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Job Description
Job Summary
CITY CLERK
City of Santa Monica, California
Annual Salary: Up to $263,760
The Position
The City Clerk serves as Santa Monica’s chief steward of democratic processes and official records, operating at the center of governance, transparency, and public trust. Reporting directly to the City Council and working closely with the City Manager and City Attorney, this civil service position plays a critical leadership role in ensuring that legislative actions, elections, public records, and civic engagement efforts are administered with integrity, accuracy, and professionalism.
This is a highly visible executive position requiring both technical mastery and political acumen. The Clerk advises elected officials on complex procedural and compliance matters, prepares and manages legislative agendas, oversees municipal elections, including multiple concurrent elections, and ensures adherence to state and local laws governing open meetings, campaign reporting, and public transparency.
Beyond compliance, the Clerk is a strategic leader and organizational partner. The role calls for someone who can confidently navigate governance issues, remain composed under pressure, and build strong working relationships across departments. The Clerk must balance advocacy for their team with accountability and performance, champion modernization efforts, and help foster a cohesive “One Santa Monica” culture.
At its core, this position is about leadership in service of democracy, strengthening systems, supporting Council effectiveness, and ensuring the community has meaningful access to its government.
Qualifications
Minimum requirements include graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree. Candidates must also possess a minimum of seven years of increasingly responsible experience in performing complex administrative duties in a City Clerk’s department, or equivalent experience in a similar government agency, including five years of management or supervisory experience. Experience in California is highly desirable.
Requires possession of the Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) or the Master Municipal Clerk (MMC) certification issued by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks.
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for the City Clerk is currently under review and is anticipated to be up to $263,760 with an additional 5% PERSable incentive for employees who possess a master’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university. In addition, a 2% salary adjustment will take effect on July 1, 2026. Santa Monica offers a competitive benefits package outlined in the full posting here .
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted electronically by Raftelis at raftelis.com/opportunities . Applicants will complete a brief online form and will then be prompted to provide a cover letter and resume. The position will be open until filled, with a first review of applications beginning April 24, 2026.
The City's liberal fringe benefits for full-time employment include sick leave, holiday and vacation pay, the Public Employees Retirement System, medical, dental and vision insurance, credit union, deferred compensation, tuition reimbursement, Dependent Care Assistance Plan and priority enrollment consideration at Hill & Dale Family Learning Center, Marine Park Child Development Center, and Santa Monica Early Childhood Lab School. -
Special Instructions
Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board. -
ABOUT THE COMPANY
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City of Santa Monica
Show moreSanta Monica is a beachside city of 8.3 square miles on the westside of Los Angeles County. Offering an environment of unparalleled natural beauty, the city is home to a mix of residential communities, commercial districts, and recreational venues. Recently named by National Geographic as one of the Top "10 Beach Cities in the World" and by TIME as one of the "Best Places to Live", Santa Monica features three miles of Pacific beaches and the Santa Monica Pier. Santa Monica’s residential population is approximately 93,000, increasing to an estimated 250,000 during the day with tourists, shoppers, and employees. Tourism attracts over 8 million visitors annually.
The City of Santa Monica was incorporated on November 30, 1886 and subsequently adopted a City Charter in 1945. In 1947, a City Council-City Manager form of government was established. The City Council consists of seven members elected by the community at large to four year terms.
The City of Santa Monica is a full-service city. City departments provide police, fire, a regional transportation network, water, refuse and recycling, streets, parking, planning, building, engineering, free public wifi, a high speed fiber optic network, parks, affordable housing, economic development, library, rent control, recreational, cultural, and educational services to the community.
The City-operated Big Blue Bus regional bus service provides over 16.5 million rides for customers each year, all powered by renewable natural gas. Breeze Bike Share was Southern California's first bike share system with 500 bikes at 85 locations. In 2016, the Metro Expo Line opened connecting Santa Monica to Downtown Los Angeles in under an hour.
The City of Santa Monica is a national leader in environmental, economic and social sustainability. The City is working toward aggressive climate action goals including: water self-sufficiency by 2020, zero waste by 2030, and carbon neutrality by 2050.
The highly-rated Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District serves both Santa Monica and Malibu residents. Santa Monica College (SMC), one of the state's top two-year community colleges, serves over 30,000 full-time and part-time students on several campuses and offers more than 90 fields of study. Santa Monica's strong education institutions are complemented by the 5-star rated Santa Monica Public Library system.
Public safety is a top priority in the City of Santa Monica. Santa Monica Fire Department continues to maintain a Class 1 ISO rating, the highest possible rating.
Santa Monica has a strong and diverse economy. Known as “Silicon Beach,” local businesses are at the leading edge of the nation’s creative economy and startup scene.
Sana Monica is also home to three renowned and respected health facilities, Providence Saint John’s Health Center, Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente.
Connect with the City of Santa Monica by visiting www.santamonica.gov, follow @santamonicacity on Twitter, or sign up for the City's newsletter and emergency alerts at www.smgov.net/newsletter.
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