Chief of Staff (Manager III) - Open Until Filled

Chief Of Staff To The City Administrator

Motus Recruiting and Staffing is proud to partner with the City of Portland in its search for the next Chief of Staff to the City Administrator. The City of Portland is a dynamic, mission-driven public organization committed to serving a diverse and rapidly growing community. Rooted in the values of anti-racism, equity, transparency, communication, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility, Portland strives to deliver high-quality services that meet the needs of its people while advancing just and inclusive outcomes across government systems.

The Chief of Staff serves as the senior executive coordination and strategic integration leader for the City Administrator, ensuring alignment across the City Administrator's Office, Deputy City Administrators, City bureaus, Council offices, labor partners, and key external stakeholders. Reporting directly to the City Administrator, the Chief of Staff provides executive leadership for enterprise-wide initiatives, executive office management, strategic planning, and cross-organizational coordination.

The Chief of Staff translates executive priorities into coordinated action by overseeing implementation of strategic initiatives, monitoring organizational progress, resolving cross-functional issues, and ensuring alignment between policy decisions, organizational capacity, and operational execution. The position serves as a trusted advisor to the City Administrator while fostering collaboration across the City's new form of government.

• Serve as the principal strategic advisor and executive coordination partner to the City Administrator.
• Lead executive office planning, priority setting, and coordination to ensure alignment of strategic initiatives across the City Administrator's Office.
• Translate executive priorities into actionable implementation plans, coordinating efforts across Deputy City Administrators, bureau leadership, and City partners.
• Monitor execution of strategic priorities, identifying risks, resolving barriers, and ensuring accountability for key initiatives.
• Coordinate executive decision-making processes and ensure timely follow-through on commitments made by the City Administrator, Mayor, and City Council.
• Lead special projects and enterprise initiatives requiring executive sponsorship, cross-functional coordination, and executive oversight.

• Serve as the senior executive strategic integrator across the City Administrator's Office, Deputy City Administrators, City bureaus, Council offices, labor partners, key external stakeholders and enterprise functions.
• Coordinate complex cross-bureau initiatives that require collaboration among multiple departments and stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment between strategic priorities, available organizational capacity, and implementation timelines.
• Foster collaboration among executive leadership to advance enterprise-wide priorities and resolve organizational challenges.
• Support enterprise-wide change management initiatives associated with Portland's new form of government.

• Coordinate executive communications, briefing materials, talking points, and executive messaging for the City Administrator.
• Monitor emerging issues, organizational risks, and sensitive matters requiring executive attention.
• Ensure executive communications are coordinated, timely, accurate, and aligned across internal and external audiences.
• Prepare executive briefing materials and facilitate executive meetings involving complex or politically sensitive issues.

• Build and maintain productive relationships with elected officials, Council offices, labor organizations, bureau leadership, community organizations, regional partners, and other external stakeholders.
• Facilitate collaboration among internal and external partners to advance City priorities.
• Support the City Administrator in navigating politically sensitive issues while maintaining productive working relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• Represent the City Administrator in meetings, collaborative initiatives, and community engagement activities as assigned.

• Oversee and guide staff supporting executive operations.
• Set priorities, manage workload, and ensure alignment with City goals.
• Provide coaching, conduct performance evaluations, and foster a collaborative high-performing work environment.

• The ideal candidate will demonstrate many of the following qualifications and leadership attributes:
• Proven experience serving as a trusted executive advisor, translating strategic priorities into coordinated action and organizational results.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional initiatives that require collaboration across multiple departments, executive leaders, and stakeholders.
• Exceptional ability to build alignment, foster accountability, and ensure execution of enterprise-wide priorities in a large, complex organization.
• Strong political acumen with experience navigating sensitive…