FUSE Executive Fellow | Modernizing Agencywide Benefit Training Systems

San Francisco is working to ensure equitable, accurate, and timely access to CalFresh and Medi-Cal benefits for residents navigating significant federal and state policy changes. The FUSE Executive Fellow will strengthen and modernize SFHSA’s training systems so staff can implement new regulations with clarity, consistency, and confidence. Ultimately, this work will reduce errors, improve service delivery, and help ensure that the city’s most vulnerable communities continue to receive essential supports when they need them most. This fellowship is part of FUSE’s two-year model, with Year One focused on advancing coordination, strategy, and early implementation, and Year Two focused on building on this progress to deepen impact and support sustained, long-term outcomes. This fellowship is pending legislative approval by the City & County of San Francisco. Fellowship Dates: October 26, 2026 – October 20, 2028 Salary: This project is part of a collaboration between FUSE and Coro California in service to the City and County of San Francisco. The selected candidate will be hired as a FUSE Executive Fellow and will also have the opportunity to enroll in the Coro San Francisco Executive Fellows Experience, which provides additional networking, training, and leadership development designed to strengthen project impact. The fellow will receive FUSE employment benefits and an annual salary of $95,000 from FUSE. Fellows who choose to participate in the Coro experience will receive a separate annual stipend of $70,000 from Coro. Participation in the Coro experience is optional. If participating in the Coro experience, the combined annual compensation would total $165,000 before taxes.

ABOUT THE FUSE EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIP

FUSE is a national nonprofit dedicated to increasing the capacity of local governments to work more effectively for communities. We embed private sector executives in city and county agencies to lead projects that improve public services and accelerate systems change. Since 2012, FUSE has led over 400 projects in 58 governments across 26 states, impacting a total population equivalent to 1 in 10 Americans.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Accurate and timely delivery of public benefits plays a vital role in supporting the well‑being of San Francisco residents, particularly those who rely on CalFresh and Medi‑Cal for food security and healthcare. These programs serve large numbers of low‑income households, older adults, immigrants, and communities of color, many of whom face disproportionate barriers to stability and economic mobility. As major federal and state policy changes reshape eligibility requirements, residents risk losing access to essential services or receiving incorrect determinations, which can trigger financial hardship or gaps in care. In San Francisco, the Human Services Agency (SFHSA) has taken significant steps to strengthen its approach to training the workforce responsible for eligibility determinations. The agency operates a comprehensive six‑month induction program that combines classroom instruction, business process training, and supervised case practice for newly hired eligibility workers. SFHSA also provides ongoing in‑service instruction to help experienced staff stay current with policy shifts and internal process updates. Instructional teams have begun experimenting with shorter training series, unit‑based presentations, and multimodal learning tools to keep pace with rapidly changing regulations. At the same time, the scale and speed of upcoming changes, along with unpredictable implementation timelines, staffing limitations, and a citywide hiring freeze present challenges. SFHSA is actively working to address these challenges through strengthening a consistent, nimble, and sustainable training model capable of supporting both new and veteran staff.

PROJECT APPROACH

Beginning in May 2026, the FUSE Executive Fellow will work with the San Francisco Human Services Agency (SFHSA) to strengthen and modernize the agency’s training systems that support accurate CalFresh and Medi‑Cal eligibility determinations for residents. The fellow will help SFHSA develop content and prototype a more nimble, multimodal, and sustainable learning ecosystem that equips staff to implement complex federal and state regulatory changes, improves accuracy, and supports equitable access to essential benefits. The fellow will begin by conducting a comprehensive listening tour with stakeholders across SFHSA, including San Francisco Benefits Net (SFBN) leadership, instructional teams responsible for classroom, business‑process, and on‑the‑job training, policy and operations staff, frontline supervisors, and technology partners. Through these conversations, the fellow will assess how information currently flows across teams, identify coordination and capacity challenges, and document how the agency delivers training during regulatory shifts. The fellow will also conduct a landscape analysis to evaluate SFHSA’s existing training tools, curriculum structures, learning management capabilities, and operational constraints shaped by the citywide hiring freeze and limited resources. In parallel, the fellow will research best practices from other counties and states managing large‑scale eligibility changes to identify proven approaches for adult learning, multimodal training, and real‑time policy translation. Using the collected insights, the fellow will design and implement strategies to streamline, strengthen, and modernize SFHSA’s SFBN/Economic Support and Self‑Sufficiency induction and in‑service training programs and later expand agencywide. This work will include mapping the full training lifecycle for new and veteran staff; assessing opportunities to improve curriculum sequencing, clarity, and modality; and developing frameworks for delivering concise, accessible, and up‑to‑date guidance on complex H.R. 1 policy changes. The fellow will collaborate with training teams to prototype multimodal learning tools such as micro‑learning modules, step‑by‑step help guides, updated business process materials, and enhanced LMS‑based delivery that support real‑time application on the job. The fellow will also work with SFBN leaders and operations teams to strengthen communication pathways between policy experts and training staff, improve responsiveness to shifting implementation timelines, and reduce instructional burden on teams already managing high caseloads. Throughout this period, the fellow will pilot training innovations with selected cohorts or staff groups, gather feedback, and refine approaches to ensure scalability, feasibility, and alignment with SFHSA’s operational environment. The fellow will produce a comprehensive set of work products that support a more adaptive and sustainable staff training ecosystem, including a review and assessment fit for new technologies that could be deployed to improve training. The fellow will conduct a Request for Information from possible technology vendors, as needed, and also develop an evaluation framework to measure training effectiveness, accuracy improvements, and long‑term staff comprehension. To ensure sustainability, the fellow will outline recommendations for embedding continuous learning practices not just within ESSS but across SFHSA, strengthening trainer capacity, and leveraging existing tools and systems to maintain instructional quality beyond the fellowship. Ultimately, this work will enhance SFHSA’s ability to deliver accurate benefits, reduce error rates, and support more equitable service delivery for all San Francisco residents.

EXPECTED DELIVERABLES

By April 2027, the fellow will have produced the following: Developed a Strategic Training Modernization Plan – Designed a comprehensive strategy for modernizing SFHSA’s Economic Support and Self‑Sufficiency (ESSS) starting with SFBN induction and in‑service training programs, outlining recommended modalities, new technologies and tools, workflows, curriculum structures, and sequencing approaches to support policy changes. Created Updated and Standardized Curriculum Frameworks – Produced revised curriculum frameworks that improve clarity, consistency, and usability across instructional teams. Designed and Piloted Multimodal Learning Tools – Developed and tested adaptable training resources. Established a Training Effectiveness and Evaluation Framework – Built a measurement system for tracking comprehension, accuracy, and timeliness of application of learning, and long‑term skill retention. Developed a Sustainability and Continuous‑Learning Framework – Outlined recommendations for trainer capacity‑building, workflow integration, and long‑term institutionalization.

KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Executive Sponsor – Anna Pineda, Deputy Director, Economic Support and Self‑Sufficiency

QUALIFICATIONS

Synthesizes complex information into clear and concise recommendations and action‑oriented implementation plans. Develops and effectively implements both strategic and operational project management plans. Generates innovative, data‑driven, and result‑oriented solutions to complex challenges. Respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies, and other processes. Communicates effectively verbally and in writing and excels in active listening and conversing. Fosters collaboration across multiple constituencies to support more effective decision‑making. Establishes and maintains strong relationships with diverse stakeholders, both inside and outside of government, particularly community‑based relationships. Embraces differing viewpoints and implements strategies to find common ground. Demonstrates confidence and professional diplomacy while effectively interacting with individuals at all levels of various organizations. #J-18808-Ljbffr FUSE