Salary : $184,205.00 Annually
Location : City of San Diego, CA
Job Type: Unclassified
Job Number: 953
Business Area: 2116 - Transportation
Personnel Area: 6252 - Transportation
Opening Date: 08/31/2026
Closing Date: 9/16/2026 11:59 PM Pacific

JOB INFORMATION
The Transportation Department is seeking a Program Manager to join the Finance, Information Technology and Support Services Division. As a key member of the Department's Executive Management Team, the Program Manager will report directly to the Division's Deputy Director and provide strategic leadership and oversight of the Department's financial management functions.

The Program Manager will oversee the development, administration, monitoring, forecasting, and analysis of the Department's operating and capital budgets and five-year financial outlooks. The position will lead a team of approximately 20 fiscal and administrative staff and will be responsible for establishing priorities, strengthening financial controls and accountability, and ensuring critical financial deliverables are accurate, consistent, and completed within established deadlines.

Working closely with the Deputy Director and Department leadership, the Program Manager will provide strategic financial guidance, identify and address emerging fiscal issues, and support informed decision-making across the Department. The position will also collaborate with managers, supervisors, and staff throughout the Division to improve business processes, strengthen coordination and accountability, and promote the timely and effective delivery of financial and administrative services.

There is currently one Program Manager vacancy; however, this recruitment may be used to fill additional vacancies that arise in the future. This is an on-site position based at City facilities located at 2781 Caminito Chollas and 8525/8575 Gibbs Drive.

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Leads, plans, coordinates, and oversees the development and administration of the Transportation Department's annual operating and Capital Improvements Program (CIP) budgets, including a $299+ million operating budget and $490+ million CIP budget, as well as annual and mid-year budget submissions. Ensure financial deliverables are accurate, complete, appropriately reviewed, and submitted within established deadlines.
• Provides Department-wide leadership for budget development, monitoring, forecasting, and financial reporting, including analysis and projection of expenditures, revenues, staffing, funding requirements, and financial commitments. Identifies emerging financial issues, material variances, funding gaps, and risks and recommends or directs appropriate corrective actions.
• Serves as a primary liaison with the Department of Finance on budgetary and financial matters, coordinating assignments, deadlines, responses, budget and fund adjustments, and required submissions; communicating Citywide requirements; resolving issues; and ensuring timely and accurate completion of deliverables.
• Coordinates development of the Department's Five-Year Financial Outlook and Five-Year Capital Infrastructure Planning Outlook, providing long-range analysis of projected expenditures, revenues, capital needs, funding availability, and financial risks to support executive decision-making and long-term planning.
• Provides strategic oversight of operating and CIP financial management, including expenditure and revenue monitoring, financial projections, budget and expenditure adjustments, funding strategies, special revenue funds, and the alignment of positions, budgets, funding sources, cost centers, and organizational structures.
• Establishes and maintains financial controls, reporting standards, and quality-assurance processes to ensure the integrity of financial information, appropriate stewardship of Department resources, and compliance with applicable fiscal requirements.
• Provides financial guidance and strategic support to Department leadership, program managers, and project managers regarding budget availability, funding restrictions, expenditure eligibility, financial controls, and other fiscal requirements.
• Provides management oversight of assigned functions and staff and cross-functional leadership throughout the Finance, Information Technology and Support Services Division, establishing priorities and performance expectations, developing staff, and coordinating assignments, deadlines, deliverables, and special projects.
• Conducts and directs complex financial, operational, and management analyses and develops executive-level reports, recommendations, and presentations. Evaluates business processes and organizational needs and recommends and implements improvements to policies, procedures, internal controls, and business practices.
• Represents the Transportation Department on financial and budgetary matters and leads complex Department-wide financial initiatives and special projects, including briefings and presentations to executive management, the Department of Finance, City Council and Council committees, other City departments, governmental agencies, and external stakeholders, as requested.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Business Management, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field; and
• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional management and/or supervisory experience in finance, budgeting, financial management, public administration, or a closely related field, including experience working in a complex, dynamic organization with a large and diverse workforce.
• Any combination of education, training, and experience that demonstrates possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered qualifying.

