and trade-offsExperience working across multiple agencies or teams with differing priorities and systemsQualificationsMinimum Qualifications:An associate degree in computer science, computer engineering, information systems, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university OR its equivalent in terms of total course credits/units [i.e., at least sixty (60) semester or ninety (90) quarter credits/units with a minimum of twenty (20) semester or thirty (30) quarter credits/units in one of the fields above or a closely-related field]. ANDThree (3) years of experience analyzing, installing, configuring, enhancing, and/or maintaining the components of an enterprise network. This experience must include at least one (1) year of experience in technical project management, product management, or the launching of enterprise software products. Substitution:Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of two (2) years). One (1) year is equivalent to thirty (30) semester units / forty-five (45) quarter units with a minimum of 10 semester / 15 quarter unitsDesirable QualificationsExperience implementing or integrating COTS enterprise platforms (e.g., permitting, ERP, CRM)Experience with cloud platforms Familiarity with government systems, permitting workflows, or regulatory environmentsExperience working in Agile or hybrid delivery modelsExposure to data platforms, analytics pipelines, or open data initiativesNature of WorkThe incumbent must be willing to work on-site in San Francisco on site five (5) days a week with the possibility of one (1) day remote for a total of 40 hours as determined by the department. Travel within San Francisco may be required.Additional InformationHow to Apply:To be considered, please submit a SmartRecruiters application and attach to your application:Cover LetterResumeApplications for City and County of San Francisco jobs are only accepted through an online process. Submit your application through this job ad.All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.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:Information About The Hiring ProcessConviction HistoryEmployee Benefits Overview Equal Employment Opportunity Disaster Service WorkerADA AccommodationVeterans PreferenceRight to WorkCopies of Application DocumentsDiversity StatementQuestions: If you have any questions regarding this recruitment or application process, please contact the exam analyst, Michael Eng, by telephone at 628-652-7522, or by email at michael.eng@sfgov.orgThe 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.