Position Details
A Transformational Leadership Opportunity
The City of Auburn is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to serve as its first-ever
Chief Administrative Officer. This newly created position will play a key role in defining and shaping Auburn's administrative operations within its
strong mayor form of government.
This position is open until filled with a first review of applications on Monday, April 7th, and as they are received thereafter.
Under the direction of Mayor Nancy Backus, Auburn's long-serving and committed mayor, the Chief Administrative Officer will be responsible for leading City operations, ensuring the effective implementation of policies, and fostering collaboration across departments. This position presents an exciting opportunity to drive strategic initiatives, enhance municipal services, and support Auburn's continued growth and success.
About Auburn
Located in the
Puget Sound region, Auburn is a dynamic and growing community of almost 90,000 residents. With a strong local economy, diverse neighborhoods, and a commitment to innovation, Auburn is well-positioned for continued development. The City is home to a highly skilled leadership team dedicated to providing exceptional public service and advancing Auburn's strategic priorities.
Primary Duties
Key Responsibilities:
- Operational Leadership: Oversee the daily operations of city government, ensuring efficiency, accountability, and alignment with Mayor's vision.
- Strategic Advising: Serve as a trusted partner to Mayor Backus, providing guidance on policy implementation, budgeting, and intergovernmental relations.
- Department Oversight: Lead and coordinate the executive leadership team, fostering collaboration and interdepartmental synergy.
- Budget and Policy Management: Assist in developing and monitoring the City's budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility and alignment with strategic goals.
- Community and Stakeholder Engagement: Represent the City in discussions with community leaders, regional organizations, and state and federal agencies.
- Public Service Excellence: Promote a culture of accountability, inclusion, and transparency across City operations.
For a comprehensive job description, click here .
Minimum Qualifications
We are looking for leaders who have:
- A Bachelor's degree in Public Administration or related field,
- At least 10 years of administrative and supervisory experience in municipal or public sector management roles,
- A valid Washington State driver's license without impending loss at the time of appointment (or ability to obtain a WA State license within 30 days),
- A strong knowledge of government operations, policy development, and budget administration,
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills, AND
- The ability to build relationships with elected officials, city staff, and community stakeholders.
This position will be required to be fingerprinted and complete the CJIS (Criminal Justice Information Services) Security Certification Test to be allowed to have unescorted access while at the Police Department (per Washington State Patrol ACCESS unit).
Additional Information
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
The salary for the Chief Administrative Officer is $258,444/year. This position is unaffiliated and exempt. The City of Auburn offers a generous benefits package, including full family medical benefits, a VEBA tax-free health savings account, contributions to the WA State PERS pension program, and 80 hours of management leave annually, in addition to generous vacation accruals. The total non-cash compensation package is estimated to be valued at over $85,000. The Chief Administrative Officer will be assigned a City vehicle or receive a monthly vehicle stipend. If significant relocation is required for the role, assistance with a portion of the expenses may be available.
For more details on all the benefits the City offers, please visit www.auburnwa.gov/benefits .
COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
Team Auburn values diverse perspectives and life experiences and is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals feel welcomed, respected, and valued. We actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds, including Black, Indigenous, and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ individuals, people with disabilities, and veterans, to apply. Our department is dedicated to advancing racial, social, and economic equity for all people in our community.
As part of this commitment, the City of Auburn has implemented initiatives that promote inclusivity, from our recruitment processes to training programs, ensuring all employees have opportunities to thrive. We seek individuals who share our values and are committed to making a positive impact in a diverse community.
The City of Auburn is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer. No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay, or other forms of compensation.
To learn more about the
Inclusive Auburn initiative, please visit
:
https://www.auburnwa.gov/InclusiveAuburn
READY TO APPLY?
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.
RECRUITMENT PROCESS
The City of Auburn is dedicated to building an inclusive, informed city, with opportunities for all. In alignment with that goal, the City has adopted an anonymous application process that prevents hiring managers from seeing personal identifiers, including names, addresses, and other similar information. This eliminates the possibility of unintentional or implicit bias during the initial screening of applications. For that reason, hiring managers will not be viewing any attachments to your application, including a cover letter or resume, during the initial screening.
Please make sure to submit a complete, detailed, and updated job application, and thoroughly answer the supplemental questions. You must meet the minimum qualifications to move forward in the screening process.
Please note that if you are selected to move forward after an interview, a background check, driving abstract review, reference check, and fingerprinting will be completed before a formal job appointment will be made.
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CITY OF AUBURN
We primarily communicate via e-mail during the recruitment process. E-mails from auburnwa.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk e-mail folders.
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions, please contact Human Resources Manager, Melissa Medisch , or Human Resources Director, Candis Martinson .
