Summer 2024 Fellow: Peter Childs
Office Description
San José is the tenth largest city in the United States and the third largest in California. The City of San José provides a broad range of services to a diverse population. The mission of the Office of the City Auditor is to independently assess and report on San José’s city government operations and services. To fulfill this mission, we conduct performance audits that identify ways to ways to strengthen public accountability; improve the efficiency and effectiveness of City government; and provide independent, reliable, accurate, and timely information to the City Council, the general public, and other stakeholders.
Audits cover the full spectrum of City activities, including but not limited to police and fire operations, libraries, parks, housing and urban development, retirement administration, performance management, financial management, and utility services. Performance audits vary in both size and scope and may include: determining whether a City department or program is operating in the most economical and efficient manner possible; assessing whether the program is meeting its stated goals and objectives; and testing for compliance with laws and regulations.
Description of the Work
Fellows will be assigned to work with one or more audit teams. We expect to provide training opportunities relating to interviewing skills, documentation of research and record-keeping, and Microsoft Office products (including Excel) in our professional office setting. During our audits, we generally:
- Collect and analyze program data. Depending on the audit project, we generally provide opportunities for fellows to learn Excel data analysis skills, which are useful for many types of analytical jobs.
- Assess program operations. Fellows will attend interviews with key City staff and understand how to document conversations to support audit research.
- We will provide training on how to assess risk and evaluate systems in place designed to mitigate those risks.
- Research, understand, interpret, and apply federal, state, and local laws, procedures used in other jurisdictions, and best practices. Audit projects vary in topic and type of work.
For example, previous SIG fellows reviewed the City’s language accessibility to residents, assessed how trees are removed and replaced, and analyzed data to help determine budget savings relating to contract spending. The City Auditor’s Office has a hybrid in-person/remote work environment with a minimum of 2-3 days in the office per week.
Desired Skills
We are looking for fellows who have an interest in learning about how City government programs function and how research, data analysis, and critical thinking can identify innovative solutions to problems. This includes:
-
- Comfort working in a variety of settings and interest in working with new and often complex government operations.
- Demonstrated ability to work well in a team environment; professionalism and maturity for formal and informal situations.
- Ability to interview City staff to gather information and document results.
- Clear, concise, and convincing writing; ability to summarize ideas and data, including ideas on how to display information graphically.
- Experience with or openness to learning new skills within the suite of Microsoft Office products.