Senior Human Resources Analyst

Salary : $116,420.76 - $142,941.96 Annually
Location : Oakland, CA
Job Type: Full Time Civil Service
Job Number: 26-AP206-10
Department: Human Resources
Opening Date: 10/08/2026
Closing Date: 10/21/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt
Bargaining Unit: UM2

The Position
The City of Oakland is looking for an experienced Senior Human Resources Analyst to join our Employment Operations Services (EOS) Division. EOS provides a wide range of HR services that help departments recruit and hire employees, maintain accurate position and classification information, and support employees as they join and leave the City. The division's work includes recruitment and assessment, classification and compensation, position control, and citywide operational support for onboarding and offboarding.

In this position, you will have the opportunity to work directly with City departments on recruitment and selection, including planning recruitments, developing and administering examinations and other assessments, analyzing results, and helping departments navigate the City's Civil Service system. You may work on a wide range of recruitments, including specialized, difficult-to-fill, and public safety classifications.

This is an advanced-level HR position for someone who enjoys solving problems, working with people, analyzing information, and taking ownership of complex assignments. You will work closely with departments, HR colleagues, employee organizations, vendors, and other partners to keep recruitments moving and ensure that selection processes are fair, effective, and consistent with City requirements.

We are looking for someone who is:

• Analytical and data-driven. You will analyze job information, applicant data, examination results, and other HR information to develop sound recommendations and support fair and effective selection processes.
• Creative and resourceful. You will have the opportunity to develop innovative and effective ways to assess applicant qualifications and improve recruitment and examination processes.
• Interested in learning and developing their career. You will have opportunities to work on special projects and participate in Race and Equity, supervisory, technical, and other professional development opportunities.
• Customer-focused. The Human Resources Management Department prides itself on providing responsive, high-quality service. You will work directly with departments to understand their needs, provide practical HR guidance, and keep assignments moving.
• A strong relationship builder with excellent communication skills. You will work with a wide range of City departments, including the Library, Public Works, Police, Fire, Transportation, Housing, and Information Technology, as well as HR colleagues and other partners. You will build relationships and communicate effectively with a variety of audiences.
• Organized and results-driven. You will balance multiple assignments and priorities in a dynamic environment. Strong attention to detail and follow-through are essential to ensuring HR services and recruitment processes are timely, accurate, and consistent.

What you will typically be responsible for:

• Leading complex recruitment and selection assignments, including specialized and public safety recruitments, in partnership with City departments and other HR staff.
• Developing and administering examinations and other selection tools, including written exams, assessment centers, candidate and assessor orientations, and other methods for evaluating applicant qualifications.
• Analyzing examination and employment data to evaluate selection processes, identify trends, and assess adverse impact and other statistical measures in support of fair and effective hiring.
• Providing HR expertise and guidance to departments and leadership on recruitment, selection, classification, and compensation, including the interpretation and application of Civil Service Rules, Administrative Instructions, labor agreements, Salary Ordinances, personnel policies, and applicable laws and regulations.
• Supporting complex classification and compensation work, including position audits, classification specification updates, salary surveys, internal equity analysis, compensation studies, and recommendations related to classification and salary.
• Reviewing examination and classification appeals and protests and preparing responses and recommendations based on applicable City requirements.
• Building strong working relationships and coordinating complex assignments with City departments, employee organizations, vendors, subject matter experts, and other partners, while providing guidance to HR staff and ensuring recruitment and examination processes meet established requirements and timelines.

Read the complete job description by clicking this: Human Resource Analyst, Senior*Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!
Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

• Your work will have a direct impact on the City's workforce and the services Oakland residents rely on every day. You will help departments recruit and select employees who provide essential City services, including public safety services.
• You will work with people who are passionate about their work, value collaboration, and like to have fun. You will work with HR colleagues and departments across the City, giving you the opportunity to build relationships and learn from people with a wide range of expertise.
• You will have opportunities to grow as an HR professional. You will work on complex recruitment, assessment, classification, and compensation assignments while developing your knowledge of public-sector HR and the City's Civil Service environment.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

• Managing multiple high-volume and time-sensitive recruitments and assignments while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
• Developing assessment processes that are fair, effective, and practical while meeting professional standards and City requirements.
• Navigating a complex public-sector HR environment with Civil Service Rules, policies, labor agreements, and other requirements that must be considered when making decisions and providing guidance.

