Assistant to the City Manager (U)

San Bernardino offers access to major transit corridors, natural beauty, and a wide range of housing and lifestyle options. It’s a place where public service careers are supported by a strong sense of community and purpose — and where motivated professionals can grow, contribute, and be part of something meaningful.

The ideal candidate will:

• Have significant professional administrative experience within a public agency or municipal government environment.
• Demonstrate strong research, analytical, and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex information into clear recommendations.
• Exercise sound independent judgment and discretion when handling sensitive and confidential matters.
• Possess a strong understanding of municipal operations, budgeting, financial analysis, public policy, and legislative processes.
• Effectively manage multiple projects, competing priorities, and time-sensitive assignments.
• Prepare clear, concise, and persuasive reports, memoranda, policy documents, presentations, and recommendations.
• Communicate confidently and professionally with executive leadership, elected officials, department heads, community stakeholders, and outside agencies.
• Demonstrate initiative and the ability to take ownership of projects from research and analysis through implementation.
• Build collaborative working relationships across departments and organizations.
• Be adaptable and comfortable working on assignments that may change based on the City's operational and strategic priorities.

• Conduct complex administrative, financial, operational, legislative, and policy analyses on Citywide issues and programs.
• Research issues, evaluate alternatives, identify potential impacts, and develop recommendations for the City Manager and Deputy City Manager.
• Prepare reports, policy papers, legislative documents, presentations, correspondence, and other executive-level materials.
• Assist with establishing and implementing operational plans, initiatives, policies, procedures, and work programs for the City Manager's Office.
• Participate in developing and monitoring the City Manager's Office budget and conduct revenue, expenditure, and cost analyses.
• Coordinate with department and division leadership on budgets, programs, special projects, and operational priorities.
• Serve as a liaison on legislative and grant matters and present recommendations to City Council committees.
• Attend meetings with City leadership, appointed boards and committees, community organizations, governmental agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Represent the City Manager's Office in meetings with civic, community, industry, and governmental partners as assigned.
• Develop implementation plans and coordinate follow-up activities to ensure projects and recommendations move forward.
• Evaluate existing processes, policies, and management systems and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Manage special projects and other high-priority assignments on behalf of the City Manager and Deputy City Manager.

• Principles, practices, and methods of complex administrative, organizational, economic, legislative, policy, and procedural analysis. 
• Principles and practices of public administration, including purchasing, contracting, and maintenance of public records.
• Principles, practices, and methods of municipal budget development and financial analysis.
• Financial, statistical, and comparative analysis tools, techniques, and formulae and computer software appropriate for statistical analysis and data management.
• Basic principles, tools, and techniques of project planning and management.
• Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and court decisions applicable to assigned areas of responsibility.
• City operations and functions and associated business and financial management issues and challenges.
• Uses and operations of a computer and standard business software, including word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Principles and practices of effective management and supervision.
• City human resources policies and procedures, Personnel Rules, and labor contract provisions.
• City administrative policies and procedures applicable to processing budget, fiscal, and purchasing documents and maintenance of public records.

• Analyzing complex administrative, operational, economic, political, and organizational problems, evaluating alternatives and reaching sound, logical, fact-based conclusions and recommendations.
• Collecting, evaluating, and interpreting myriad data, either in statistical or narrative form.
• Presenting proposals and recommendations clearly, logically, and persuasively in public meetings.
• Understanding, interpreting, explaining, and applying City, state and federal laws and regulations governing the conduct of City operations.
• Evaluating, developing, and implementing management systems, policies, and controls.
• Exercising sound independent judgment within general policy guidelines.
• Preparing clear, concise, and accurate memoranda, documents, records, and other written materials.
• Using tact, discretion, and courtesy in dealing with sensitive situations and upset or dissatisfied individuals.
• Establishing and maintaining effective relationships.
• Providing customer service.

Recruitment Timeline

This recruitment will close on Sunday, September 13, 2026, at 11:59 pm, or until a sufficient number of applications have been received. 

Applications review: Week of Monday, September 14, 2026

1st Interview: Week of September 28, 2026, or agreed upon date by both HR recruiter & Dept (TENTATIVE)

**All dates are subject to change at the discretion of the personnel officer**

All applicants are required to submit an online application through the City’s official website at www.sbcity.org. This recruitment will remain open until September 13, 2026, at 11:59 PM or until a sufficient number of qualified applications have been received.

Applications must be fully completed and clearly demonstrate that the minimum qualifications for the position are met. All information provided is subject to review, investigation, and verification. While resumes may be uploaded as supplemental documentation, they will not be accepted in place of a fully completed City application.

Following the initial screening, the most qualified candidates whose backgrounds best match the needs of the City will be invited to continue in the selection process. Meeting the minimum qualifications does not guarantee advancement. Candidates will remain under consideration until a final selection is made and an offer is accepted. The City of San Bernardino reserves the right to close the recruitment at any time and may determine that none of the applicants, including those who meet the minimum qualifications, are suitable for the position.

• Application Review
• Oral Exam
• Background Investigation with the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• Pre-employment Medical Exam, including drug test
• Employment/Professional Reference Check

Accordingly, the City will provide information from each new employee’s Form I-9 to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to confirm authorization to work in the United States.

For more information about E-Verify, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website at www.uscis.gov

The City of San Bernardino is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The City follows a nepotism policy, which may impact hiring decisions if an applicant has relatives currently employed by the City.

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the City provides reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Each request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. To request an accommodation, please contact the Human Resources Department directly at (909) 384-5161. 

This bulletin is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract, expressed or implied. Its contents may be modified or withdrawn without prior notice.

For questions regarding this recruitment, contact Human Resources at 909-998-2060 or email Stephanie Rivera at [email protected]

Additional information is available at www.sbcity.org.