Staff Specialist I/II

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) is a regional government agency committed to achieving clean air to protect the public's health and the environment. The Air District accomplishes this goal through regulation of industrial facilities and various outreach and incentive programs designed to encourage clean air choices. The Air District's jurisdiction encompasses all of seven counties - Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Napa, and portions of two others - southwestern Solano and southern Sonoma.

The Air District is conducting an open recruitment for the position of Staff Specialist I/II in the Environmental Justice Division. This is a full-time, represented position for two (2) vacancies.

About the Position:

The Environmental Justice (EJ) Division supports the Air District's mission by engaging with and supporting impacted communities in the Bay Area through programs that engage impacted communities to increase community awareness and transparency of air quality issues, build capacity, increase opportunities for impacted communities to participate in Air District decision-making, and support implementation of community-identified solutions. The EJ Division supports outreach and partnerships between communities and the Air District and works across all divisions within the Air District.

The EJ Division is hiring one position for the Environmental Justice Navigators Program and one position for the People's Air Grant Program.

The Environmental Justice (EJ) Navigators Program is dedicated to conducting outreach while creating and deepening meaningful relationships with impacted communities in various subregions of the Bay Area. The Staff Specialist will provide administrative and programmatic support for EJ Navigators. This will include, but not be limited to: outreach to and engage with the public, including community-based organizations and community leaders; speak publicly to wide audiences and prepare and facilitate community meetings and events; intake and review requests and inquiries and document outreach; liaise between various Air District divisions and members of the public; prepare and participate in procurement processes; prepare professional service contracts; and monitor professional service contracts, invoices and payments.

The Peoples Air Grant (PAGP) is a one-time grant program that will fund projects to reduce exposure to air pollution and address public health in impacted communities in the Bay Area for a total of $3 million from the Community Benefit Fund. The Staff Specialist will provide administrative and programmatic support for the PAGP. This will include, but not be limited to: assist with grant administration, including support with processing grant applications, awards, and grant agreements; prepare Board memos and documents; monitor grant compliance and liaise with grantees; intake and review grantee reports and inquiries, process grant payments, support grant documentation; prepare professional service contracts; and support engagement and responses to the public, including community-based organizations and non-profits.

The responsibilities of the Staff Specialists may also include attending meetings with community-based organizations, public meetings and workshops to conduct community outreach and engagement. These meetings may occur in the evenings or weekends online or in-person. The Staff Specialists will assist in coordinating efforts across inter-divisional teams, which may include facilitating meetings with Air District staff and local community leaders, and preparing meeting agendas and notetaking. Staff Specialist duties also include drafting memos and PowerPoint presentations to executive staff and Board of Directors related to procurement, program budgets, and programmatic updates.

Definition

Under direction, performs a variety of responsible administrative, technical and specialized functions in the areas of incentives, contracts, business services, finance, budget, and facility management; and performs related work as assigned.

Distinguishing Characteristics

Staff Specialist I is the entry level in this series. Initially under close supervision, incumbents learn District, state and federal procedures and policies while performing the more routine technical duties. As experience is gained, assignments become more diversified and are performed with less supervision. This class is alternately staffed with Staff Specialist II and incumbents may advance to the higher level classification after gaining experience and demonstrating proficiency which meet the qualifications of the higher level class.

Staff Specialist II is the journey level class of this series, fully-proficient to perform difficult and technical work. Incumbents are expected to exercise independent judgment.

This class is distinguished from Senior Staff Specialist in that the latter is responsible for more complex work and may perform lead duties.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Participates and assists in the development of policies and guidelines for assigned programs.

Researches technical feasibility and control proposals for new or revised programs; Develops and applies quality control and assurance measures to ensure the effectiveness of programs and appropriate application of methods in accordance with District policies, rules, and regulations.

Reviews, analyzes, and administers a variety of grants, contracts, and other agreements in support of District activities; monitors expenditures and charges against agreements; prepares fiscal status reports for management and prepares cost analyses.

Prepares Requests for Proposal (RFPs) and Requests for Quotations (RFQs); prepares contract documents and other agreements using standard District procedures; and reviews contract terms and conditions.

Calculates emissions reductions, analyzes cost-effectiveness, assesses emissions inventories and performs other technical work within the context of mobile sources and incentives, contracts, business services, finance, budget, and facility management; reviews and summarizes data, prepares special and periodic reports.

