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Headquartered in downtown Sacramento, the League of California Cities has been an active partner in local government since 1898. By protecting local control and providing legislative advocacy, educational, and informational services to city officials, Cal Cities enhances the quality of life for all Californians. 

We’re looking for candidates who are focused, driven, and above all else, seeking deeper meaning in their work.

Explore available career opportunities below


Cal Cities Culture

Cal Cities is dedicated to creating a collaborative and inclusive environment where passionate professionals can thrive. We’re looking for candidates who are focused, driven, and above all else, seeking deeper meaning in their work. If you also have a passion for public service, local government, advancing equity, and working with dynamic, talented teammates, this just might be the right place for you. Learn about our mission, vision, and core beliefs.

 

 

 

Our Values

Integrity

We are open, transparent, and honest. We value California's many diverse communities and support their development.  

Diversity

We believe that differences are critical to our success. We bring together people from a wide variety of backgrounds and identities, all with the goal of building a more inclusive and equitable California. 

Innovation

We encourage new ideas and progressive thinking that provide solutions to the evolving challenges California's cities face. 

Respect

We promote respect and kindness within our four walls and in the communities we serve. 

Excellence

We aspire for nothing less than the best in all that we do. We work to consistently deliver exceptional service and results for all of California's cities.  

Passion

We are passionate about our people and our members; we deliver extraordinary results for all. 

Learn More About the Cal Cities' Teams

 

Legislative Team members
Legislation and Policy Development
The Legislation and Policy Development team serves as a vital link between city officials and the Legislature, Governor, state agencies, and various interest groups. The team supports the development of policy and advocates on behalf of cities’ interests, operating from the belief that advocacy and policy development are most effective through coalition building and collaboration. 
Public Affairs team member
Public Affairs

The Public Affairs team covers every corner of California and serves as the grassroots advocacy core of Cal Cities. Cal Cities regional public affairs managers work closely with city officials - both elected and professional city staff - to develop regional informational programs and carry out grassroots activities to support specific legislative, regulatory, and ballot measure goals.

Education and Member Services team members
Education and Member Services
The Education and Member Services team provides city officials with opportunities to enhance their knowledge and expertise. Developing more than 30 different single-and multi-day meetings annually, the team delivers a variety of educational and networking programs including city department conferences, issue-specific webinars, topical roundtables, and the Annual Conference and Expo. 
Communication team members
Communications and Marketing
The Communications and Marketing team produces written and digital content to support Cal Cities' overall advocacy and education goals. Working across the organization and with city officials, the team develops content for the Cal Cities website, weekly e-newsletter, monthly magazine, social media channels, press releases, publications, and more.  
Legal team member
Legal
The Cal Cities Legal team engages in a wide variety of traditional and non-traditional legal activities. Traditional activities range from providing in-house advice to coordinating amicus filings; non-traditional activities include providing staffing services for Cal Cities’ City Attorneys Department, which includes developing educational materials and programming.  
Administrative team members
Finance and Operations
The Administrative Services team delivers the service, support, and solutions that other teams depend on to carry out their daily duties, ranging from computer maintenance to processing invoices. The team includes a variety of staff-support functions such as Facilities Management, Finance, Human Resources, and Information Technology. 

Additional Information

 

Benefits and Perks

We offer competitive compensation and benefits, including premium medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and their dependent children, enrollment in California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS), and more! 

  • Competitive salary
  • Pension plan (CalPERS)
  • Retirement plan (457)
  • Comprehensive medical (HMO, PPO), dental (PPO), and vision plans
  • Flexible spending accounts
  • Life & long-term disability insurance
  • Subsidies for your preferred transportation mode
  • Paid time off (vacation, sick, manager time off, floating holidays, holidays)
  • Learning and development
  • Social events: happy hours, holiday events, and walking challenges
  • Free snacks to keep you energized
  • Flexible work environment

Our core hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with a 7.5-hour workday. However, when possible, we allow modified schedules so our employees can attain a healthy work/life balance. We encourage them to take time off to maintain their personal wellness.

Our Hiring Process
Application Review: Someone at Cal Cities will review your application. If you are chosen to move forward in the recruiting process, someone will contact you within one to two weeks of the application deadline.

