City Manager

The City of Sonoma, California, is seeking a City Manager. The City of Sonoma is a small city and a world-renowned destination. The City Manager must be comfortable with small-town historic character and the sophistication of a top Bay Area city. The City Manager will be an experienced executive leader who understands and values the needs of the organization as well as the residents, (including those living in the unincorporated adjacent Sonoma Valley) and is willing to make a long-term commitment to Sonoma.

The incoming City Manager will be expected to take an active interest in the community and the Valley and maintain effective working relationships with all elected and appointed officials, City staff, regional partners, outside organizations, and the public. The successful candidate will understand the importance of advocating for a work environment that is customer-service-focused, positive, friendly, and encourages effective and efficient work practices. The new City Manager will have a strong knowledge of a range of housing strategies, including affordable options. The new City Manager shall possess knowledge of revenue generation and policies which encourage livability for residents. If you want to make a difference in the community you serve, develop open communication across the organization, and foster an environment of collaboration and teamwork while working in a setting rich in culture, diversity, and natural beauty, apply now!

See the full recruitment brochure: https://indd.adobe.com/view/f40b7629-d51c-4f5b-ab80-179292a7bcc6

THE JOB
The City Manager is appointed by and reports to the five-member City Council and oversees all general administration. The City has a fiscal year 2022/23 operating and capital improvement projects budget of approximately $38.7 million with a staff of 42 full time equivalent positions. The City Manager’s Office currently provides direct oversight for Administration, Human Resources, Economic Development, Finance and Budget, and the Successor Agency. The City Manager also works effectively with contracted services, businesses, the Sonoma Chamber of Commerce, nonprofits, school districts, the County, and other jurisdictions. Ensuring cross-departmental collaboration and organizational efficiency is critical for the City Manager, as these functions play a key role in community and economic development. The City Manager will be key in accomplishing the Council’s goals and objectives, including matters concerning homelessness, affordable housing, community, and local business engagement. With a new majority City Council, the City Manager will lead vision and goal setting with the City Council to ensure measurable progress is made on key priorities and will be highly invested in the Sonoma community while exhibiting leadership that encourages high performance and efficiency among staff.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate will have experience as an executive/department head from a municipal or private organization and understand how to be an executive leader to an organization that touches all facets of the community. The successful candidate will understand the importance of advocating for a work environment that is customer-service-focused, positive, friendly, and encourages more effective and efficient work practices. The ideal candidate will be a great listener, able to prioritize tasks, appropriately delegate, and provide support to staff while holding them accountable. This candidate has budget, grant, and finance experience, demonstrated experience with community engagement and human resources practices, and a proven track record of championing diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts for a large organization. The ideal candidate will provide effective fiscal oversight and accountability of City funds, oversee budget development, and be creative and forward thinking regarding shared partnerships that support City projects and initiatives. The next City Manager will have a high emotional intelligence and go beyond being a supportive leader by providing mentorship and development opportunities for staff.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

• Eight (8) years of increasingly responsible experience in executive leadership in an administrative and managerial capacity involving the development and administration of organization-wide policies and procedures and the supervision of management-level employees
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, public administration, or a related field

Desired:

• Master’s degree

Salary and Benefits:  Annual Salary $215,900 (DOQ/DOE) and an attractive benefits package

HOW TO APPLY: For first consideration, apply by submitting your resume and cover letter by February 2, 2023, at https://wbcpinc.com/job-board

SECURE THE DATES:

Round one interviews will be taking place virtually via Zoom on March 3^rd. Round two interviews will be conducted in-person on March 16^th. (Candidates invited to interview will need to be available for both days.)

Please contact your recruiter, Sam Sackman, with any questions:

• sam@wbcpinc.com
• 541-630-0657