Executive Recruitment
Process
SF Public Utilities Commission
July 14, 2026
SF Charter
• Under Charter §3.100(19) and §4.102(5), the Mayor
appoints the General Manager from a list of three or
more qualified candidates submitted by the
Commission.
Executive Recruitment Process
• The SF Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) acts as
the “appointive commission under Charter §4.102
– Conduct a recruitment process to identify candidates for General Manager;
– Interview and evaluate those candidates; and
– Forward three (3) or more qualified applicants to the Mayor
Executive Recruitment Process
• Executive recruitment firms:
– Provide wide public sector recruitment networks
– Proactively reach out to candidates
– Work directly with Commission
– Ensure confidentiality of all candidates in the process – Provide full candidate vetting
• Typical timeline is 12-16 weeks
Offer to Selected
Candidate
Working with firm and
DHR, an offer is extended
to the selected candidate.
Executive Recruitment Firms
• DHR solicits bids from a list of pre-qualified executive recruitment firms available to support departments
and commissions with executive recruitments
• Bids evaluated by subject matter experts
• Recent executive recruitment firm efforts:
– REC General Manager – 2026
– PRT Director – 2026
– ART Director Arts & Culture - 2026
– PUC Assistant General Manager, Wastewater Enterprise - 2023 – MTA Chief Administrative Officer - 2022
– DPW Director of Department of Streets and Sanitation – 2022 – ETH Executive Director – 2022
– ENV Director - 2022
Executive Recruitment Firms
• Next steps:
– DHR collecting and evaluating executive search
firm bids
– Department establishes purchase order
– Introductory meeting between Commission and
firm
– Begin Search
Questions