Closing Date: 23rd February, 2026

Description:

The Position:
The City of Oakland is an equal opportunity employer that values workforce diversity, inclusion, and equity. Oakland has a long history of activism around issues of justice and equity. Both oppression and this resistance to oppression have shaped the city's historical roots and the lives of its residents to this day. As public servants in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, we strive to develop employees who understand the harm and impacts of systemic inequity to create lasting, meaningful outcomes for everyone. Oakland strives to establish an environment that embraces the richness of culture, community, and individualism of employees.

Why join the City of Oakland Housing Community Development Department?
The City of Oakland is seeking a dynamic Senior Hearing Officer to lead the Hearings Unit within the Rent Adjustment Program, part of the Community Development Division of the Department of Housing and Community Development. This role requires a strong leader who excels in supervising and developing professional staff, ensuring consistent application of policies and procedures, and fostering a culture of accountability and excellence. This position is full-time, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The Housing and Community Development Department operates on a hybrid schedule: staff work in the office three days per week—Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday—and work remotely on Mondays and Fridays.

We are looking for someone who is:

A Visionary and Strong Team Leader - The Senior Hearing Officer role requires supervising and mentoring staff while fostering a culture of accountability and excellence; a visionary leader ensures the team is motivated and aligned with long-term program goals.
A Creative Self-Initiator - This position demands proactive problem-solving and innovative approaches to improve efficiency and consistency in hearings and mediations, making creativity and initiative essential.
Analytical and a Systems Thinker - Overseeing complex cases and ensuring uniformity in decisions requires someone who can analyze patterns, identify systemic issues, and implement strategies that enhance fairness and compliance.
Passionate about Delivering Quality Public Services to Oaklanders - The role directly impacts tenants and landlords under critical ordinances, so passion for public service ensures decisions and processes prioritize community trust and service excellence.
Committed to Centering Equity in the Development and Implementation of Programs - Equity is fundamental to HCD and the city's housing policies. This commitment guarantees that hearings and decisions are fair and barriers to fairness are eliminated.
An Excellent Writer - Preparing and reviewing clear, legally sound mediation agreements and written decisions is a core responsibility, making strong writing skills indispensable for clarity, professionalism, and legal compliance.

What you will typically be responsible for:

Providing legal oversight of the Hearings Unit by reviewing and approving written decisions to ensure consistency, fairness, and legal defensibility in accordance with applicable ordinances, regulations, and established program standards.
Planning, organizing, and overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Rent Adjustment Program (RAP) Hearings Unit, including hearings, mediations, settlement conferences, arbitration proceedings, and the issuance of decisions and orders.
Supervising, mentoring, and evaluating Hearing Officers and assigned staff; assigning and reviewing work; supporting professional development; and recommending corrective or disciplinary action as appropriate.
Leading staff by establishing performance expectations, monitoring work quality, encouraging effective problem-solving, and ensuring accountability for assigned responsibilities.
Serving as Lead Hearing Officer for complex, sensitive, high-profile, or precedent-setting cases and providing technical guidance and direction to Hearing Officers regarding case handling and decision-making.
Preparing, reviewing, and approving clear, well-reasoned, and legally sufficient mediation agreements, orders, and hearing decisions.
Coordinating and participating in training for Hearing Officers and unit staff on applicable ordinances, rules, procedures, and relevant state and federal laws; responding to technical and procedural inquiries as required.
Advising and collaborating with the Rent Adjustment Program (RAP) Manager on ordinance revisions, policy development, and operational strategies to improve program efficiency, consistency, and service delivery.
Providing technical assistance to the RAP Manager in responding to requests for information from the Housing and Residential Rent and Relocation Board (HRRRB), City Council, agency leadership, and City management.

Read the complete job description by clicking this
Senior Hearing Officer

Click on the link below to see a video on what it's like to work for the City of Oakland!
Working for the City of Oakland

A few reasons you might love this job:

You will serve in a highly impactful role supporting the needs of Oakland's most vulnerable residents.
You will have the ability to shape the development and delivery of important City services.
You will combine intellectual challenge with meaningful public service by resolving complex cases, improving system efficiency, and providing property owners and tenants with a forum to resolve conflicts.
You will be offered a unique opportunity to shape housing stability and equity in one of the most diverse and dynamic cities in the country.

A few challenges you might face in this job:

You will have time-sensitive deadlines.
You will be highly visible and have multi-faceted responsibilities.
You will handle mediations and hearings that involve tense landlord–tenant dynamics, urgent timelines, and real impacts on housing stability.
You will foster alignment and accountability within a team that has diverse work styles and varying levels of engagement.

Competencies Required:

Action & Results Focused (Taking Initiative): Initiating tasks and focusing on accomplishment.
Building & Maintaining Relationships: Establishing rapport and maintaining mutually productive relationships.
Critical Thinking: Analytically and logically evaluating information, propositions, and claims.
Decision Making: Choosing optimal courses of action in a timely manner.
Displaying Ownership and Accountability: Holding self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results.
Handling & Resolving Conflict: Managing interpersonally strained situations.
Informing: Proactively obtaining and sharing information.
Innovative Problem Solving: Identifying and analyzing problems to propose new and better ways of doing things.
Leadership: Guiding and encouraging others to accomplish a common goal.
Leading Cross-Functional Collaboration: Demonstrating cooperation and teamwork while working within and across divisions, functions, or teams.
Legal & Regulatory Navigation: Understanding, interpreting, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations.
Leveraging Technology: Applying technology for improvements in organizational efficiency and effectiveness.
Managing Performance: Ensuring superior individual and group performance.
Professional Impact: Presenting self as a positive representative of the organization.
Thinking & Acting Systematically: Formulating objectives and priorities and implementing plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization in a global environment.

Minimum Requirements for Application

This recruitment will produce two eligible lists. The restricted list will be for full-time, permanent part-time, or part-time City and Port of Oakland employees who maintain employment for the duration of the recruitment and pass all stages of the recruitment process. The open list will be for all other applicants who pass all stages of the recruitment process.

This is a public contact position. The City highly encourages all bilingual candidates to apply! Some positions may require bilingual skills in Spanish, Cantonese, or Mandarin. Under the authority of Civil Service Rules Section 5.03, if a position requires bilingual language skills, only those candidates who have indicated they are bilingual in the required language(s) will be referred. Bilingual candidates will be required to successfully pass a language proficiency test if selected for hire.

Any combination of education and experience that is equivalent to the following minimum qualifications may be acceptable.

Education:
Juris Doctorate from an accredited school of law.

Experience:
Minimum six years of progressively responsible experience as a practicing attorney or other comparable experience in the legal field with three years of progressively responsible experience as a professional in alternative dispute resolution or six years of litigation experience.

Desirable Qualifications:
Experience conducting mediations is highly desirable.

Supplemental Information:
What's in it for you?
The City of Oakland works with a Civil Service system. Applicants apply online, and HR staff reviews their ex