CBT - Principal Clerk (1408) Citywide (C00407)

Company Description

THIS IS A CITYWIDE EXAM

San Francisco is a vibrant and dynamic city, on the forefront of economic growth & innovation, urban development, arts & entertainment, as well as social issues & change. This rich tapestry of culture and ideas is sustained by our City's commitment to heighten 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.

Specific information regarding this recruitment process is listed below:

Application Opening: December 1, 2025

Application Deadline: December 14, 2025 (This application submission period will close at 11:59 PM)

Recruitment ID:   CBT-1408-C00407

Salary range: $88,478 - $107,614  (Click here for compensation info.)

Department: Citywide
Job class: 1408-Principal Clerk
Role type: Permanent Civil Service
Hours: Full-time
Exam type: Class Based Test
Rule: Rule of 10
List type: Combined Promotive and Entrance

Job Description

Under general direction, the 1408 Principal Clerk performs highly responsible, important, and difficult clerical work requiring extensive knowledge of departmental functions. Serves as a department's primary public contact person to explain important and specialized policies, procedures, and regulations.
Supervision Exercised: Supervises employees involved in clerical work.

EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES
According to Civil Service Commission Rule 109, the duties specified below are representative of the range of duties assigned to this job code/class and are not intended to be an inclusive list.

1. Supervises, plans, assigns and evaluates subordinate personnel to ensure conformance with departmental regulations and policies, existing office procedures, and applicable laws and regulations. This includes maintaining personnel action requests, personnel files and other personnel records. Disseminates, explains and interprets important information requiring specialized knowledge of the policies and procedures of a department, as well as the regulations enforced by the department to the public and/or employees, contractors, vendors, etc.
2. Performs highly responsible, important and difficult clerical work involving the exercise of individual judgment by knowing the applicable departmental procedures to which assigned.
3. Reviews and resolves day-to-day transactions, problems and/or complaints encountered by co-workers and/or affiliated parties (members of the public, volunteers, students, city departments and other government agencies, etc.).
4. Supervises and/or participates in the preparation and maintenance of a wide variety of records and reports by preparing, compiling, and maintaining statistics and records for these reports using applicable computer systems.
5. Supervises and/or prepares the processing and general handling of administrative documents such as licenses, permits, purchase orders, work orders, requisitions, contracts, etc. This includes verifying the timeliness and accuracy of these documents.
6. May collect, calculate and process applicable charges, fees and taxes, etc.

Qualifications

How to qualify
These Minimum Qualifications establish the education, training, experience, special skills and/or license(s) which are required for employment in the classification.  Every application is reviewed to ensure that you meet the minimum qualifications listed in the job ad. Please review our articles on Employment Application and Minimum Qualifications and Verification of Experience and/or Education for considerations taken when reviewing applications. 

1408 Principal Clerk Minimum Qualifications:
Experience: Three (3) years of highly responsible and diversified clerical experience including preparing and processing complex detailed work impacting an entire department or section; responding to and resolving difficult day-to-day problems and/or complaints encountered by staff, the public, other individuals, etc. on office operations and procedures; and explaining and interpreting complicated information to departments, staff, the public and/or others.

Substitution: Any on