Civic Strategist, Los Angeles
The Civic Strategist is charged with leading a team focused on supporting the City of Los Angeles’ efforts to accelerate transformative city policy, infrastructure, and innovation efforts that generate lasting benefits for all Angelenos, while fostering civic pride, inclusive public-private collaboration, and long-term urban resilience to advance Los Angeles’ unprecedented recovery from the January 2025 wildfires and hosting of three consecutive global sporting events—2026 FIFA World Cup, 2027 Super Bowl, and 2028 Olympic & Paralympic Games. The Civic Strategist works closely with the Deputy Mayor as well as departmental staff, external experts, community organizations, and residents to ensure the team delivers impactful solutions. The Civic Strategist is an employee of Johns Hopkins University and based in Los Angeles City Hall. They report to the Deputy Mayor.
The first of its kind in the world, the Center aims to advance the field of public sector innovation by marrying cutting-edge practice with world class research in order to transform the culture of government, deliver exceptional results for residents, and inspire trust in public service.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead a problem–solving approach that focuses on identifying root causes of civic challenges in partnership with residents, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
- Collaborate with city government colleagues and community organizations to co-create and manage bold, innovative solutions to solve complex problems.
- Effectively manage the diverse skill sets of the team and leverage available technical expertise to maximize creativity and impact.
- Maintain strong relationships and foster collaboration among a broad set of stakeholders, including senior government officials and private sector and nonprofit leaders in the community.
- Strengthen the capacity of city government colleagues, community–based organizations and other stakeholders to work together to co–create and implement transformative solutions.
- Inspire the team to challenge the status quo and encourage creative ways to overcome roadblocks.
- Ensure that there are clear and appropriate implementation plans for delivery on all major initiatives.
- Oversee the development of targets and regular measurement of progress.
- Achieve defined targets by monitoring performance and correcting course when needed.
- Participate in a national network of civic-sector innovation experts to advance the field and make visible your city's work.
- Communicate progress to stakeholders, including regular reporting to the mayor.
- Oversee the timely development and submission of high–quality work products.
- Share the team’s strategic framework and best practices for innovation throughout city government.
- Actively collaborate with the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation at Johns Hopkins University (BCPI), program partners, and other teams that are part of BCPI programming.
Special Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
- Strong sense of service to residents of Los Angeles and understanding of the complexities of and opportunities in the City of Los Angeles.
- Strong ability to communicate complex concepts to different audiences and stakeholders including executives, community groups, partners, philanthropic leaders and the public.
- Attentiveness to details, deadline-oriented, acute vision, and the ability to give and receive constructive criticism.
- Excellent written and oral communication.
- Exceptional time management and organizational skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills with an ability to build good relationships with peers and to interact with diverse stakeholders.
- Aptitude for moving people outside their comfort zones to embrace new approaches, mindsets, and solutions.
- Experience with design–based innovation, data, and/or other innovation methods and tools.
- Experience project-managing complex initiatives from design to their completion.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in related discipline.
- Seven or more years of experience in business administration, public policy, organizational development, strategy development, change management, project management and/or related fields/areas.
- Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
Preferred Qualifications
- Ten plus years relevant experience including progressive project and team management.
- Five years supervisory experience, including experience developing and managing a high-performing team.
- Experience or familiarity with government innovation efforts, including a strong conceptual and practical understanding of innovation tools and the role of human centered design, data and policy in the public sector.
- Experience working for or in collaboration with local government.
- Experience leveraging and mobilizing public, private, and philanthropic resources for projects.
- Able to be in the office in Los Angeles five days/week.
- Able to attend multiple community meetings in different neighborhoods in a single day.
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Civic Strategist, Los Angeles
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PH
Starting Salary Range: $116,600 - $204,000 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday -Friday 9am-5:30pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: JHU-California
Department name: Ctrs for Govt Excellence & Public Innova
Personnel area: Academic and Business Centers
Total Rewards
The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University’s salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.
Education and Experience Equivalency
Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.
Applicants Completing Studies
Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.
Background Checks
The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.
Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
EEO is the Law
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf
Accommodation Information
If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at [email protected]. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.
Vaccine Requirements
Johns Hopkins University strongly encourages, but no longer requires, at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. We still require all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. This change does not apply to the School of Medicine (SOM). SOM hires must be fully vaccinated with an FDA COVID-19 vaccination and provide proof of vaccination status. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.
The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.
The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.
