President & CEO

About SPUR

SPUR — the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association — is a nonprofit community-based, public policy membership organization. SPUR brings people together from across the political spectrum to develop solutions to the big problems cities face. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, SPUR is recognized as a leading civic planning organization and respected for its independent and holistic approach to urban issues.

SPUR practices urban policy, developing and advocating for ideas and reforms to bring about systems change that results in a prosperous and sustainable community for all. The decisions that shape housing, transportation, land use, economics, sustainability, and hazard resilience have significant impacts on people’s lives. SPUR also focuses on governance because it’s how communities organize themselves to achieve collective goals and because SPUR believes in the power of government as a force for good.

SPUR works across the nine counties of the Bay Area because the structural systems that shape people’s lives — the housing market, open spaces, the transportation network, the economy, the environment — are regional. SPUR does deep work in San Francisco, San José, and Oakland because policies set in the region’s three biggest cities have widespread impact on most Bay Area residents and because local context is critical for effective policy. SPUR’s funding comes through grants, consulting, donors, and memberships. The organization is structured in a way that allows it to produce rigorous, independent public policy and serve as a trusted voice on issues throughout the Bay Area.

SPUR works through research, education, and advocacy because these tools have the power to change minds and shape outcomes. SPUR grounds its work in a spirit of inquiry and a big-tent perspective that engages partners and communities across the region.

SPUR was founded as the San Francisco Housing Association in 1910 by a group of concerned citizens and civic leaders driven to address housing quality issues in the wake of the 1906 earthquake and fire. The organization’s first major advocacy success was the passage of the State Tenement House Act of 1911. In 1942, the San Francisco Housing Association added “Planning” to its name and in 1959 rebranded as SPUR. In 2009, SPUR built the Urban Center, its headquarters at 654 Mission Street, as a place to gather and debate innovative urban ideas. In the 2010s, SPUR extended its focus to the Bay Area’s three major cities: San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland. In 2021, SPUR launched a Regional Strategy to imagine what the Bay Area could look like in 2070. The SPUR Regional Strategy serves as the organization’s “true north,” guiding all major policy work.

In early 2025, SPUR President and CEO Alicia Jean-Baptiste was tapped by San Francisco Mayor Lurie to serve in a newly created senior policy advisor position. SPUR is now hiring her replacement.

Position

SPUR is seeking a President and Chief Executive Officer to be the innovative and inspirational leader that takes the 100+ year-old organization into its next era. The President and CEO will partner closely with the Board of Directors to define the vision and set strategy for the organization. They will oversee a team of 22 seasoned public policy and nonprofit administrative professionals. There are currently four direct reports to the CEO including the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Policy Officer, the Chief Development Officer, and an Executive Assistant. SPUR is a membership-driven organization and has a unique governance structure, with an Executive Board of 30 members and City Advisory Boards for San Francisco, Oakland and San José.

The CEO will be a leader within the organization and the broader community. They will have an understanding of the problems Bay Area cities face today and a vision for the future in of the region and how city and regional governments can adapt to meet the serious fiscal, economic, and real estate challenges they are facing in this moment, and how to involve the communities in creating a better future. The CEO will bring a focus to SPUR’s core policy platforms of planning, housing, transportation, governance, sustainability, and economic mobility.

Position Description

Strategic Leadership

• Direct the visioning and strategic planning process in collaboration with the Board of Directors, the management team, and the three City Advisory Boards to achieve growth, innovation, long-term sustainability, and community impact. The new CEO will have the opportunity to work with the Boards to launch the 2026–2030 strategic planning process, which will provide options for organizational stability and growth. The CEO will work most closely with, and will report to, the Board of Directors and its Executive Committee.
• Partner with the Board of Directors and the City Boards to drive, create, build support around, publicly articulate and influence SPUR’s vision for the issues facing our cities and the region. This should include:
• Clarifying SPUR’s goals over the next 10 years.
• Focusing on rethinking our downtowns.
• Strengthening SPUR’s long-term regional strategy.
• Identifying the big ideas that will positively transform how people live in cities.
• Deliver “integrated leadership” in which the CEO is outward-facing with potential partners and industry leaders and is also connected internally with the staff and its work. The CEO will be engaged in and will often actively lead public policy initiatives that impact SPUR’s business and constituents.
• Demonstrate alignment with SPUR’s commitment to working toward a prosperous region for all and to fostering an environment of inclusion and belonging in all SPUR programs, activities, and operations.