Desirable Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:

• Extensive experience in the development, administration, monitoring, forecasting, and reporting of complex operating and capital budgets, including identifying financial risks, analyzing variances, and developing recommendations and corrective actions.
• Strong knowledge of governmental budgeting, accounting, financial reporting, and internal controls, including experience managing multiple funding sources with varying expenditure eligibility, reporting, and compliance requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex financial deliverables and competing priorities under demanding deadlines, including coordinating assignments across multiple teams, establishing clear expectations and timelines, monitoring progress, and ensuring accurate and timely completion of work.
• Strong financial, quantitative, and business analytical skills, with the ability to analyze complex data, identify trends and financial impacts, develop forecasts and scenarios, and translate findings into actionable recommendations for executive decision-making.
• Experience with financial management systems, such as SAP or equivalent, as well as data analysis, reporting, and visualization tools used to support financial management and decision-making.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex financial and technical information clearly and concisely to diverse audiences, including executive management, elected officials, other City departments, external stakeholders, and members of the public.
• Strong business and political acumen, judgment, and interpersonal skills, with demonstrated ability to navigate complex organizational issues, develop effective working relationships, build consensus, and collaborate across organizational and functional boundaries.
• Proven experience leading and managing professional, technical, and analytical staff, including establishing expectations and accountability, managing performance, effectively delegating work, resolving issues, and mentoring and developing high-performing teams.
• A strategic, proactive, and solutions-oriented management approach, with the ability to understand how financial and operational details affect broader Department priorities and the initiative, adaptability, and sense of urgency necessary to succeed in a high-demand, high-performance environment.
• Demonstrated integrity, sound professional judgment, and commitment to ethical stewardship of public resources, an inclusive and respectful workplace, and public service, with an understanding of the financial and administrative needs of a large, complex operating department.

The Department:

The is responsible for the safe operation and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, streetlights, and traffic signals, and engineering of multimodal transportation systems; managing the Utilities Undergrounding Program; and management and coordination of resurfacing and utility work within the public right-of-way. The Department manages large capital operations and receives a high volume of customer service requests with the most publicly visible "essential" infrastructure across the city.

The Department is comprised of nearly 550 staff and five distinct Divisions: Right of Way Management; Street; Engineering, Asset Management, & Parking; Fiscal, Admirative, and Information Technology; and Business Operations. The annual budget adopted for Fiscal Year 2026 is $200M+ for operations and $480M+ for capital improvements; the Department manages $250M+ in grant awards and active grant projects.

Benefits:

The City offers a robust benefits package that includes:

• , including pension reciprocity, dependent on an employee's eligibility status (new hire, rehire, etc.).
• A wide variety of cafeteria-style health and wellness plans or in-lieu cash waiver.
• 11 paid City holidays per calendar year and 1 floating holiday per fiscal year.
• Approximately 176 hours of paid annual leave for an employee's first 15 years of service, and approximately 216 hours for 16+ years of service.
• Up to 24 hours of paid discretionary leave per fiscal year.
• Up to 320 hours of paid Parental Leave per childbirth or placement of a child.
• Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave per fiscal year.
• Tuition reimbursement up to $2,000 per fiscal year, and complimentary LinkedIn Learning professional development opportunities.
• Free transit pass (including MTS Trolley, MTS Bus, and all Rapid and Rapid Express bus services).
• Access to premier City golf courses at a discounted rate.
• Reduced-rate fitness center memberships.
• City-paid life insurance.

For additional details, please review the or contact the Benefits Division of the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-5924.

Pre-Employment Requirements and Screening Process:
Employment offers are conditional, pending the results of all screening processes applicable to the position. All the processes required by the City of San Diego must be successfully completed before employment begins. Please refer to the for additional information. Nothing in this job posting constitutes or should be construed as part of an express or implied contract for employment with the City of San Diego.

Resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above and the most qualified candidates will be invited to interview.

Apply:
The City offers a robust benefits package that includes:

• , including pension reciprocity, dependent on an employee's eligibility status (new hire, rehire, etc.).
• A wide variety of cafeteria-style health and wellness plans or in-lieu cash waiver.
• 11 paid City holidays per calendar year and 1 floating holiday per fiscal year.
• Approximately 176 hours of paid annual leave for an employee's first 15 years of service, and approximately 216 hours for 16+ years of service.
• Up to 24 hours of paid discretionary leave per fiscal year.
• Up to 320 hours of paid Parental Leave per childbirth or placement of a child.
• Up to 40 hours of paid Bereavement Leave per fiscal year.
• Tuition reimbursement up to $2,000 per fiscal year, and complimentary LinkedIn Learning professional development opportunities.
• Free transit pass (including MTS Trolley, MTS Bus, and all Rapid and Rapid Express bus services).
• Access to premier City golf courses at a discounted rate.
• Reduced-rate fitness center memberships.
• City-paid life insurance.

For additional details, please review the or contact the Benefits Division of the Risk Management Department at (619) 236-5924.