As the sixth largest community in the state of Arizona, located within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, the City of Glendale is a socioeconomically diverse community of 254,000 residents. Within the last 20 years, Glendale has built a reputation as Arizona’s sports and entertainment destination. The City hosted Super Bowls in 2008, 2015, and 2023, as well as the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four in 2017 and 2024. The community is also home to College Football’s Fiesta Bowl, the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals and Major League Baseball’s Spring Training for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.
Glendale hosts mega concerts featuring legendary entertainers including The Rolling Stones, Elton John and Taylor Swift at State Farm Stadium, home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals. Positioning the City as a national entertainment mecca by creating the Westgate Sports and Entertainment District, Glendale has attracted destination restaurants and retail experiences enjoyed by thousands annually. In 2026, Glendale will also be home to the VAI Resort, a $1.2 billion world-class 60-acre property that will be the largest in Arizona and will feature four hotel towers with more than 1,000 rooms, an 11,000-seat amphitheater, a 7-acre waterway with sandy white beaches, 12 restaurants, retail shops, bars, a 52,000-square-foot party island and the world’s first Mattel-themed Adventure Park.
Glendale is a Council-Manager form of government. The City Manager reports to a seven (7) member City Council, including a directly elected Mayor. All members serve four-year staggered terms with elections every two years.
Glendale is a full-service city with a workforce of over 2,000 dedicated employees. The Fiscal Year 2026 budget is $1.46 billion. The operating budget is $710 million (49%), Capital is $478 million (33%), a contingency of $157 million (11%) and debt service is $115 million (8%). Primary CIP program areas in the FY26 Budget include Water, Wastewater, Public Safety and Streets Infrastructure. The City forecasts a $249.9 million unassigned fund balance for FY26.
The position requires a combination of education and experience equivalent to attainment of an MPA or MBA, combined with at least 10 years of senior level and/or executive management experience. The 10 years of experience should include at least five years of increasingly responsible local government management experience gained in a community or other public agency similarly situated in population and complexity to Glendale. Public sector executives in a mid-sized city within a metropolitan region may be considered if they possess the characteristics referenced in the profile. An individual with proven successful private sector experience at an executive level is valued, if combined with primary experience managing public sector organizations. A credentialed manager within the International City County Management Association (ICMA) is preferred. Experience in economic development, budget, finance, capital improvement programs, and/or development services is desired. This opportunity would be ideal for an individual who is an existing city manager with similar experience in the issues and opportunities identified herein. An assistant or deputy city manager from a jurisdiction of comparable size and/or complexity may be considered.
The City of Glendale will offer a highly competitive compensation package commensurate with the successful candidate’s experience and quali?cations. The City also offers an excellent bene?ts package.
The recruitment will remain open until the position is filled. The first review of applications is scheduled for August 8, 2025. References will be contacted only following candidate approval. Finalist interviews will be held in the City of Glendale.
For additional information and/or if confidentiality is important for you prior to applying, telephone either: Bob Slavin at (770) 449-4656 or John Kross at (480) 797-4487. A comprehensive recruitment profile is available at www.slavinmanagementconsultants.com.
To apply: Submit a current resume with a cover letter and salary expectations without delay to:
As the sixth largest community in the state of Arizona, located within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area, the City of Glendale is a socioeconomically diverse community of 254,000 residents. Within the last 20 years, Glendale has built a reputation as Arizona’s sports and entertainment destination. The City hosted Super Bowls in 2008, 2015, and 2023, as well as the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Final Four in 2017 and 2024. The community is also home to College Football’s Fiesta Bowl, the National Football League’s Arizona Cardinals and Major League Baseball’s Spring Training for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox.
