City Manager

THE OPPORTUNITY

This is a high-impact opportunity for a City Manager candidate who is motivated by leadership, complexity, and the ability to improve operations and encourage innovation. Lodi is a growing city with strong community pride and a united City Council that is ready for organizational realignment and execution of numerous well-planned initiatives. The Council is looking for a City Manager with steady hands.

The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of clear and confident decision-making, the courage to assess operations honestly, and the desire to strengthen internal systems, and move forward City Council priorities. For a leader who values accountability, collaboration, and visible progress - and who is comfortable navigating change while building trust - this role offers the chance to leave a lasting, positive imprint on a full-service city poised for growth.

ABOUT LODI

Historic, charming, and culturally diverse - Lodi is home to over 67,000 residents. The city is ideally located 34 miles south of Sacramento, two miles north of Stockton, and 90 miles east of San Francisco. The residents of Lodi take immense pride in their community, surrounded by lush parks, wineries, museums, a regional boating and recreational lake, and rich agricultural land.

The City is committed to managed growth balanced with the protection of its historical assets and small-town ambiance. Lodi is home to several large manufacturing and technology, general services, and agriculturally based companies and has an excellent balance of jobs to residential housing ratio. It also has a community hospital, numerous health care facilities, and a growing hospitality industry.

CITY GOVERNMENT

Incorporated in 1906, the City of Lodi is a General Law city with a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council governs the City and is comprised of five members who are elected by district to alternating four-year terms. As a General Law city, the Mayor is selected by the Council annually.

Lodi is a complex, full-service city operation that includes an electric utility;
Hutchins Street Square, a stunning 90,000 square foot performing arts, conference, and community center; and Lodi Lake, a self-contained recreational enterprise including a 58 acre nature area; along with other municipal services including police, fire, public works, and utilities (streets, transportation, water, and wastewater), community development and leisure/social services. The City also maintains its own Public Library. The City of Lodi has a dedicated workforce that is approved for 473 full-time employees with a FY 2025-26 all funds budget of over $291.3 million, which includes a General Fund budget of more than $89.7 million.

THE POSITION

The City Manager is appointed by the City Council and serves as the City's chief executive officer. Reporting directly to the Council, the City Manager provides overall leadership for municipal operations, ensures effective delivery of public services, and translates Council policy direction into results across the organization. Key responsibilities include serving as the primary policy advisor to the City Council and implementing Council goals and directives;

keeping the City Council fully informed on operational performance, financial condition, and emerging issues; planning, organizing, and overseeing the administrative functions of the City government; directing the development, adoption, and administration of the City's budget and financial operations; leading economic development efforts to strengthen the City's fiscal health and long-term vitality; and building strong relationships with residents, businesses, community organizations, and partner agencies

The City Manager is expected to be a seasoned municipal executive with a proven ability to operate effectively in a politically sensitive environment, balance competing priorities, and lead a complex organization through collaboration, sound judgment, and accountability. The City Council seeks a grounded, experienced leader who combines credibility, judgment, and execution. The ideal candidate brings a balanced public-service mindset, practical business acumen, and the personal character to lead with trust and accountability.

QUALIFICATIONS

Any combination equivalent to experience and education that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities would be qualifying. A typical combination is:

Education:

Possession of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, with major course work in Public Administration, Finance or a closely related field. A Master's degree in Public Administration, or a closely related field, is highly desirable.

Experience:

Ten years of progressively responsible management experience in municipal government and/or private sector work with at least four years of experience in a high-level administrative or executive capacity.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The Lodi City Council will negotiate a highly competitive salary and executive…