City Manager

THE POSITION

See the full recruitment brochure here:

City of Sacramento - City Manager | CPS HR Consulting

The City Manager of Sacramento serves as the chief executive officer of the municipal government, appointed by the City Council. This charter officer role encompasses comprehensive oversight of city operations, policy implementation, and strategic leadership across all departments.

Key Responsibilities

» Executive Leadership: Oversee the administration of all city departments and functions, ensuring efficient and effective service delivery.

» Policy Implementation: Execute policies and directives established by the City Council, translating legislative decisions into actionable programs.

» Strategic Planning: Develop and guide long-term strategic plans to address the city’s needs and priorities.

» Budget Management: Prepare and administer the city’s annual budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with policy goals.

» Intergovernmental Relations: Represent the city in interactions with other governmental agencies, community organizations, and stakeholders.

» Public Engagement: Foster transparent communication with residents, addressing community concerns and promoting civic involvement.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The next City Manager of Sacramento will be a visionary, principled, and resilient executive who brings both a fresh perspective and the proven capability to lead a large, complex, and politically nuanced organization. This individual must be a true leader —not just a skilled administrator, but a force for cultural renewal, institutional trust-building, and strategic economic and community advancement.

A Bold, Unifying Leader

Sacramento seeks a City Manager who can shape and sustain a strong, positive organizational culture grounded in integrity, transparency, and excellence. The ideal candidate will be an inclusive leader who motivates teams, breaks down silos, and rebuilds morale by treating staff with respect and setting a high standard of professionalism across the organization. They will possess the ability to unify the Mayor, City Council, City departments, and community stakeholders around a common purpose—restoring trust, delivering results, and addressing structural inequities. This is a role for someone who understands the weight of public leadership and leads with both confidence and humility.

Strategic Thinker and Operational Expert

This leader will bring a clear, measurable strategic vision that addresses Sacramento’s most urgent challenges— particularly the structural budget deficit, fractured public trust, and inconsistent service delivery. They must be a strong fiscal steward, capable of confronting outdated systems, modernizing infrastructure, and identifying alternative revenue streams to ensure long-term sustainability. The ideal candidate will be outcome-driven and skilled in results-based budgeting, performance measurement, and transparent communication of public finances. Their decisions will reflect a sharp understanding of the city’s priorities and constraints, balancing short-term needs with long-term goals.

Authentic, Accessible, and Community-Centered

Sacramento’s next City Manager must embody servant leadership—being present in neighborhoods, listening to residents, and building genuine relationships with historically marginalized communities. They will be expected to attend town halls, walk city streets, and engage face-to-face—not just with elected officials or department heads, but with residents, small business owners, and youth. The successful candidate will communicate clearly and consistently, use digital platforms and newsletters to keep the public informed, and ensure the City is known not for bureaucracy, but for responsiveness and service.

Politically Astute, Not Political

The ideal City Manager will possess a high level of political acumen—capable of navigating complex governmental environments, understanding the nuances of policy-making, and building effective, collaborative relationships with elected officials, community leaders, and regional partners. They are skilled at reading the room, anticipating challenges, and communicating in ways that foster alignment and progress. While politically savvy, this leader maintains objectivity and professionalism, steering clear of partisanship or personal agendas. Their focus is on good governance, ethical decision-making, and implementing the policy direction of the City Council with integrity and transparency. Respected for their ability to listen, build consensus, and stay above the fray, they bring a steady, unifying presence to City Hall— ensuring the organization remains mission-focused, community-centered, and committed to long-term success.

Equity-Focused and Culturally Competent

Sacramento’s diversity is one of its greatest strengths, but past practices have eroded trust in how equity initiatives and public funds are administered. The next City Manager must restore confidence by ensuring transparency in the allocation of funds, including Measure U and Measure L revenues, and by committing to racial justice and inclusive economic development. The ideal candidate will actively engage with diverse nonprofits, immigrant communities, and underrepresented neighborhoods; build equitable systems that support community-centered investment and service delivery; and, demand accountability from developers and contractors, ensuring labor and public benefit standards are upheld.

Desired Qualifications and Attributes

» Prior experience as a City Manager, Assistant/Deputy City Manager, or senior leader of a complex public agency or regulated entity.

» Proven success managing large budgets, diverse teams, and multifaceted initiatives in politically dynamic environments.

» Strong communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills—able to navigate competing interests and build alignment.

» A results-oriented, non-defensive leadership style—willing to listen, adapt, and innovate.

