Port Director

Company Description One of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, renowned for its steep rolling hills, San Francisco is a city of truly international character with an eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture and a highly diverse cosmopolitan population. With approximately 800,000 residents in a 47 square mile area, San Francisco is the fourteenth most populous city in the United States and the fourth most populous city in California. San Francisco is a World Class City. Internationally famous tourist destinations include Fishermans Wharf, Pier 39, Union Square, Lombard Street and Golden Gate Park. The City is also home to a notable cultural and performing arts scene, nationally recognized sports teams like the Giants, the 49ers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Valkyries, over thirty international financial institutions, multiple Fortune 500 companies, and a large support of infrastructure of professional services, including law, public relations, architecture, and graphic design. San Francisco is also home to multiple academic institutions such as University of California, San Francisco and is famous for the growing technology sector, its position as a leader in AI, and impact of nearby Silicon Valley. For more information, please visit sf.gov. THE PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO The waterfront is an iconic symbol of San Francisco that plays a vital role in the community of the Greater San Francisco Bay Area and the global reputation of the City. Tourism is San Franciscos No. 1 industry, and many of the Citys leading attractions are located at the Port, including the Ferry Building, Oracle Park, the Exploratorium, Alcatraz Landing, PIER 39, Fishermans Wharf, and Hyde Street Pier. These attractions draw millions of users annually to the Ports northern waterfront. The Port of San Francisco is a public enterprise agency committed to promoting a balance of maritime, recreational, industrial, transportation, public access and commercial activities on a safe, secure and self-supporting basis through appropriate management and development of the waterfront for the benefit of the people of the State of California. This core mandate is stipulated in the Burton Act that entrusted the Port to the City and County of San Francisco in 1969. Building on the Citys standing as a leader in AI development, the Port also plans to position itself as a West Coast leader in the Blue Economy. The Port of San Francisco owns and operates maritime facilities and commercial real estate and manages most of San Franciscos waterfront property, including a four mile seawall, from Fishermans Wharf in the north to India Basin in the south. The Port also oversees a broad range of maritime, commercial and public activities and is involved in a diverse range of businesses, including cargo and cruise shipping, ferries and excursion boats, ship repair, commercial fishing, harbor services, and real estate property management. The Port has over 340 full time employees, and the FY2025-26 Proposed Budget is $143.3 million. Job Description THE POSITION The Port Executive Director is the chief executive of the San Francisco Port Commission. The position is responsible for the overall management, development, and longterm success of the Port of San Francisco, an enterprise agency of the City and County of San Francisco, which is held as a public trust for the citizens of California. Under policy oversight of the Port Commission, the Port Executive Director manages all administrative and operations activities of the Port. The Port Executive Director is appointed by the Mayor based upon nomination by the Port Commission. The Port Executive Director is exempt from the civil service provisions of the San Francisco Charter and serves at the pleasure of the Port Commission. The Executive Director is responsible for leading, planning, directing, coordinating, controlling and evaluating activities of Port staff engaged in administrative functions; fiscal activities; governmental relations and public relations; economic development and planning; port security and safety; environmental compliance and regulation; engineering; inspection of Port properties; contracting for goods and services; business development and marketing; promotion, development, rental and leasing of Port property; repair and maintenance of Port facilities and substructures; and staffing and personnel operations. THE PORT COMMISSION The Port of San Francisco is governed by a five member Board of Commissioners, each of whom is appointed by the Mayor and subject to confirmation by the Citys Board of Supervisors. Each commissioner is appointed to a fouryear term. The Port Commission is responsible for the seven and onehalf miles of San Francisco Waterfront adjacent to San Francisco Bay, which the Port develops, markets, leases, administers, manages, and maintains. QUALIFICATIONS THE IDEAL CANDIDATE The Port is entering a period of profound physical transformation and a generational shift into the economy of tomorrow. The ideal candidate for its Director will possess the following: Enterpriselevel experience within a multifaceted organization: Experience successfully navigating complex business environments largescale development, placemaking, or real estate portfolio management. Transformational, Organizational Leadership: Capable of building a highfunctioning, missiondriven workforce; strengthening communication; cultivating belonging; creating career ladders; and fostering a healthy workplace culture. Megaproject delivery capacity and crossagency orchestration: With the Seawall Program, major federal partnerships, and multibilliondollar capital and resilience initiatives underway, the Director must align engineering, planning, development, federal partners, and city departments into a unified, accountable delivery system. Strong Financial Stewardship: The Port requires a leader who can manage structural deficits, secure external funding, structure publicprivate partnerships, and make disciplined investments that advance longterm public benefit. Equity: Equity must be embedded as a driver of performance and trustshaping internal culture and strengthening transparency, access, fairness, and accountability for staff and communities. Vision: The next Director must bring a fresh, generative vision for the future of the waterfront one that emerges from the candidates own imagination and experiencepaired with the discipline to deliver results through detailed planning, alignment, and consistent followthrough. Communication & Collaboration: The Port has a wide variety of stakeholders, including community members, Port tenants, regulatory partners, department staff, elected officials, crossdepartmental leadership, and more. The Port Director must successfully represent the Port on a local, national, and international level. EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION At a minimum, the candidate must hold a baccalaureate degree; a masters degree is preferred. Qualified candidates will bring at least seven years of senior executive leadership experience, including demonstrated responsibility for leading complex, multilayered departments and crossfunctional divisions. Ideal candidates will have a proven record of managing large, multifaceted organizations, navigating enterpriselevel complexity, and delivering results within environments (private or public sector) that require strong stakeholder engagement, operational discipline, and strategic leadership. Additional Information COMPENSATION & BENEFITS $314,626 - $401,518 Annually (A Range) The salary for this position is within an established annual range and will be dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate. Appointment above the maximum of the normal range may be considered based on documented and substantiated recruitment and retention issues or exceptional skills. A special approval process is necessary for appointment above the normal salary range. In addition, benefits are provided, which include: Medical and Dental insurance Retirement Plan Deferred Compensation Plan Social Security LongTerm Disability Plan Life Insurance Paid Management Training Program 11 paid holidays per year 10 to 20 vacation days per year, depending on years of service 5 days of paid executive leave per year For a complete list of benefits, please visit the Citys website. HOW TO APPLY Candidates are encouraged to express interest early in the process. This recruitment is considered open until filled. For first consideration, submit your application by February20,2026. Click HERE to apply. For additional information, please contact: Julia Morse | VP, Healthcare & Public Sector: jmorse@berkeleysearch.com -or- Phong Trieu | VP, Fulfillment Strategies: ptrieu@berkeleysearch.com Additional information regarding Employment with the City and County of San Francisco: Information about the Hiring Process Conviction History Employee Benefits Overview Equal Employment Opportunity Disaster Service Workers Reasonable Accommodation Right to Work Copies of Application Documents Diversity Statement The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition (associated with ca]]>