With approximately 10,000 residents, 1,000 local businesses, and 11 to 15 million annual visitors, the 21-mile coastal City of Malibu is iconic for its past and present.  Contributing to the community’s rich history and current fame is it’s beautiful open space, picturesque views, epic surfing, celebrity residents, memorable films, and lyrics in numerous well-known songs.  While still in recovery-mode from the 2018 Woolsey Fire and the 2024 Franklin Fire, the City now is faced with rebuilding from the 2025 Palisades fire and ensuing floods and landslides.  With a sense of resiliency, commitment, fortitude, and community, residents and businesses are seeking a prompt return to the quality of life that is special in Malibu.

The City of Malibu seeks a City Manager to maintain the City’s “unique land and marine environment [and] rural character of its residential community,” and  “gradually recycle areas of deteriorated commercial development, … and provide passive, coastal-depending and resource-dependent visitor-serving recreational opportunities”.  Consistent with the typical role of a City Manager, the successful applicant will also be responsible for working with the City Council, fiscal and budget accountability, community relations, the delivery of City services.  The ideal candidate is a seasoned leader, communicator, and diplomat for working with the City Council, State and regional officials, staff and stakeholders.  The preferred candidate will have leadership experience as a Chief Executive, Assistant/Deputy Chief Executive or Department Head in a public or private agency of comparable complexity, and have demonstrated the ability to administratively lead a municipality and personnel; learn and apply the principals of public sector governance and engagement; and manage local government processes and regulatory requirements.  While the current salary is approximately $270,000, it is the City Council’s intent for the salary of their next City Manager to be in the top quartile of City Manager salaries in the region based on the experience and qualifications. The City also provides an excellent benefit package.

Filing deadline: June 6, 2025
Resumes are acknowledged within 2 business days.

By submitting an application and clicking “submit application” for this position, I agree to the terms of conditions here of the recruitment process facilitated by Peckham & McKenney Executive Search.