Breaking the Cycle Special Initiatives Senior Fellow - Dept. of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (TEX 0932 Manager IV)

Company Description

Appointment Type: 
Temporary Exempt (TEX), Category 18: This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process, is considered “at will” and shall serve at the discretion of the Appointing Officer. The duration of the appointment shall not exceed 18 months.

Application Opening: July 31, 2026
Application Deadline: May close anytime but not before September 9, 2026
Compensation Range: $173,264 and $221,052 (Range A)
Recruitment ID: REF60790Q

This recruitment has been extended to accept additional applications. Applicants who already applied for this position need not reapply and will be included in the applicant pool.

Who We Are

Through the provision of coordinated, compassionate, and high‐quality services, the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) strives to make homelessness in San Francisco rare, brief, and one time. The Department provides assistance and support to homeless and at‐risk youth, adults, and families to prevent imminent episodes of homelessness and end homelessness for people in San Francisco. Services including outreach, homelessness prevention, emergency shelter, drop‐in centers, transitional housing, supportive housing, short‐term rental subsidies, and support services to help people exit homelessness. For more information about the department, please visit our website at https://hsh.sfgov.org.

What We Do

San Francisco is a pioneer in homeless services and a leader in providing supportive housing as a permanent exit from homelessness. The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH), founded in 2016, is a national leader in the movement to end homelessness by developing a coordinated, equity-driven, client-focused system of compassionate services while piloting innovative models, and implementing best practice solutions with measurable results. 

HSH’s Homelessness Response System (HRS) funds, oversees and implements a system of care that shelters, houses, and serves approximately 15,000 people daily. Major programs include: street outreach and service connection through the Homeless Outreach Team (SFHOT); 3,600+ bed shelter system for transitional age youth, adults and families including shelters for members of the LGBTQ community; rapid rehousing rental subsidies for families, adults, older adults, and transitional aged youth; the Problem Solving and flexible financial assistance programs; and robust supportive housing programs with over 14,500 units which provide housing and services to formerly homeless transitional age youth, individuals, and families.

Job Description

The San Francisco Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing seeks a Special Initiatives – Senior Fellow to accelerate high-impact initiatives under the Mayor’s Breaking the Cycle agenda, focused specifically on homelessness response systems change. The Senior Fellow will translate policy priorities into actionable program designs across prevention, shelter, transitional housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). Core work includes collaborating with the Department of Public Health to transform PSH care delivery models, designing Moving On 2.0 interventions to increase system flow, shaping recovery-oriented housing models, and developing policy aligned with City Breaking the Cycle goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities (non-exhaustive)

Strategic and Operational Problem Solving

• Drive collaboration with Department of Public Health (DPH) to transform PSH care delivery models and advance integrated systems-of-care goals.
• Support development of Moving On 2.0 including operational workflows, relocation pathways, and implementation planning.
• Develop recovery-oriented housing concepts and support evaluation of PSH site conversions and transitional housing pilots.
• Identify structural barriers across prevention, shelter, and housing programs and propose programmatic solutions aligned with Breaking the Cycle priorities.
• Support pilot projects and proof-of-concept initiatives that test new operational approaches across the homelessness response system.
• Develop policy and make decisions around program planning and allocation of resources.

Data, Analysis, and Systems Design

• Use qualitative and quantitative inputs (e.g., program performance trends, frontline feedback) to identify risks and opportunities.
• Prepare strategic analyses and decision-support materials to guide mayoral and departmental leadership.

Stakeholder Management & Relationship