Coordinates and facilitates workshops, meetings, and trainings on the technical application and interpretation of District programs, regulations and rules; makes presentations and develops supporting technical materials.

Maintains computer databases and program records.

Assists in internal and external audits for programs and physical inspections to ensure compliance with program requirements.

Prepares and presents staff reports to the District's Board of Directors, and/or sub-committees; conducts research and prepares and presents reports as assigned.

Provides routine outreach and communication on behalf of the District with industry, the public and other agencies to obtain and disseminate technical and operational information.

Prepares and responds to correspondence directed toward public and private organizations relative to programs; responds to oral and written requests for information about programs.

Explains and interprets technical policies, rules and regulations regarding programs; gathers and prepares background information.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience:

A typical way to obtain the knowledge and skills is:

Staff Specialist I: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree and two years of professional analytical experience.

Staff Specialist II: In addition to the above, two years of professional analytical experience.

Some positions may require more specialized education, training and experience.

Other Requirements:

This person must be willing to attend meetings located in Bay Area outside of regular working hours and in-person, as needed.

Desirable Qualifications:

Knowledge of:

Outreach and community engagement in the government setting

Government and community partnerships

Grant-writing and/or grant-making

The intersections of the environment, public health, land use planning

Air pollution controls and ambient air quality improvement

Short-term and long-term project management

Meeting facilitation in various settings

Creating and implementing strategies that align with organization and project goals

Principles of continuous process improvement

Financial management, including budget development and monitoring

Government procurement and contracting principles and processes

Applicable District, local, State, and federal laws, rules and regulations

Environmental Justice Principles

Computer software applications, including Microsoft Suites

Skill in:

Developing and administering effective outreach and/or grants programs, managing multiple projects simultaneously and delivering high-quality results on time and on budget

Contract administration, particularly experience in a government setting

Exercising sound independent judgment within established guidelines.

Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with a wide range of groups in the course of the work

Working well in a team-oriented, collaborative environment

Working effectively with culturally diverse populations

Preparing clear and concise reports, correspondence and other written materials

Effectively communicating verbally and in writing and skilled in actively listening

Meeting facilitation and community engagement, active listening, note taking and providing detailed summary of meetings for wide audiences

Working with community members to produce work products, support consensus decision-making, and problem solving

Defining and applying Environmental Justice Principles

Demonstrating cultural competency and emotional intelligence

How to Apply

Interested individuals must submit a completed BAAQMD application, chronological resume, and responses to the supplemental questionnaire by 5:00 p.m. on Friday January 16, 2026. Applications are accepted online only. Please visit our website at www.baaqmd.gov/jobs to apply. Resumes must be included, and not in lieu of the required application materials. Postmarks, faxes, and E-mailed applications will not be accepted.

Except as requested in this announcement, do not include any additional documents, such as letters of recommendation, performance evaluations, work samples, etc. They will not be considered or returned. Postmarks, faxes, and e-mails will not be accepted.

Supplemental Questionnaire Instructions

Individuals who apply for this position must respond to each of the supplemental questions. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Office no later than the time and date specified in the vacancy announcement. The responses to the supplemental application questions will be used in accordance with the procedures indicated under the Selection Criteria in the vacancy announcement.

Please limit your responses to no more than one page (500 words) per question. Do not combine your responses, or reference your application, resume, or any other requested documentation that you have included with your application packet to answer a question. Please be advised that the information you provide will be evaluated "as is" and incomplete or illegible applications will likely receive lower ratings. Therefore, it is very important to provide a concise, organized, and easy to follow response to each question.

You must provide the following for each question regarding experience: The name of the employer where you gained your experience, your job title, length of time in years/months performing the specific function, and detailed examples that illustrate your duties and responsibilities.

Selection Criteria

Selection may be based upon a competitive examination consisting of a written exercise, interview, or combination of the two. Depending on the number of qualified applicants, an application screening and/or panel interview may be used to determine the most qualified applicants. If a panel interview is utilized it will be weighted 100%, and it may include a work exercise that will be scored as a percentage of the total score.

The District may hire from this recruitment process to fill future vacancies occurring within the next 18 months. Updates regarding your status in the recruitment will be sent via email, unless you indicate a different preference on your application.

Persons with disabilities who may require reasonable accommodations during the application and/or selection process should notify the Human Resources Office at (415) 749-4980.

The District is an Equal Opportunity Employer.