Jobs In The City of Palm Bay

The City of Palm Bay is approximately 88 square miles with a population approaching 150,000 residents, making it the largest city in Brevard County and the second largest city in central Florida, behind Orlando. Palm Bay's major employers include L3Harris, Renesas Electronics, and Raytheon Technologies. The top three industries include manufacturing, engineering, and professional services.

Palm Bay continues to experience explosive growth with a surge of development interest in planned unit development projects and single- and multi-family providing a healthy mix of housing options for residents. The City of Palm Bay remains focused on creating new employment opportunities for residents by attracting major employers in high-skill and high-wage targeted industries. Labeled a family-centric community, Palm Bay offers a wide variety of recreational amenities, such as hiking, biking, boating, fishing, and paddle boarding just to name a few. Active residents and key stakeholders ensure that Palm Bay maintains smart and strategic growth development practices to ensure a high quality of life for the community.

Palm Bay is well served by its three Interstate 95 interchanges: Palm Bay Road (mile market 176), Malabar Road (mile marker 173), and St. Johns Heritage Parkway (mile marker 166). Future extension of St. Johns Heritage Parkway will provide a unique opportunity for growth and development. Palm Bay is approximately 60 percent developed, with over 3,000 business establishments and an estimated 54,046 households (2024 ESRI Housing Profile), with an average household income of $79,356. The City is located within minutes of the Melbourne International Airport, Port Canaveral, Kennedy Space Center, beautiful beaches, and approximately one hour from the Orlando International Airport and numerous theme parks.

Palm Bay is positioned along the Indian River Lagoon, the most biologically diverse natural estuary in North America with approximately 4,000 species documented. Palm Bay's Turkey Creek is a tributary of the Indian River Lagoon and serves as a recreational and eco-tourism gem in the community. Palm Bay is home to over 30 parks (including 20+ playgrounds) plus two community centers, skate park, dog park, senior center, aquatic center, and a Wildlife Sanctuary and Nature Center. There are over 11 miles of hiking/biking trails, and over two miles of water for paddling activities.

Palm Bay offers a variety of programs to help grow and sustain business and industry within the community. These programs include Ad Valorem Tax Abatement Program, Building Permit Fee Reduction Program, and the Mayor's Business Spotlight Program, to name a few. The City is actively pursuing new commercial and industrial developments to diversify the industry base, create new jobs, and provide a broader tax base to benefit Palm Bay's citizens.

As a testament to its growth, Palm Bay has landed various rankings and accolades:

#1 Top Growth City - U-Haul Growth Index (2023)

#1 Best Place in Florida to Retire -GOBankingRates (2024)

#1 Best Places for First-Time Home Buyers -WalletHub (2024)

#3 Best Cities to Move to in Florida - USA Today (2024)

#5 Top 100 U.S. Housing Markets according to Florida Atlantic University (2024) #5 Top Cities for Black Professionals according to Apartment List (2024)

#10 Most Affordable Cities for Home Buyers according to Wallet Hub (2024) #10 Best Performing Cities according to the Milken Institute (2024)

#13 Best Cities On The Rise - Southern Living (2024)

#25 Top Growth Cities in the U.S. (Palm Bay MSA)- Milken Institute (2024)

City's Mission and Vision:

With a mission to provide quality services, promote economic growth, and ensure a safe and secure environment for residents and the public, Palm Bay prides itself on its core values of Commitment, Integrity, Service before Self, Transparency, and Trust. Palm Bay's vision is to be a thriving community dedicated to economic prosperity, public safety, and quality infrastructure, with a diverse culture and recreational amenities for all.

Organization:

The City of Palm Bay operates under a council-manager form of government, with a Mayor and four Council members elected at large for four-year terms. The City Manager reports to the Council, as do two additional charter officers - the City Clerk and City Attorney.

The City of Palm Bay has 1,054 full-time employees and 24 part-time. There are thirteen department heads who report to the City Manager's Office, which includes two Deputy City Managers. The City Manager's Office also has a communications division, led by a PIO. The City's general fund budget for FY 2025 is $122.8 million. The total budget with all enterprise funds is $539.5 million. The ad valorem tax rate is 6.7339 per 1,000 and has steadily decreased over the last 10 years. The City's current bond rating is AA, "Rating Outlook Stable."

MINIMUM TRAINING & EXPERIENCE

The minimum qualifications for this position are a bachelor’s degree in business or public administration and five years of experience in the administration and management of municipal programs and personnel. A master’s degree and more extensive experience in a business, non-profit organization, or government entity is preferred. International City and County Management Association membership is required, with an ICMA Credentialed Manager designation preferred. The City’s Charter does not require the manager be a resident of the city or state at the time of appointment. However, should the manager change residency subsequent to their appointment, the manager must reside within the City during their tenure.

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The City Manager of Palm Bay shall be the Chief Executive and Administrative Officer of the City. The City Manager is responsible to the council for the administration of all city affairs placed in the manager's charge by or under the City Charter. As such, the City Manager is responsible for the management, direction, and administration of all departments of the City Government.

Ethical Standards: The City Manager must maintain the highest professional ethical standards and demonstrate unquestioned integrity. They will adhere to the International City/County Management Association Code of Ethics.

Leadership & Supervision: The City Manager should be a strong yet approachable leader, known for fairness and consistency. They must communicate diplomatically, exude confidence without arrogance, and know when to be firm. A sense of humor is a plus, but seriousness when needed is essential. They should foster optimism, encourage teamwork across departments, and delegate with accountability. The ideal candidate will be a visionary, capable of developing creative solutions to complex problems.

Personnel Management: The City Manager must respect diverse perspectives and excel in human resource management and labor relations. They should promote diversity, value employees, and create a positive organizational culture. A proven ability to lead by example and earn workforce respect is vital. They should use their position to cultivate collaboration, build leadership traits in others, and encourage succession planning.

Budget & Financial Oversight: Expertise in finance and budgeting is required, along with a commitment to prudent use of taxpayer dollars. Success in capital improvement planning and financing is essential.

Infrastructure Planning & Operational Management: The City Manager must lead strategic infrastructure initiatives, support project planning, and oversee public works. They should address growth challenges, manage police and fire services effectively, and enhance parks and recreation. Experience with in-house and contracted services, as well as building partnerships with governments and organizations, is critical.

Community and Council Relations: The City Manager must prioritize citizen service, enhance processes through technology and training, and make sound decisions. They should provide well-researched recommendations, support the City Council’s policymaking, and maintain productive relationships with all Council members.

It is anticipated that the successful candidate should be approved around the first of May and start in June. 

For further information, candidates are welcome to contact Interim City Manager Scott Morgan at (321) 952-3411, who is assisting the City Council in this recruitment.