Posting number: 2026-00806
Department: Office of the City Administrator
Job classification: Manager III
Posting type: Open
Categories: Executive Management
The City of Portland, OR is seeking a Chief Strategy & Change Management Officer. Portland is transitioning from a government where elected officials directly managed bureaus to one where elected leaders establish policy while professional administrators oversee operations. This shift requires more than a new organizational chart. It requires a new way of thinking, leading, collaborating, measuring success, and delivering public services. The Chief Strategy & Change Management Officer will become the architect behind that transformation. Working alongside the City Administrator, executive leadership team, bureau directors, elected officials, and community stakeholders, this executive will establish the strategic planning framework, accountability systems, governance processes, and organizational capabilities needed to align dozens of bureaus and service areas around a shared vision. The position will also build the City’s long-term strategy function and determine the resources and structure needed for its continued success.
The ideal candidate is a highly accomplished and visionary executive who excels at leading organizational strategy, transformation, and continuous improvement across complex organizations. This individual will be a collaborative leader with a history of driving meaningful change, building alignment among diverse stakeholders, and fostering a culture of accountability and innovation. The successful candidate will have extensive experience integrating strategic planning, budgeting, governance, and performance management into a cohesive organizational framework while effectively navigating political, operational, and labor-related complexities. They will be a trusted advisor to executive and elected leadership, bringing exceptional communication skills, emotional intelligence, political savvy, and a systems-thinking approach to solving challenges and advancing organizational priorities. Above all, the ideal candidate will be a relationship builder who can unite teams around a common vision and successfully guide the organization through periods of growth and transformation.
The City is seeking an accomplished executive with a demonstrated history of leading enterprise-wide strategy, organizational transformation, and change within complex, multi-stakeholder organizations.
To learn more, view the recruitment brochure: https://online.flipbuilder.com/kper/nfkm/
Minimum Qualifications
Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university and at least six (6) years of progressively responsible professional experience, including four (4) years in a supervisory or management role.
Preferred Experience & Attributes
The most competitive candidates will bring significant senior executive or leadership experience, ideally 12–15 years of progressively responsible experience in a complex, multi-stakeholder organization. A master’s degree in public administration, organizational management, public policy, business administration, or a closely related field is preferred.
Additional highly desired qualifications include:
About CPS HR:
At CPS HR, we leverage our deep expertise and collaborative process to guide clients in the areas of organizational strategy , testing, recruitment and selection , classification and compensation , licensing and certification , general HR services and training and development This strategic, all-encompassing approach to human resources improves organizational performance for clients across the United States.
To apply for this position, please visit: https://cpshr.us/recruitment/2649/
Have a question?
Contact Information:
Abby Ackers, Senior Executive Recruiter
aackers@cpshr.us
916-471-3422
Teddi Anderson, Project Consultant/Recruiter
tanderson@cpshr.us
Click here for additional information regarding the following City of Portland Recruitment and Hiring polices:
City of Portland, Oregon
Serving the Common Good of its people and the people of the greater region. The City includes bureaus to administer government functions pertaining to fire, police, water supply, wastewater treatment and stormwater management, environmental resource management, urban planning, transportation and parks.