First Interview: Meet with the hiring manager, Human Resources, and potential team members. 

Writing Exercise: Complete a writing exercise based on the skills required for the position. 

Second Interview: Meet with critical team members and/or managers that will interact with the position. 

Third Interview: Depending on the job, and level of authority for that job, you may be asked back for a third and final interview. 

Job Offer: Once a candidate is chosen, they will receive a call from the Hiring Manager or Human Resources with job offer details, as well as a written offer letter. 
FAQs
How long does your recruitment process typically take? 

It generally takes four to six weeks for candidates to make it all the way through our process. If we determine early on that you are not the candidate we’re looking for, we’ll let you know within one to two weeks. 

Six weeks? Why does it take so long? 

We have several steps in our process, some of which require independent work from the candidate and a review of that work by our team. We are committed to responding as quickly as possible to each candidate that applies.  

I recently applied and now the role is already closed. What happened? 

We have a rolling recruitment process, which means we keep assessing candidates until we’ve filled the position. For this reason, it’s possible that you may have applied shortly before we closed the application process. 

It’s been a while and I haven’t heard from you. Why not? 

We respond individually to each applicant at each stage of the recruiting cycle. Unfortunately, our emails can sometimes make their way to your spam or junk folder. If you haven’t heard from us within the timeframe given in a previous email, please check your spam or junk folder. 

What steps are involved in the recruitment process? 

We're always looking to improve our recruitment process. To ensure uniformity, all candidates that apply for the same role will have the exact same steps in their recruitment process. However, if a candidate applies for two different roles, the process might differ slightly. Regardless, at each stage, we will review each candidate's submissions and interactions to determine who is invited to move to the next stage of the recruitment  process. 

Who will I speak with during the recruitment process? 

You will hear from someone from Human Resources, the Hiring Manager for the position, and for some roles, additional members of the relevant hiring department. 

 

Career Opportunities

 

Director of Public Affairs

The Director of Public Affairs is a senior management position responsible for leading the Cal Cities Public Affairs Department. The Director develops and executes public affairs campaigns and activities in support of Cal Cities advocacy and member services priorities. This includes providing leadership to Cal Cities Regional Public Affairs Program and an experienced team of 16 Regional Public Affairs Managers, increasing member engagement in Cal Cities advocacy, developing, and building coalitions to advance Cal Cities advocacy priorities, providing strategic support to Cal Cities legislative advocacy, and overseeing and coordinating Cal Cities engagement in statewide ballot measure campaigns.

The ideal candidate will be a strong communicator with experience leading political and public affairs campaigns and grassroots mobilization. 

Responsible for confidential corporate information, including financial information, risk management situations, and employee information.  Serves on the Senior Management Team and reports directly to the CEO/Executive Director.

Job Announcement | Job Description | Apply

 

Program Director of Apprenticeships, Workforce Development & Career Pathways 

The Institute of Local Government is seeking an experienced Program Director to lead an exciting and growing portfolio of work. If you have deep experience in building Registered Apprenticeship programs, a background in workforce development and/or human resources, and excellent written and verbal communication skills, this could be the job for you.

The Director will work with local government employers, state agencies, higher education institutions, regional Strong Workforce consortia, local workforce boards, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, and other emerging local, regional, and state boards, committees, consortia, and initiatives to develop, implement, and oversee registered apprenticeship, work-based learning, and pre-apprenticeship programs for the public sector.

Primary work will involve developing and expanding ILG’s role as a sector Intermediary and Program Sponsor for a robust statewide registered apprenticeship program for the local government public sector. The Director will plan and direct all aspects of the initiative -- creating and overseeing the program, including managing staff and consultants, recruiting employers and apprentices, developing program standards, rules and regulations in compliance with appropriate governmental agencies, and coordinating all associated technology. This position is responsible for developing and executing the strategy to initiate, track, manage, and foster relationships with workforce, industry, labor, education, and local government leaders. The chosen candidate will actively outreach at business and industry conferences, trade shows, and expositions, and serve in a representative capacity on boards, committees, and councils for the purpose of promoting work-based learning and career pathway programs in local government.

Job Announcement | Job Description | Apply