Salary : $98,321.60 - $118,809.60 Annually
Location : City of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Varies by Position
Job Number:
Business Area: N/A - Multiple Departments
Opening Date: 07/17/2026
Closing Date: 7/27/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

JOB INFORMATION
See NOTES below for future wage increases and/or additional compensation opportunities.

Community Development Specialist III positions perform complex and responsible professional planning, support and coordination of community development and/or economic development programs, activities and services; negotiate, implement and manage and/or monitor contracts or projects that include community development, economic development, business finance, community revitalization, housing rehabilitation, real estate, public infrastructure or public service components; develop and manage budgets; coordinate project activities with community advisory boards, the community at-large, private sector stakeholders, other governmental entities and elected officials; attract and retain business enterprises; provide business assistance and business outreach services; promote workforce development, sustainability planning and development; data collection and research; assist in the preparation of community development or economic development studies and reports (such as the 5-Year Consolidated Plan, the Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report, the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice, Annual Action Plan and/or the Economic Development Strategy); assist with the management of various projects including commercial development, residential/affordable housing, infrastructure improvements and business lending activities; work in land development functions, including finance, land use planning or zoning; conduct various project or business feasibility analyses; administer state and federal grants; prepare and present reports to the City Council, Council Committees or other audiences; supervise staff; and perform other duties as assigned.

NOTES:

• Employees in job classifications represented by Municipal Employees Association (MEA) are scheduled to receive the following general wage increases:
  • 3.5% effective 7/1/27
  • 2% effective 7/1/28
  • 2% effective 1/1/29
• Eligible benefited employees originally hired on or after July 10, 2021, will be automatically enrolled in the San Diego City Employees Retirement System (SDCERS).

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
You must meet the following requirements on the date you apply, unless otherwise indicated.

EDUCATION: Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed college units = 120 semester/180 quarter).

NOTE:

• Additional qualifying professional-level experience may be substituted for education lacked on a year for year basis. One year of full-time experience = 30 semester/45 quarter college-level units.

EXPERIENCE: Three years of full-time professional-level experience as described below. Qualifying experience must include performing the full range of professional-level duties in at least ONE of the following areas:

1. GRANT, CONTRACT AND/OR PROJECT MANAGEMENT: Grants management and administration, including the management and monitoring of federal grants, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) entitlement program subrecipient agreements; special assessment district management (authorized under California or local law); project and contract management; and/or nonprofit contract administration.
2. BUSINESS ASSISTANCE: Business development program management/implementation; small business assistance programs; business expansion and retention programs; business marketing and outreach; workforce development; and/or state or federal business incentive programs.
3. COMMUNITY SERVICES AND PROGRAMS: Community service programs; government-assisted or affordable housing programs; homeless services and shelter programs; and/or neighborhood revitalization programs; outreach event programs; emergency response programs.
4. PLANNING, PERMITTING AND DEVELOPMENT: Municipal building permit and land development entitlement processing; sustainability planning and development; community development and neighborhood infrastructure projects; and/or comprehensive land use planning.
5. FINANCE, COMMERCIAL LENDING AND BUDGETING: Community investment programs; business finance programs; commercial lending programs; infrastructure/public facilities financing; real estate development finance and community revitalization; and/or contract administrative/budgetary analysis.
6. SUSTAINABILITY/CLIMATE ACTION AND EQUITY: Community engagement best practices; development of metrics related to climate action and equity; development and/or implementation of programs supporting climate equity; tracking and application of local, state and federal funding that relates to climate and equity.

NOTES:

• A Master's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Planning, Management, Social Work, Social Policy or a closely related field may be substituted for a MAXIMUM of one year of the required experience.
• City of San Diego employees using Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA) experience to qualify must submit written documentation signed by their appointing authority or payroll specialist, detailing the work performed, dates, and total number of qualifying OCA hours. OCA experience without the required documentation will NOT be considered.

LICENSE: A valid California Class C Driver License is required at the time of hire.

