The City of Fairfax is seeking a strategic City Manager to develop and lead a high-performing team that works to implement City Council goals and community priorities. The city has a long history of stable and effective city government and sound financial management, together with well-educated and engaged residents that seek greater public involvement. The city has earned Aaa/AAA general obligation credit ratings from Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s, respectively.
Pursuant to the City Charter, the City Manager not only serves at the pleasure of but also directly reports to and is responsible to the City Council. The Manager is the Executive Officer of the city, overseeing the city’s day-to-day operations and providing leadership and supervision to all departments. This role evaluates the effectiveness and future needs of city operations and ensures alignment with Council goals and operational capacities. The Manager also guides major departmental initiatives, coordinates cross-departmental efforts, and oversees research and policy development and analysis. In addition to offering informed and actionable recommendations to the Council, the Manager leads the senior leadership team in implementing Council adopted policies. This position ensures that all city activities support the organization’s overall goals. The Manager further regularly collaborates with department leaders on strategy, staffing, organizational structure, function, capacities, public involvement, and community problem-solving.
The Manager actively connects with the community, city employees, and elected government officials to translate the city's vision and goals into action plans. The Manager represents the city’s interests and policy positions before legislative and regulatory authorities at all levels of government. Additionally, in coordination with the Council and Mayor, the Manager serves as a representative to the public as well as to external agencies, ensuring effective communication and advocacy. The Manager serves as a visible and active representative of the city, attending public meetings and press conferences and representing the city in official capacities through personal engagements with citizen groups, community organizations, and the public. By engaging the community, the Manager develops positive external relationships and advises the city on partnerships and other cooperative efforts.
Further, the Manager promotes and implements the policies and governance set by the Council. The Manager ensures the timely resolution of operational issues, proactively identifies and mitigates potential challenges, and formulates strategies to reduce their impact. The Manager attends all Council meetings, makes reports and recommendations, responds to Council information requests, communications, and other support needs, and keeps the Council well-informed on matters affecting the city. In addition, the Manager advises the Council of the city's financial condition and needs, establishes guidelines for the annual budget process, prepares and submits a proposed budget, and oversees the administration of the adopted budget.
Priorities
- Build trusting relationships that engender confidence and cooperation with the Council, the Mayor, city staff, community members, and business leaders.
- Collaborate with the Council to finalize, refine, and implement vision and long-term strategies, capacities, and procedures; guide the Council through establishing annual goals and priorities; and provide consistent leadership throughout the city.
- Work effectively within the state and region and build and retain strong relationships with other localities, the region and state, schools, George Mason University, and other institutions.
- Support the Council’s diversity, equity, and inclusion commitment.
- Partner with the city senior leadership team to ensure continued customer-focused service and responsiveness and further develop and retain the city’s highly engaged, high-performing workforce.
The Successful Candidate
The ideal candidate for the city’s next Manager will be a skilled, seasoned, well-rounded, honest, ethical, and effective leader with a forward-thinking mindset, open and respectful demeanor, positive attitude, sharp acumen, and personal commitment to the community. This individual will bring fresh ideas and skills and possess the ability to establish balanced priorities—ensuring high-quality services, addressing critical infrastructure and capital project needs and efficiencies, protecting the city’s environmental, economic, and social needs, and maintaining the city's strong fiscal health.
The next Manager will be deeply committed to delivering exceptional municipal services, fostering a high standard of customer responsiveness, and building a team of dedicated, community-focused employees. They will approach challenges with creativity and a solutions-oriented mindset yet possess the judgment and strength to identify barriers and suggest alternate courses of action when necessary and the wisdom, flexibility, humility, and skill to navigate the most prudent course for the city.
This role requires a leader with strong strategic planning, analysis, visioning, and execution skills—someone who can support existing programs and operations while helping to shape the city's future. The successful candidate will prioritize financial sustainability and sound fiscal management, bringing a comprehensive understanding of municipal budgets and financial practices. A flexible, innovative problem solver, they will support evidence-based decisions that forecast and adapt to the evolving needs of the community in a dynamic local and regional environment.
Strong two-way communication skills are essential. The ideal candidate will engage effectively with a wide range of audiences and actively listen to residents, business owners, and city staff. They will be approachable, visible, and accessible within both the organization and the broader community. Demonstrated success in building partnerships with government agencies, the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and educational institutions is critical for advancing community-wide goals.
The selected individual will lead with integrity, foster trust, and model accountability. They will work alongside staff to achieve goals, support professional growth, and cultivate a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Politically astute and collaborative, the new Manager will be skilled in building strong teams, encouraging innovative thinking, and identifying strategic solutions.
