Tucson is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States with a city population of 520,585, a metropolitan area population of 925,523, and a civilian labor force of roughly 429,400. Approximately 10,000 people move to Tucson anually for the high quality of life, cultural diversity, affordable housing, favorable business climate, and excellent educational opportunities.  The City of Tucson is located approximately 100 miles south of Phoenix and 63 miles from the Mexican border. 

Tucson celebrates cultural diversity, great climate, moderate cost of living, and high quality of life. Tucson is in the Sonoran Desert, famous for the Saguaro cactus.  The City is 2,389 feet above sea level and averages 350 days per year of sunshine.  It has mild spring, fall, and winter temperatures; low humidity makes the high summer temperatures feel more comfortable.

Tourism adds more than $1.8 billion to the economy each year. Federal, State, and local governments are significant to local economy employing more than 79,000 people.  Manufacturing employment in Tucson has doubled in the past decade due to advanced technology companies such as Raytheon Missile Systems, Texas Instruments, IBM, and America Online making Tucson their home.

Tucson has nearby mountain scenery, golf, and 27,000 acres of parklands. Each winter, thousands of tourists and “snow birds” arrive, making Tucson the number one city for spas and resorts (Top U. S. Hotels, Resorts, and Spas 2001 edition). Southern Arizona is one of the best areas in the country for bird watching. Tucson has more than 35 art galleries, a symphony, ballet, opera, and a live theater company, and the downtown arts district hosts more than 800 arts and cultural events each year.  Tucson hosts spring training for three major league baseball teams and is home to Tucson’s first Women’s Professional Fastpitch teams.

Tucson has been commended for the preservation of its natural desert environment and promotion of low water use botanical species.

The Rio Nuevo Development Project, a comprehensive revitalization program for downtown Tucson, will include new attractions, shopping, restaurants, office space, and housing.  One of the Rio Nuevo Office’s primary goals is to foster and promote private sector development and reinvestment in the downtown area.  Development plans include building a new science center, renovation of the Fox Theatre, the 4^th Avenue Trolley expansion, Depot Plaza, Historic Depot on Toole/Intermodal Center, Library Plaza, retail commercial restaurants, plus many other downtown enhancements.

Tucson is a progressive, dynamic, full-service City operating under the Council-Manager form of government.  The Mayor, elected at large, and the six City Council members, nominated from districts for four-year staggered terms, serve as the City's policy making body and governing board of directors.

The City Manager is appointed to serve as the organization's Chief Administrative Officer and guides and directs the day-to-day operations.  He/She provides strategic research, recommendations, and management leadership to the City Council on budgets, programs, policies, and services.  The City Manager carries out the organization’s administrative responsibilities through a strong team of professional department heads and deputies.

Tucson’s government is committed to delivering the highest quality services in the most cost-effective manner.  The City utilizes a number of appointed boards and commissions that serve the Council in an advisory capacity.  The executive Leadership Team consists of 28 department heads and key staff, including a Deputy City Manager and three Assistant City Managers.

Tucson's fiscal year 2005 annual budget totals $1.032 billion.  There are 5,894 full-time employees and approximately 480 non-permanent employees. The City has four collective bargaining groups.

The City Manager is responsible to the Mayor and Council for the administration of all City departments with the exception of the City Attorney, City Clerk and City Magistrates. He/She has authority and responsibility to:

§   Appoint department directors with the exception of those noted above, and remove such directors as required.  The Police and Fire Chiefs are civil service positions; by Charter, the City Manager can only recommend appointment and removal for these positions. The City Manager may appoint and remove other Civil Service executives.

§    Submit to the Mayor and Council the annual budget and capital program.

§    Supervise all expenditures and purchases of the City.

§    Attend Mayor and Council meetings and present information and recommendations he/she deems necessary or as requested by the Mayor or any member of the Council.

§   Authorizes heads of departments and offices to appoint and remove their own subordinates.

§   Recommend to the Mayor and Council personnel policies and assignments for efficient operation of the City government.

§   Execute all laws, provisions of the Charter, and acts of the Mayor and Council subject to enforcement by him/her or by officers under his/her direction.

§   Execute, or cause to execute by his/her designated representative, all contracts and other lawful documents authorized by the Mayor and Council.

§    Perform any other lawful duties required of him/her by the Mayor and Council.

The position is open due to the resignation of the current City Manager.

A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is preferred; a graduate degree is important. Several years of senior-level experience in a large full-service organization is necessary; experience in multi-cultural environments in the West and Southwest is preferable and economic and downtown redevelopment experience is important.  Being bilingual (English-Spanish) would be a plus.

The selected candidate should be a leader, a skilled negotiator and a team builder  with a successful background in finance and budgeting, growth management, transit and transportation, water resource development, land use and planning, and information technology.  He/She will have skills in managing a diverse, multi-cultural community.

The successful candidate should be a consensus builder and treat all Council Members evenhandedly.  He/She should hold subordinates accountable, yet be trusting and be a good delegator, a responsible risk taker, accessible, and innovative.  The City Manager should also believe that capacity building ensures the future success of the municipal organization.

This person will promote a team approach and select, develop and motivate good staff, and will make difficult personnel decisions when necessary.  The ideal candidate will keep the Mayor and Council informed in a timely manner.  He/She should be proactive and provide his/her best professional recommendations, along with options; however, when the Mayor and Council makes its decision, he/she will implement it promptly even if different from his/her own recommendation. He/she should be willing to be involved in the community, its neighborhoods and neighborhood associations, and should promote customer-service orientation. 

The ideal candidate will be confident and straightforward, communicates clearly and concisely, and has a good sense of humor.  He/She should be comfortable in a diverse community, open to a variety of opinions, diplomatic, approachable, energetic, and provide visionary leadership.  He/She must be realistic, and able to provide solutions to difficult problems.

The salary for this position is open, and will be dependent upon the qualifications and experience of the selected candidate.  Benefits include: retirement; 457(b) deferred compensation plan; vacation, sick leave and holidays; choice of medical plans; dental insurance; life and disability insurance; benefits plan including a medical reimbursement account; child or elderly care reimbursement account; and military and bereavement leave.  An automobile allowance or vehicle will be provided and City related travel expenses and reimbursable.

HOW TO APPLY

Confidential resumes should be sent by close of business on February 28, 2005 to:

Mr. James L. Mercer, President

The Mercer Group, Inc.

551 W. Cordova Road, #726

Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505

VOICE: (505) 466-9500