Assistant City Manager

City of Tigard

Portland (OR)

On-site

USD 120,000 - 180,000

Full time

47 hours ago

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Benefits offered by this job

Health plans (medical & dental)

Generous retirement plan

City-paid HRA-VEBA

PTO & sick leave

11 paid holidays

Life and disability insurance

Universal transit pass

Not represented by a union

Job summary

City of Tigard is seeking an experienced Assistant City Manager to lead a team of department directors and advance the city’s strategic goals. The role emphasizes strategic planning, interdepartmental collaboration, and accountable oversight of daily operations.

The successful candidate will balance visionary leadership with practical execution, work with regional partners, and provide trusted guidance to the City Manager and executive team.

Qualifications

Five (5) years of management or administrative experience in administration and City government.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for multiple departments and implement the city’s strategic plan.
Guide and support department directors, ensuring accountability and alignment with city goals.
Balance long‑term vision with day‑to‑day service delivery and build collaboration across departments.

Education

Bachelor’s degree or higher in business/public administration/public policy/finance or related field

Job description

Overview

The City of Tigard, Oregon is in Washington County within the Portland metropolitan region, approximately 10 miles southwest of Portland. The city is home to more than 56,000 residents, and functions as both a residential community and an employment center, supported by its proximity to Interstate 5, Highway 217, and Highway 99W. As a part of the Tualatin Valley, Tigard features gently rolling terrain, elevations generally ranging from 150 to 300 feet, and a landscape defined by established neighborhoods, tree canopy, and access to waterways such as the Tualatin River. The region experiences a temperate marine climate, with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Tigard maintains an extensive system of parks, trails, and open space, totaling more than 600 acres and over 16 miles of paved pathways. Facilities such as Cook Family Park and the Fanno Creek Trail support year-round recreation, including walking, cycling, and water access. Community events held throughout the year, including the Festival of Balloons, Farmers Market, and seasonal celebrations, contribute to local engagement and civic life. The City’s location also allows convenient access to regional destinations such as the Oregon Coast and the Columbia River Gorge.

The City employs approximately 375 staff who deliver a full range of municipal services across ten departments. These include City Management, Community Development, Finance and Municipal Court, Human Resources, Information Technology, Library, Police, and Public Works, among others. Departments are organized in a typical municipal structure, each led by a director that currently reports to the City Manager. City operations and service delivery are guided by an adopted strategic vision: Tigard as an equitable, walkable, healthy, and accessible community. This vision is implemented through established Council goals and organizational priorities focused on service excellence, transportation connectivity, and managed growth and development. The City’s work is further framed by its Community Promise, referred to as the “Five E’s”: Equity, Environment, Economy, Engagement, and Excellence. These principles guide decision-making, resource allocation, and community engagement across all departments.

Position Profile and Desired Attributes

We are looking for an experienced leader of directors and professional staff in a public-sector organization. We are also looking for someone who will inspire leaders, balance competing priorities, build collaboration across departments, and turn vision into measurable results.

The new Assistant City Manager is a strategic and forward thinker who will quickly understand the values of Tigard and easily sees the big picture and long-term vision for the city. The Assistant City Manager brings a fresh yet experienced voice and perspective with a strong ability to see the interdependencies between all departments as an experienced organizational leader. As a creative problem solver, the successful candidate has a strong background in strategic planning and understands the importance of advancing new initiatives while supporting current programs, services, and daily operations. This candidate will also be a trusted leader, relationship builder and collaborator who recognizes that Tigard’s success is connected to its neighboring communities and regional partners.

In addition to direct responsibility for a set of departments, this position will lead the City’s functional efforts to establish and implement a strategic plan. It will have high internal and external visibility, and require advanced interpersonal, leadership, and verbal and written communication skills.

More specifically, the Assistant City Manager will be the following:

Strategic without losing sight of day-to-day service.
A visionary while remaining practical.
Confident without being hierarchical.
Decisive while genuinely collaborative.
A trusted advisor and thought partner to the City Manager.
Approachable and authentic while maintaining executive presence and accountability.
Provide strategic support, guidance, and accountability to department leaders while empowering them to manage their areas with appropriate autonomy.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

Equivalent to graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in business or public administration, public policy, finance, or a related field AND
Five (5) years of management or administrative experience in administration and City government.

ATTENTION VETERANS:

To receive veteran's preference, please upload your DD214/Separation documentation.

IMPORTANT (Please Read):

What is your specific leadership and communication strategy for building long-term institutional trust, driving workplace morale within a high-visibility public sector leadership team?
Tell us about your experience managing multiple, diverse municipal departments such as Community Development, Public Works, IT, etc. How do you ensure accountability and alignment with overall city goals?
Describe your role in developing and managing a multi-million-dollar municipal budget.

Benefits

In addition to being a great place to work, the City of Tigard offers competitive employee benefits for full-time and part-time employees working 20 or more hours per week: