What are the responsibilities and job description for the Principal Office Specialist - Environmental Services Department position at City of San Jose?
The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is a national leader in pollution prevention, watershed protection, utility service provision, and climate action. Together, ESD employees positively impact every resident and business in San Jose.
Our department is an exceptional place to start or grow your career. We have a supportive leadership team, numerous professional growth opportunities, and an inclusive workplace culture that is welcoming of your talents! We offer an array of meaningful career paths and value flexibility – offering hybrid work and alternative work schedules in select roles. Additionally, the City offers excellent health and pension benefits, as well as 15 paid holidays!
To learn more about ESD, follow @sjenvironment on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, and San Jose Environmental Services on LinkedIn.
The Division
Utility Financial & Business Operations (UFBO) team members gain satisfaction when facilitating trainings for ESD’s workforce; feel empowered when managing a full range of information technology data and services to over 500 employees; deliver quality customer service in utility billing; enjoy their contributions to the success of peers by hiring and promoting the right people for the right positions; and oversee the budget planning and fiscal management for a wide variety of special funds that support the important work ESDers do. Join a diverse and dynamic team that provides key strategic support to ESD staff, programs, and utilities linking directly to the department’s mission. By providing behind-the-scenes support, our team makes a difference!
The Environmental Services Department (ESD) is hiring a motivated and service-oriented Principal Office Specialist to join its Employee Services Team, with a primary focus on supporting the Learning and Development team. This role offers a dynamic opportunity for someone passionate about fostering employee growth and engagement through coordinating impactful training programs, wellness initiatives, and outreach events. The Principal Office Specialist will play a key role in organizing and tracking employee development activities, supporting apprenticeship programs, and maintaining communication platforms that enhance the overall employee experience for over 500ESD staff. If you enjoy building connections, managing logistics, and contributing to a mission-driven team, this position is for you.
Salary range for this classification is $74,627.28 - $90,679.68 annually.
Actual salary shall be determined by the final candidates' qualifications and experience. This amount includes an approximate five percent (5%) ongoing non-pensionable pay.
Key Responsibilities
Plan and coordinate logistics for department wellness and outreach events, ensuring smooth execution and participant engagement.
Manage promotional materials and giveaway inventory, tracking supplies and restocking as needed.
Maintain centralized calendars and trackers for wellness, outreach, and training events; provide regular updates to the team.
Support ESD’s migration, launch, and ongoing management of the Citywide Learning Management System (LMS).
Prepare and submit monthly reports related to wellness, outreach, and professional development activities.
Update and manage the Learning and Development SharePoint site, ensuring content accuracy.
Coordinate logistics for apprenticeship programs, including scheduling, materials preparation, onboarding support, and participant tracking.
Support professional development training classes as needed, including managing communications, registrations, attendance tracking, and class materials.
Collect and organize participant feedback to assist with continuous program improvement.
Monitor and support compliance with mandatory Citywide training requirements, sending reminders and tracking completion.
Maintain and update SOPs, training documentation, and internal records.
Support onboarding initiatives and assist with new module launches such as Articulate training courses.
Provide backup support for general administrative tasks as needed.
Education and Experience
Completion of high school or equivalent (General Education Development [GED] Test or California Proficiency Certificate) AND three (3) years of experience in varied office clerical work.
Acceptable Substitution
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university may be substituted for the required experience.
The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.
Job Expertise - Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
Communication Skills - Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people's ideas and thought
Planning – Acts to align own unit’s goals with the strategic direction of the organization; defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet those objectives.
Computer Skills - Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.
Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills - Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
Customer Service – Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.
Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to all the job specific questions. You must answer all questions to be considered, or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Only those candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews.
You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process.
Describe your experience organizing wellness, outreach, or other employee engagement events. How did you handle logistics and follow-up?
Tell us about a time you maintained or improved a tracking system related to employee programs or events. What tools or methods did you use?
Describe your experience using Microsoft Excel to manage or analyze data. Include examples of specific functions or tools you've used (e.g., formulas, pivot tables, VLOOKUP, conditional formatting, charts, or macros), the complexity of the data, and how you ensured accuracy.
You must answer all questions to be considered, or your application may be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Please also ensure to attach your resume while submitting your application.
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact Ganna Malik at ganna1.malik@sanjoseca.gov
The application deadline for this position is August 19, 2025.
Salary : $74,627 - $90,680
