CITY ADMINISTRATOR

CITY OF BISHOP
ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT
City Administrator

The City of Bishop is accepting applications for the position of City Administrator.

Application Deadline: 

WEDNESDAY, June 16th, 2025, 4:00 p.m.

The Role

The City Administrator serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the City, responsible for:

• Planning, organizing, and overseeing all administrative operations


• Providing policy guidance to the City Council


• Managing the City’s budget and personnel systems


• Overseeing key departments: Police, Fire, Public Works, Community Services, and Administration


• Leading economic development, land use planning, and downtown revitalization efforts
  

Ideal Candidate

In addition to being ethical, well qualified, and experienced, the next City Administrator should possess certain traits that will be essential for success, such as:

• Collaborative and respectful leader


• Strong communicator and consensus builder


• Generalist mindset with municipal experience across departments


• Committed to community engagement and technological innovation

Experience:  At least 8 years in municipal leadership, preferably including City Manager or Assistant City Manager roles

Education: Bachelor’s degree required; master’s in public or business administration highly desirable

Salary & Benefits 

• Annual Salary: up to $188,941, DOE


• Retirement:
  
  
  
  • CalPERS 2% at 60 (Classic), City pays employer & employees contribution or;
  
  
  • CalPERS 2% at 62 (PEPRA), City pays employer contribution only.
  
  
  
  


• Insurance:
  
  
  
  • 90% paid health insurance (employee + family)
  
  
  • 100% paid Dental & Vision
  
  
  • Life, AD&D, Short- and Long-Term Disability
  
  
  
  


• Leave Benefits:
  
  
  
  • 12 paid holidays + floating holiday 
  
  
  • Vacation, sick leave, and 136 admin hours per year
  
  
  
  


• Fitness incentives


• Deferred compensation match up to 2%


• Potential City recreation programs at no cost for employee and dependents


• Potential relocation assistance

Job Description:

DEFINITION

To plan, direct and coordinate the overall administrative activities and operations of the City; to provide advice, assistance and staff support to the City Council, exercising independent judgment and initiative; to provide administrative direction to City department heads and staff; and to serve as Director of Personnel, Director of Planning, and Director of Community Services.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

• Receives policy direction from the City Council.

• Exercises direct supervision over professional, technical and clerical staff.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties may include, but are not limited to:

• Direct and participate in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, policies and procedures.


• Confer with department heads concerning administrative and operational problems; take appropriate action to solve problems.


• Oversee the enforcement of all City ordinances.


• Direct the preparation of plans and specifications for activities approved by the City Council.


• Interpret, analyze and explain policies, procedures and programs; respond to the most difficult complaints and requests for information.


• Confer with residents, taxpayers, businesses and other individuals, groups and outside agencies having an interest or potential interest in affairs of City concern.


• Direct responsibility for monitoring state, federal, and other grant availability and the grant application process.


• Respond to emergency call outs as needed.


• Direct Emergency Services Operations when appropriate.


• Direct and participate, with department head cooperation, in the preparation and administration of the City budget.


• Direct the development and administration of the Administration/Finance, Planning, and Community Services Departments budgets; direct the forecasting of additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; monitor and approve expenditures; make corrections as required.


• Prepare and submit to the City Council reports of finances and administrative activities, keep City Council advised of financial conditions, program progress and current and future needs of the City.


• Serve as Personnel Director; plan, direct and supervise in the development, implementation and administration of the City’s personnel management system; responsible for a variety of personnel decisions, including selection, training, promotions, performance evaluations, disciplinary measures and dismissals.


• Serve as Planning Director; direct and participate in the City planning activities; represent the City in development and land use matters; research complex planning problems and prepare a variety of comprehensive reports.


• Responsible for leading economic development activities in the City.


• Serve as Community Services Director; plan, organize, manage, and review the activities and operations of the Community Services Department including the areas of parks, recreation, Sunrise Mobile Home Park, civic facilities (other than Public Works), provide highly responsible professional and technical staff assistance, and address various assignments related to planning, insurance administration, and risk management.


• Coordinate, plan, and direct the activities for a variety of department-related programs including, but not limited to, city insurance, worker safety, and risk management.


• Assign department-related work activities, projects, and programs; monitor workflow; review and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures.


• Develop, review, and approve all department-related contracts, specifications, and procedures.


• Prepare special reports and agenda items for City Council issues, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, and other related committees, commissions, and boards; provide technical staff support in a variety of areas.


• Perform related duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Modern municipal administrative methods and procedures, organizations and functions.


• Principles of public and business administration including public finance and personnel administration


• Current social, political and economic trends and operating problems of municipal government.


• Applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations regarding local government operations.


• Research methods and sources of information related to public facilities, parks, recreation, report writing, and  presentation techniques.


• Recreation programs and activity planning and operations.


• Principles of effective public relations and inter-relationships with community groups and agencies, private businesses and firms, and other levels of government.

Ability to:

• Provide effective leadership and coordinate the various activities of a municipal organization.


• Analyze, interpret, summarize and present administrative and technical information and data in an effective manner.


• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.


• Appraise situations and people accurately and quickly and adopt an effective course of action.


• Serve effectively as the administrative agent of the City Council.


• Select, supervise, train and evaluate staff.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING GUIDELINES

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

Experience:

• Eight years of progressively responsible experience in an administrative, managerial, or staff capacity in a municipal organization involving the responsibility of the planning, organization, implementation and supervision of varied work programs specific to the departments of Administration, Finance, Personnel, Planning, and Community Services (facilities, parks, and recreation) is highly desirable.

Training:

• Equivalent to a Bachelor’s Degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public administration, business administration or a closely related field. A Master’s Degree or other graduate level degree is highly desirable.

License or Certificate: 

• Must possess a valid California driver’s license or have the ability to obtain one within 30 days of employment.

TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT USED 

• Personal computer, including word processing and spreadsheet software and other specialized software, central financial computer system, telephone, 10-key calculator, phone, copy machine, fax machine, and motor vehicle.

PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The employee must be physically able to sit for long periods of time at a desk writing, talking on the phone, checking emails or inputting data on a computer in a climate-controlled office under artificial lighting, and attending both on and off-site meetings. Some outdoor work is required including but not limited to the inspection of various land use developments, construction sites, or department facilities. Moderate travel within the local area is required and occasional trips within the state may be required.


• The employee must have the ability to develop and maintain cooperative working relationships; remain composed and respond appropriately to difficult situations; recognize emotionally charged issues or problems, cope effectively with various responses and apply sound judgment in problem solving.


• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, feel or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; push and pull; talk or hear; and smell.


• The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.


• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in a typical office setting with fairly constant temperatures. The employee occasionally works in outside weather conditions. The employee occasionally works on or near moving mechanical parts and in high and/or precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.

A moderate amount of travel within the local area is required. There is occasional travel to other areas inside the State to attend various conferences or training.

SELECTION GUIDELINES

Formal application, rating of education and experience; oral interview and reference checks; job related tests as well as a polygraph examination may be required.

The duties listed above are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

The job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.

Approved by Council: January 8, 2024