Competencies Required:

• Professional & Technical Expertise: Applying technical subject matter to the job
• Attention to Detail: Focusing on the details of work content, work steps, and final work products
• Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships
• Adaptability: Responding positively to change and modifying behavior as the situation requires
• Valuing Diversity: Appreciating the benefits of varied backgrounds and cultures in the workplace
• Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations
• Professional Integrity & Ethics: Displaying honesty, adherence to principles, and personal accountability
• Oral Communication: Engaging effectively in dialogue
• Innovative Problem Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems in order to propose new and better ways of doing things
• Fact Finding: Obtaining facts and data pertaining to an issue or question
• Analyzing & Interpreting Data: Drawing meaning and conclusions from quantitative or qualitative data

Minimum Requirements for Application
This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.
Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.

Education:
A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in human resource management, industrial organizational psychology, public or business administration, or a closely related field.

Experience:
Four (4) years of progressively responsible professional experience in human resources or personnel administration in one or more of the following areas: recruitment selection and employment testing, position classification and compensation administration, employee and labor relations, and employee development and training. Previous experience working for a local or state government agency is highly desirable.
License or Certificate / Other Requirements
Individuals who are appointed to this position will be required to maintain a valid California Driver's License throughout the tenure of employment OR demonstrate the ability to travel to various locations in a timely manner as required in the performance of duties.

Supplemental Information
The Recruitment Process:
The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their experience, education, and training listed on the application against the "minimum qualifications" listed for each position.
Candidates who demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements are then invited to participate in an assessment process (or testing) to measure their knowledge, skills, and abilities in job-related areas.

Candidates who do not demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualification requirements will have an opportunity to request a final review. Candidates must request a final review within 5 business days of being notified that they did not meet the minimum qualifications.

In the final review, candidates may clarify information already provided on their application. No additional work history, education, or certifications will be accepted. Any decisions made during this review process will be final.

For this recruitment, all qualified applicants will be invited to take an online multiple-choice test, (weighted 100%). You will have 7 days to complete the test once the link is sent to your email. This is tentatively planned to launch during the week of November 9, 2026.

Candidates requesting reasonable accommodations for the examination process must request accommodations no later than one week before they are scheduled to take the exam; otherwise, it may not be possible to arrange accommodations for the selection process. Please complete the Request for Reasonable Accommodation in Testing form by clicking on this link or by copying and pasting the link into your browser to open it:

Send the completed form and any supporting documentation to the exam analyst: Cynthia Ng at

Candidates who pass each stage in the process will be placed on an eligible list. Some candidates may receive extra points, for example, if you are a Veteran with an honorable discharge, or if you are a current City of Oakland resident. If you're applying to a "restricted" posting and you are eligible as a current City employee, you may also receive additional points for your City service. Extra points are only applied to passing scores, so if you do not pass every element of the testing process, you cannot use extra points to pass.

The City of Oakland reserves the right to modify the selection process and date of examination as necessary to conform to administrative or business necessity. The information contained in this announcement is subject to change and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.
What's in it for you?

• Work/Life Balance: 37.5 hour work weeks
• 15 paid holidays

• Vacation: 2 weeks per year minimum with the ability to accrue more depending on public sector years of service

• Retirement: CalPERS (California Public Employees' Retirement System) with a pension formula of 2.5% @ 55 (for Classic CalPERS members) and 2% @ 62 for new CalPERS members. Classic Employees contribute 8% of pre-tax wages. The City of Oakland does not participate in Social Security

• Health: The City of Oakland pays the full cost of employee and eligible dependent coverage at the Kaiser rate. Other plans include