THE OPPORTUNITY

The City of Yuma, Arizona, is seeking a visionary, collaborative, and results-oriented leader to serve as its next City Administrator. Nestled along the Colorado River in the heart of the Sonoran Desert, Yuma is a thriving, full-service community with a strong financial foundation, a culture of innovation, and a steadfast commitment to exceptional public service. This is an outstanding opportunity for an accomplished executive to partner with an engaged City Council, empower a talented workforce, and lead a dynamic organization as it builds on its momentum, advances strategic priorities, and shapes the future of one of the Southwest’s most unique and rapidly evolving communities. The ideal candidate will bring strategic vision, operational excellence, and a passion for fostering economic vitality, organizational performance, and an exceptional quality of life for residents and businesses alike.

THE CITY OF YUMA

Nestled in the southwest corner of Arizona, where the Colorado River meets the Sonoran Desert, Yuma is a vibrant and welcoming community with a rich cultural heritage, abundant natural beauty, and a strong sense of civic pride. With a population of approximately 104,000 residents and growing, Yuma serves as the commercial, agricultural, and governmental hub of the region. Yuma is known for its year-round sunshine, offering more than 300 days of sunshine annually – making it one of the sunniest places in the United States. The city’s warm, dry climate supports a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, from hiking, biking, and golfing, to boating and off-roading. Residents and visitors alike enjoy Yuma’s scenic desert landscapes, historic downtown, and access to the Colorado River. Whether you’re drawn to the region’s natural beauty, its strong community values, or its opportunities for professional growth and leadership, Yuma is a place where you can make a meaningful impact.

CITY GOVERNMENT

The City of Yuma operates under a Council-Manager form of government. The City’s charter dictates that the Mayor and City Council, as the elected leaders of the city, make policy for the city, approve the budget and adopt local laws and regulations. The Mayor and City Council are responsible for appointing a City Administrator who serves as the chief executive officer of the city. The City Administrator carries out Council adopted policies, directs the day-to-day operations of the organization, and prepares the annual budget and capital improvement program. All employees serve under the direction of the City Administrator. In FY 26-27, the City organization of 1,067 full-time employees is supported by an approved all-funds budget of $566.7 million.

THE POSITION

Under administrative direction of the Mayor and City Council, the City Administrator serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Yuma. The City Administrator administers, advises, manages and directs all departments and agencies, and ensures compliance of all department activities with City Council goals. The City Administrator is assisted in leading the City organization by two Deputy City Administrators and 13 Department Directors. Key responsibilities include serving as the principal advisor to the Mayor and City Council; preparing the annual budget and capital improvement program proposals, justifications and funding contracts; overseeing the preparation of the annual financial report; meeting with City departments to resolve interdepartmental issues, coordinating services and programs, and evaluating the effectiveness of current, proposed, and ongoing programs; developing and directing strategies to meet City Council goals and objectives; meeting with citizens and community groups to receive input into long and short range plans for City services; and representing the City’s interests to key stakeholder groups.

The ideal candidate will be a visionary, team-oriented, problem-solving, collaborative, people-centric leader with an approachable demeanor; have strong communication skills and the ability to make difficult decisions when necessary; will bring a high level of collaboration and ability to work effectively with City leadership, elected officials, and others; have a community-oriented, relationship-driven leadership style; have an open, transparent, inclusive, and engaging communication style that inspires people inside and outside the City of Yuma; and have Labor/Management experience.

QUALIFICATIONS

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

• Education: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree in Business or Public Administration. A Master’s degree in Public Administration or a related field is preferred.

• Experience: Seven (7) years of municipal government management experience.

• License or certification: A valid Ariona State Driver’s License is required. Certification as a Professional Manager from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) is desirable.

SALARY & BENEFITS

The annual salary range for the City Administrator is $287,191 to $373,348. Placement within the range is negotiable and dependent upon qualifications. The City offers a comprehensive benefits package including retirement provided by the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS). Employees contribute 12.12% (pre-tax) and the City contributes 12.12% of the employee’s gross wages through automatic deduction. Contributions to the ASRS are in addition to FICA (Social Security taxes). Employees may participate in a tax-sheltered Annuity Plan (457 Plan) through payroll deduction to provide additional retirement income.

For additional benefit information, interested candidates are encouraged to review the detailed recruitment brochure by clicking on the .pdf link on this page.

APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS

To be considered for this position, interested candidates must submit a cover letter and résumé below no later than Monday, September 14, 2026.

Confidential inquiries are welcomed to:

Bryan Noblett | bryan@mosaicpublic.com | (916) 217-3696