» Track record of hiring and retaining high-performing, mission-driven professionals.

» Ideally has California experience or with demonstrated capacity to quickly understand the state’s unique public sector landscape.

DEFINITION
Under broad policy direction from the Mayor and City Council, the City Manager serves as chief administrative officer for a full-service urban municipality; provides highly responsible and complex policy support to an elected Mayor and Council; coordinates regional issues and activities with other governmental agencies and private sector organizations; directs the work of executive managers and reviews overall operational performance; and exercises budgetary and contractual control over revenue and expense for the City.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
This is a single position classification in which the incumbent leads the City's management team. It is one of four Charter designated positions appointed by an elected Mayor and Council. The incumbent, in addition to the City Attorney, City Clerk and City Treasurer, reports directly to the Mayor and Council and serves at the pleasure of the collective body.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED The City Manager receives policy direction from the Mayor and City Council and exercises direct supervision over executive management staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

- Ensures enforcement of state laws, the charter and local ordinances and other regulations pertaining to municipal government operations.
- Advises the Mayor and City Council on major policy issues, reports on financial status and general operating conditions, and recommends legislation and policies required in the public interest.
- Appoints all management personnel, except where otherwise provided by Charter, and may remove any exempt management employee appointed to a position; directs the executive management team and aligns program and practices with the strategic plan, mission, vision, and goals.
- Establishes general direction and primary goals for operating departments and causes the development of related work plans, operating budgets and capital improvement plans; proposes the annual budget and promotes a sustainable budget approach in recommending expenditures and projecting revenue.
- Responds to City Council inquiries regarding matters related to the City and ensures that Council directives are carried out.
- Coordinates the general activities with other governmental and private agencies and represents the City in a variety of meetings and public functions.
- Reviews customer complaints regarding service delivery issues; causes investigation of complaints, problems, and service levels and decides resolutions.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:
- Principles used in managing organizations and people;
- Practices related to operating and financing municipal government;
- Methods involved in building a positive employee relations program;
- Methods and techniques for promoting economic development;
- Methods and techniques for maintaining effective relations among elected officials, the public and staff.

Ability to:
- Plan, direct, and coordinate City-wide programs;
- Exercise sound judgment in a politically sensitive environment;
- Establish and maintain effective relationships with the community at large, the City Council, and other public officials;
- Analyze unusual situations and resolve them through application of management principles and practices;
- Develop comprehensive plans to meet future City needs/services;
- Deal constructively with conflict and develop effective resolutions;
- Plan and, direct a balanced budget program;
- Develop new policies impacting operations or procedures;
- Supervise the work of subordinate managers engaged in a variety of services and occupational fields.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education:
Equivalent to a Masters degree in Public or Business Administration or a related field. Additional top executive administrative experience in government or business beyond the minimum required experience might be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Experience:
Ten years of progressively responsible management experience in the planning, organizing, coordinating, and administering a variety of municipal activities, including a minimum of four years at the executive level, preferably as the City Manager or County Administrative Officer of a full service urban city or county with a population in excess of 200,000.

SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS

Driver's License - Possession of valid California Class C Driver's License at the time of appointment and a satisfactory driving record.

THE SELECTION PROCEDURE

HOW TO APPLY:
For consideration, apply by Monday, June 30, 2025 at: https://www.cpshr.us/recruitment/2491

QUESTIONS?
For further information contact:

Pam Derby

(916) 263-1401

E-mail: pderby@cpshr.us

Teddi Anderson

(916) 471-3439

E-mail: tanderson@cpshr.us

Website: www.cpshr.us

Bilingual Pay
Did you know that the City offers bilingual pay? That's right, most labor agreements offer the option of providing employees with bilingual pay if the department deems it to be operationally necessary.

Pension Reform Act
The City of Sacramento is covered by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, and as such, must adhere to the California Public Employee's Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) of 2013. Please note that the provisions within this act may affect or impact an applicant's eligibility and/or selection for open vacancies at the City of Sacramento.

Equal Opportunity Employer
The City of Sacramento is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Additional Information

Civil Service Rules: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/CivilServiceBoardRules62012.pdf

Union Contracts: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/HR/labor-agreements.html

Salary Schedule: https://www.cityofsacramento.gov/content/dam/portal/hr/documentlibrary/SalarySchedule.pdf

Closing Date/Time: 6/30/2025 11:59 PM Pacific

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• City of Sacramento

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