City Administrator

Akml; United States; On-site; USD 78,000 - 102,000; Part time

Job summary

The City of Gustavus in Alaska seeks a part-time City Administrator to lead city operations under the Mayor and City Council. The role oversees departments, contracts, and key city functions, coordinating special projects and policy implementation.

The Administrator will prioritize tasks to meet objectives within a 30-hour work week, attending council and community meetings as needed. Requirements include a public administration degree or equivalent experience, plus HR and grant-writing

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in public administration or related field with at least 5 years of management and HR experience.
• Alternative: equivalent combination of experience and education demonstrating leadership and management abilities.
• Minimum of two years’ training and experience in human resources and personnel management.
• Familiarity with grant writing, contract administration, project management and financial analysis is a plus.
• Preferred experience working in rural Alaska.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to lead a diverse team.

Responsibilities

• Serve as administrative officer, supervise five department heads and city contracts.
• Oversee city operations, procurement, and road maintenance functions.
• Hire, train, evaluate, and manage city staff with Council approval.
• Assist strategic planning, monitor legislation, and represent the city at meetings.
• Coordinate communications between staff, Mayor, Council, and consultants.
• Prepare monthly council agendas and brief Council on issues.
• Conduct financial analyses, prepare reports and present to Council.
• Develop annual Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Plan updates.
• Advise on funding opportunities and coordinate grant writing activities.
• Oversee risk management and custody of city-owned property.
• Support City Hall administrative functions and ensure adequate staffing.

Skills

Leadership

HR management

Grant writing

Communication

Education

Public Admin degree

Job description

City Administrator

Regular Part-Time Position: The City Administrator position is a regular part-time exempt salaried position. The City Administrator is expected to work the equivalent of 30 hours per week and is expected to attend City Council work sessions, general meetings, and special meetings, when requested by the Mayor or the City Council.

Supervisor: Mayor

Work location: Gustavus City Hall, and at city facilities and work sites

Summary: The City Administrator manages the operations of the city under general direction from the Mayor and the City Council, to include management, and oversight of City departments and functions as delegated by the Mayor/Council, and coordination of special projects. The City Administrator advises the City Council in developing policies through ordinances, resolutions, and directives, and is responsible for policy implementation. This part‑time exempt position emphasizes results and impact over a specific number of days or hours worked. The City Administrator will need to prioritize critical tasks based on their contribution to key business objectives. They will proactively communicate workload challenges or potential capacity constraints to their supervisor. This may involve adjusting project scope, deadlines, or resource allocation as needed to achieve desired outcomes within the allocated part‑time work schedule.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the administrative officer of the city and manages administrative functions (including human resource functions). Supervises five department heads plus the City Clerk. Manages and oversees city‑contracted functions, including road maintenance & construction.
• Appoints and removes city personnel with Council approval, where appropriate. Under general supervision of the Mayor/Council supervises, carries out hiring processes, trains, evaluates performance, suspends city personnel, and oversees these processes for all City employees through subordinate managers; recommends and implements policies and procedures for City functions; resolves inquiries and complaints from the public and other organizations; and establishes, monitors, and evaluates progress towards goals and objectives of the administration.
• Assists with strategic planning functions of the City; participates in planning efforts at the local and regional level; keeps City Council apprised of developments at the state and federal level that impact the City; monitors pending legislation for impact on the City; oversees compliance with new legislation; may represent Gustavus at regional conferences, task force groups, and meetings.
• Serves as a liaison between City staff, the mayor, and the City Council; works closely with the contracted City Attorney, auditors, and other consultants and contractors employed by the city. Manages leases: bulk fuel, generator building, telephone utilities, and gravel pit mining.
• Attends all meetings of the City Council and assists with the preparation of monthly City Council agendas. Briefs Council Members on pending agenda items and other City issues; responds to inquiries and provides Council Members with information on the status of the City operations and projects; may provide analysis to assist the Council to make informed policy decisions. In addition to council meetings, the Administrator will participate in community meetings, representing the City, when invited or appropriate.
• In conjunction with the City Treasurer, may perform financial and managerial analyses for the Mayor and City Council pertaining to City operations and programs under consideration; gathers relevant information, evaluates data, and makes recommendations based on findings; prepares reports; and makes presentations to the City Council and other interested parties.
• Assists with the development of annual Operating Budget in conjunction with the Mayor and City Treasurer;
• Assists with the implementation of, and updates to, the Capital Improvement Plan in conjunction with the mayor and department heads; guides capital project administration, procurement, and construction and contract administration with the City Treasurer;
• Advises the Council on funding opportunities; facilitates and coordinates grant writing; writes small grant applications and may coordinate with grant writers contracted to write larger grant applications.
• Oversees Risk Management – working with the city attorney.
• Property Management – In conjunction with the City Treasurer, exercises custody of all City‑owned property.
• Assists with administrative functions at City Hall. Works with City Clerk and City Treasurer to ensure public services are staffed appropriately.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, engineering, or related field, plus a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience in management and human resources.
• Alternatively, may have a satisfactory equivalent combination of experience, education and training which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the job duties.
• A minimum of two years’ training and experience with human resources and personnel management will be required.
• Familiarity and experience with grant writing, contract administration, project management, and financial analysis is a plus.
• Preferred experience working in rural Alaska.
• The successful applicant will be approachable and possess the ability to establish and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships with community members, City officials, employees, businesses, and other government agencies. Must have demonstrated ability to provide effective leadership to build and maintain a positive team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills are a must.

Notice. Employee shall conduct city work within the City of Gustavus unless an employee is on an authorized business trip or remote work arrangements have been coordinated with the supervisor.

The examples of duties and responsibilities included in this position description are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work typically performed. The omission of specific statements of duties and responsibilities does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

This position description does not constitute an employment agreement between the City of Gustavus and an applicant for the position or an employee holding the position. The position description is subject to change by the City of Gustavus, in its sole discretion, as the needs of the city and requirements of the position change.