The successful candidate will also have the capability of building constructive relationships with elected officials as well as private sector and community leaders, and providing sound, comprehensive, objective guidance to the Council. They will help the Council build and reach consensus on key short- and long-term priorities and drive the formation and implementation of strategic initiatives. Diplomatic and emotionally intelligent as well as technically skilled, the selected Manager will confidently represent the city's interests while advocating for the city's needs at all levels of government.
Above all, the ideal candidate will be enthusiastic about the city’s future, respectful of its history, character, and values, and capable of guiding the organization and advising the Council on how to balance community identity with sustainable growth. A true champion of environmental stewardship, employee and community engagement, and continuous improvement, the next Manager will lead with humility, vision, insight, and integrity.
Qualifications
Minimum qualifications include a bachelor's degree in government, public administration, business administration, science, or related field and progressively responsible work experience in a senior-level position in local government or government focused nongovernmental institution, or any equivalent combination of training and experience that provides the necessary knowledge, skills, and abilities.
Preferred qualifications include a master’s degree, ICMA-CM designation, significant project management, policy development, science translation, public involvement, community problem solving, and capital project design and delivery experience. Additionally, experience in budget development and financial management, strategic thinking and planning, analysis, and implementation, economic development and redevelopment, sustainability and resilience, intergovernmental relations, business and community engagement, and providing exceptional customer service is preferred.
Residency within the city limits within a reasonable time after appointment is required.
Inside The City of Fairfax
The city operates under the Council-Manager form of government. The Manager, the City Clerk, and the City Attorney are each appointed by the Council. The Mayor and six Council members are elected to serve two-year terms on an at-large, non-partisan basis. There are two elected Constitutional Officers, the Commissioner of the Revenue and the Treasurer who each work closely with the City Manager.
The City’s FY2026 budget for all funds is $290.2M with a total of 465.48 FTEs.
The Community
The city is conveniently located in the heart of Northern Virginia, just 14 miles west of Washington, D.C. With a population approaching 25,000 and growing, the 6.34-square-mile city is comprised of an attractive blend of tree-lined residential neighborhoods and vibrant commercial centers. Residents enjoy the city’s small-town charm and the educational, occupational, and recreational opportunities afforded by living in a thriving metropolitan area. This vitality has resulted in the city having been recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the top places to live in the nation.
Located at the crossroads of several major highways, the city benefits from convenient transportation options, including the Washington Metro’s Orange Line accessible via Vienna station, situated one mile northeast of Fairfax. Additionally, CUE Bus and Metrobus provide local transit services, complemented by the Virginia Railway Express's Burke Centre Station, located three miles southeast.
George Mason University, Virginia's largest public research university with over 40,000 students, is located just outside the city along its southern border. The University provides the community with world-class thinkers, musical and cultural events, and nationally recognized sports teams. The city enjoys an excellent town-gown relationship with the University.
Fairfax High School has received US News and World Report’s Gold Award, its highest recognition, for placing in the top 250 out of more than 22,000 schools nationally. Broad-based community support for schools is evidenced by a recent passage of a General Obligation bond referendum by more than 80 percent of those at the polls.
The city holds festivals and special events throughout the year celebrating cultural diversity, music, art, food, and history. Our city is widely known for outstanding cultural amenities. Every year the city sponsors world-class events such as Fall for the Book, Spotlight on the Arts, and a fun weekend-long Chocolate Lovers Festival. The city’s day-long Independence Day celebration is recognized as the best parade and most colorful fireworks in the area. City events, many free to attend, draw crowds from near and far and create opportunities for neighbors to meet and mingle. The arts are valued and supported with concerts, theater, and other live performances at venues around the city. Many events are held in Historic Old Town Fairfax, the city’s picturesque downtown.
The city is a modern community with a sense of history where we Live Life Connected.
Quick Facts
- Population: 26,340
- Median Household Income: $132,774
- Median Home Value: $677,400
- Median Age: 38.4
All demographic information was sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Compensation and Benefits
The expected hiring range is $275,000 - $295,000, depending on qualifications, with an excellent benefits package and relocation assistance. Learn more about city employee-based benefits here.
Benefits offered include the following:
- Generous annual, holiday, sick, and family leave
- Medical, dental, vision, life, short-term accident and sickness insurance, and long-term disability insurance
- Flexible benefit accounts
- Worker’s compensation and deferred compensation
- Employee Assistance Program
- Tuition assistance
- Employees participate in two defined benefit pension plan systems, a primary plan (Virginia Retirement System or VRS), administered by the state, and a supplemental plan (City of Fairfax Supplemental Retirement Plan), created and operated by the city.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis. Applicants complete a brief online form and are prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled with a first review of applications beginning July 24, 2025.
Questions
Please direct questions to Anne Lewis at alewis@raftelis.com or 540-757-0316 or Robert Colichio at rcolichio@raftelis.com.
RECRUITMENT BROCHURE