HIGHLY DESIRABLE:
Depending upon the specific Community Development Specialist III position available for recruitment, one or more of the following may be highly desirable:

• Experience assisting businesses on complex permitting issues (e.g., local, state, federal regulations).
• Experience and training in inclusive community engagement strategies and best practices, social equity, or sustainability, and applying those theories to serve the public's interest.
• Experience in researching, analyzing and interpreting economic data, such as key regional economic drivers.
• Bilingual (English/other).

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS (MUST SUBMIT WITH APPLICATION):

• Proof of degree/transcripts, if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.
• For City of San Diego employees, proof of Out-of-Class Assignment (OCA), if utilized to meet the minimum requirements.

Required documents should be attached electronically to your application. If you are unable to attach at the time of application submittal, you must submit them as soon as possible via fax: (619) 533-3337; or to the Employment Information Center: City of San Diego Personnel Department, 1200 Third Avenue - Suite 300, San Diego, CA 92101. Include your name and the title of the position for which you are applying.

SCREENING PROCESS
Please ensure all information is complete and accurate as the responses you provide on the supplemental questions will be reviewed using an automated evaluation system. If you are successful in this initial screening process, your application will be reviewed for applicable education, experience, and/or training to ensure all minimum requirements have been met. Successful candidates will be placed on a list which will be used to fill position vacancies during the next six months (180 days). For each vacancy, only those candidates with the most appropriate qualifications will be contacted by the hiring department for an interview.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Rev. 8 - July 17, 2026 (New Recruitment Date)
City employees may be eligible to participate in a benefit program including holidays, vacations, savings and retirement plans, health programs, and other benefits.

Benefits may change due to employer-employee contract negotiations.

or review the
01

I understand that failure to respond to the following questions in the spaces provided may result in the rejection of my application. In addition, I may miss out on employment opportunities. Résumés are NOT reviewed for assessing the minimum requirements, qualifications will be determined from the answers provided to the supplemental questions.

• Yes
• No

02

Are you a current or former City of San Diego government/municipal employee?

• Current city employee
• Former city employee
• Current & former city employee
• None of the above

03

If you have previously worked or are currently working for the City of San Diego, please enter your PERNR.
04

The minimum age for this job is 18, unless you are 17 and a high school graduate. Do you meet the minimum age requirements for this job?

• Yes
• No

05

Specify which ONE of the following options you are using to meet the education requirement. NOTE: Attach proof of degree/transcripts to your application.

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent education (i.e., minimum completed units = 120 semester/180 quarter).
• Master's Degree or higher in Public or Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Planning, Management, Social Work, Social Policy or a closely related field.
• None of the above.

06

If you are using a combination of experience and education to qualify, which of the following best describes your level of education?

• 0 to 29 semester/44 quarter units
• 30 semester/45 quarter units to 59 semester/89 quarter units
• 60 semester/90 quarter units to 89 semester/134 quarter units
• 90 semester/135 quarter units to 119 semester/179 quarter units
• 120 semester/180 quarter units or more

07

Specify the total number of years of full-time professional-level experience you have obtained performing grant, contract and/or project management; business assistance; community services and programs; planning, permitting and development; finance, commercial lending and budgeting; and/or sustainability/climate action and equity.

• None
• Less than 1 year
• 1 year to less than 2 years
• 2 years to less than 3 years
• 3 years to less than 4 years
• 4 years to less than 5 years
• 5 years or less than 6 years
• 6 years to less than 7 years
• 7 years or more

08

In which of the following areas do you have full-time professional experience?

• Grant, contract and/or project management
• Business assistance
• Community services and programs
• Planning, permitting and development
• Finance, commercial lending and budgeting
• Sustainability/climate action and equity
• None of the above

09

For each area you indicated in Question# 8, specify from which employer the experience was gained, your title, level of responsibility, percent of time spent on each area and the total length of your experience. If you do not have any experience in a specific area, write "None."
Required Question