ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR

As a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet, the Administration Director is appointed by and serves at the pleasure of the Mayor; the appointment of the Administration Director requires confirmation by the Common Council.

 The City of Milwaukee is proud to employ a diverse workforce dedicated to delivering exceptional service to its residents. If you have a passion for being a part of an inclusive team of public servants, please consider the following opportunity.

The Position 

Ensuring that the City’s internal operations are run with integrity, accountability, and efficiency in its service to residents, businesses and visitors, the Administration Director provides strategic leadership, executive oversight, and operational excellence for the City’s administrative, budgetary, and organizational support functions, and provides direct management of the Department of Administration's (DOA’s) divisions. The Director of Administration is a key member of the Mayor’s Cabinet.

The Department

The Department of Administration (DOA) is responsible for many of the City of Milwaukee's centralized functions. The DOA works to make Milwaukee one of the nation’s most attractive cities in which to live, work and do business by:

• enhancing the ability of city agencies to provide high-quality, valued services at a cost residents can afford;
• developing and recommending policies that protect the city’s fiscal foundation; and
• influencing state and federal policies that affect the city’s ability to thrive.

For more information on the DOA, please visit their website: https://city.milwaukee.gov/doa.

Strategic Planning and Management

• Serve as a member of the Mayor’s Cabinet.
• Translate strategic goals into actionable deliverables.
• Identify opportunities for operational improvement.
• Develop, update, and implement administrative policies and procedures to enhance organizational efficiency and ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.
• Monitor, analyze, and present financial and operational key performance indicators (KPIs) to senior leadership within the DOA to guide strategic decision-making.
• Lead and oversee special projects related to operational objectives.
• Coordinate and communicate with department heads to understand their administrative needs and ensure the timely delivery of services.
• Develop and oversee the departmental budget.
• Set strategic priorities and develop appropriate capital and operating budgets related to department priorities.
• Represent the DOA at Common Council committee meetings, ad hoc meetings and other groups' meetings.
• Provide reports related to goal setting and anticipate and forecast trends and patterns that impact Milwaukee’s residents.
• Oversee and/or prepare policies, procedures, reports and studies.
• Build relationships with external community partners to identify opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.
• Serve as a liaison with key public and elected officials, including the Mayor and the Common Council; ensure public officials and other departments and agencies are aware of key departmental activities and that the DOA is responsive to their concerns and issues.
• Serve as a DOA representative and spokesperson at public hearings and respond to external inquiries.
• Prepare language for legislative changes and provisions to implement key initiatives.

Staff management

• Provide leadership, direction, and oversight to the administrative team, including coaching, delegating tasks, and setting performance goals.
• Streamline administrative processes and systems to optimize workflow, minimize redundancy, and improve overall effectiveness.
• Serve as a resource to managers and department heads Citywide related to strategic management and streamlining operations.
• Ensure development and training opportunities are provided to all DOA staff members.

 We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

• The incumbent must be willing and able to work outside standard business hours to respond to emergencies and to represent the department.
• Required to file a Statement of Economic Interests in accordance with the Milwaukee Code of Ordinances Chapter 303-Code of Ethics.
• Shall annually contact each member of the Common Council for the purpose of obtaining feedback from each Council member relating to that person’s performance in their position; and shall annually report to the Common Council on the results of the feedback obtained.

1. Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business administration, information technology or a related field from an accredited college or university.

2.  Five years of full-time, executive-level management experience performing strategic functions related to the position.

3.  Valid driver's license at the time of appointment and throughout employment.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may also be considered.

NOTICE: Please do not attach your academic transcripts to your employment application. The hiring department will verify candidates’ education as part of the either the selection processes or background screening process before extending any job offers.

Technical

• Knowledge of budgeting and financial principles.
• Knowledge of the principles of public administration and management.
• Ability to learn and apply the principles and practices of public sector human resources management.
• Knowledge of business and management principles related to strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership, and coordination of people and resources.
• Ability to read and apply complex job-related documents such as procedures, laws, and rules.
• Knowledge of the laws, rules, and regulations governing the practices and procedures of human resources.
• Knowledge of standard practices for establishing due process and cause.
• Proficiency using Microsoft Office to create documents, develop spreadsheets, and craft presentations.
• Skill in tracking, analyzing, interpreting, and communicating data.

Executive Leadership

• Ability to articulate and promote a vision for the City of Milwaukee.
• Ability to create a sense of mission by articulating and modeling professional values and ethics.
• Ability to develop policies and processes that translate mission and vision into action.
• Ability to facilitate and encourage the application of systems thinking.
• Ability to develop and implement performance management strategies and measures and to facilitate assessment and planning.
• Ability to facilitate and promote individual staff accomplishments toward organizational objectives, including shared responsibility, teamwork and acceptance of change.
• Ability to develop and implement strategic policies through effective delegation, persuasion and negotiating skills.
• Ability to translate policy decisions into organizational and community programs and services.
• Ability to guide and mediate the investigation and resolution of conflict within the organization and with other governmental agencies and community stakeholders.
• Honesty, integrity, the ability to maintain confidentiality and responsible stewardship of City resources.

Organizational Skills/Strategic Management

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, robust organization.
• Ability to effectively plan, organize and manage competing priorities and challenges under pressure.
• Skill in short and long-term strategic planning.
• Ability to assess the organizational assets, resources and opportunities and to develop new organizational structures, systems and metrics that support accountability and efficiency in the delivery of services.

Communication

• Strong communication, public speaking and presentation skills.
• Written communication skills to craft policies and procedures, reports, and correspondence.
• Ability to direct the utilization of media advocacy to communicate the public health mission to stakeholders, including the effective use of social media.

Relationship Building

• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative partnerships with private providers, community partners, and federal, state and local officials.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, elected officials, representatives of City departments, community organizations and other stakeholders.
• Ability to engage key stakeholders in collaborative ventures, to develop partnering strategies and to develop strategic plans that involve the input and engagement of stakeholders.

The current salary range (1UX) is $167,546-$234,557 annually, and the resident incentive salary range for City of Milwaukee residents is $172,572-$241,594 annually. Appointment above the minimum is possible based upon level of experience and other qualifications and is subject to approval.  

BENEFITS

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Defined Benefit Pension Plan       
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan     
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave 
• Comprehensive Wellness Program        
• Onsite Clinic Services       
• Onsite Employee Assistance Program       
• Alternative Work Schedules        
• Long Term Disability Insurance     
• Group Life Insurance     
• Tuition Benefits      
• Paid Vacation        
• 12 Paid Holidays        
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leaves
• Flexible Spending Arrangement       
• Commuter Value Pass

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/DER/benefits

Screening for this position will be based on an evaluation of each applicant’s education, experience, and professional accomplishments, which should be detailed in a cover letter and resume.

• Please email a cover letter and resume by 4:45 p.m. on December 12, 2025, to: KRURBAN@milwaukee.gov.
• Please indicate “Administration Director” in the email message subject line.  
• Questions relative to the selection process may be directed to Kristin Hennessy Urban, Staffing Services Manager 414.286.8643 or KRURBAN@milwaukee.gov.

The City of Milwaukee reserves the right to invite only the most qualified applicants to participate in the selection process.

INITIAL FILING DATE: The selection process will be conducted as soon as practical after December 12, 2025. Receipt of application materials may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the City's needs are met. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

EEO 101

The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.