Management & Operations

• Motivate and inspire SPUR’s high-performing team, providing leadership, training, and mentoring to the staff. Attract, retain, and reward best-in-class talent to continue to strengthen the organization. The CEO sets the cultural environment for SPUR and must create and nurture an environment of trust and belonging.
• Ensure the long-term financial health and sustainability of SPUR. Provide oversight of the financial affairs of SPUR, including the annual operating budgets, annual financial audits, asset management, and overall financial strength.
• Ensure that SPUR’s policy platforms are aligned with available short- and long-term funding sources. Provide direction and execution around innovating new policies, program development, and business-related decisions, including potential joint ventures.
• Operate in an environment of transparency and accountability, both internally and externally, and inspire participation and cooperation.
• Encourage and foster collaboration across functions and policy areas that results in optimal individual and organizational performance. Effectively manage and positively transform operations, technology, and finances.

Fund Development

• Be a passionate and persuasive ambassador for SPUR, inspiring Bay Area philanthropists, business leaders, and institutional funders to invest in the organization’s mission.
• Craft a fundraising strategy to bring in $1.5 million – $2 million (and ideally more) in new, regular, annually reoccurring revenue to SPUR.
• Cultivate new funding sources and lead marketing efforts to attract donors who support both SPUR’s policy activities and bottom line. Facilitate strong connections with existing partners and build relationships within SPUR’s networks.
• Activate the current and future membership base (both individual and business) through explicit impact communications, new avenues of outreach (e.g., social media; exchanges), and “boots on the ground” ways to get involved in the near and long term to help inform and achieve SPUR’s policy goals.
• Partner with the Board of Directors to build a culture of philanthropy with businesses, individuals, and foundations.

External Leadership

• Continue to develop and sustain a substantive and visible presence in San Francisco, Oakland, San José and the Bay Area at large to bring credibility, contacts, and opportunities to SPUR.
• Translate SPUR’s policy positions into concrete impact. Bring nuance in understanding how public policy positions are advanced through engagement with and presentation to a variety of audiences. Engage in both back-room political negotiations and presenting SPUR’s work in testimony, conferences, and more broadly in the public sphere.
• Have the deep knowledge to be a thought leader on solutions to the important problems and opportunities impacting the Bay Area, cities, and downtowns. This person will be a strong spokesperson and convener in the region, and potentially nationally, to help broadly articulate and enhance SPUR’s influence and impact on the urban issues facing our cities.
• Forge strategic pathways for SPUR to continue a strong leadership position as a “think and do” tank.
• Champion a communications strategy that boosts SPUR’s visibility, platforms, policy wins, and impact.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have:

• Experience with progressively increasing levels of responsibility at an organization, company, or department. The ideal candidate will have 10 to 15 years of experience and a background in a core policy area for SPUR (housing, transportation, planning, governance, sustainability, economic mobility).
• A bachelor’s degree is required. A graduate degree in public policy, urban planning, real estate development, business, or a related field is preferred.
• Political savvy, communication skills, and gravitas to continue SPUR’s meaningful influence on the challenges and opportunities facing our cities.
• Demonstrated experience to lead and manage an organization of the size, scale, and complexity of SPUR while driving its evolution into its next era. Experience working closely with a board of directors is preferred. This person will be driven and adept at finding new ways to deepen SPUR’s impact.
• A deep understanding of the local and regional dynamics and economic development practices within San Francisco, Oakland, San José, and the region as a whole, as well as knowledge of the differing needs of residents across the Bay Area.
• Strong operational and resource development skills and extensive experience in creating financial sustainability within a membership organization.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written. Will be willing and eager to take SPUR’s messages to the public.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for SPUR’s urbanist agenda.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills that foster effective working relationships with a diverse group of individuals. Demonstrated community-building skills. Equally comfortable working with elected officials, business leaders, funders, government leaders, board members, staff, residents, and neighbors.
• Ability to bring a business rigor and sense of urgency and willingness to advance new ideas that will “push” the organization forward in expanding and advancing its mission while maintaining a strong financial position.
• Sets a tone for a highly effective organizational culture and operates with high integrity and respect. Commitment to best-in-class approaches to public policy analysis and identification with the outcomes SPUR’s work promotes.
• Enthusiastic and energetic ambassador who inspires internal and external stakeholders. An innovative, adaptable leader who understands the overall context of pressing urban issues and who exudes confidence about SPUR and its role in the Bay Area.
• Solid, strategic thinker who will focus on the big picture, and will also engage with staff on tactical, operational, and technical matters.
• Highly developed listening, written, and oral communication skills with an ability to articulate a clear and compelling vision and make effective presentations on complex topics.
• Deep embrace and support of SPUR’s mission, culture, and core values.

Compensation

The salary range is $300,000 – $325,000 per year. SPUR offers a competitive benefits package that includes health, dental, and vision coverage, generous vacation and sick leave, as well as an independent retirement plan.