City Administrator
City of Red Lodge, Montana
Salary: $105,000 - $125,000
Located at the foot of Montana’s Beartooth Mountains, Red Lodge is a distinctive mountain community where a vibrant year-round hometown meets one of the state’s most recognizable recreation destinations. The county seat of Carbon County and home to approximately 2,800 residents, Red Lodge also welcomes seasonal residents and visitors drawn by outdoor recreation, special events, and a strong tourism economy, creating the activity, opportunities, and service demands of a much larger community. Approximately 60 miles southwest of Billings, Montana’s largest city, Red Lodge offers convenient access to major commercial services and Billings Logan International Airport while maintaining the character and pace of a smaller community. Red Lodge Mountain offers downhill skiing minutes from town, while the Red Lodge Nordic Center, an extensive network of local and regional trails, and nearby national forest and wilderness lands provide opportunities for cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, fishing, camping, wildlife viewing, and more.
The City of Red Lodge operates with a six-member City Council. The Mayor serves as the City's chief administrative officer and is responsible for the administration of City operations. Red Lodge is now taking an important step in the evolution of its organization with the creation of its first City Administrator position. Appointed by the Mayor with the consent of the City Council, the City Administrator will serve as the City's senior professional administrator. The City operates with a 2025/2026 budget of approximately $26.7 million, which includes approximately $2.38 million in the General Fund. The City provides a broad range of municipal services through administration, community development, public works, police, library, court, and related operations.
Working under the direction of the Mayor, the City Administrator will help oversee day-to-day operations, coordinate the work of City departments, and advance priorities defined by the Mayor and City Council. The position provides leadership across the organization, with responsibilities spanning cross-department coordination, project management, planning and community development, economic development, public engagement, fiscal management, and personnel administration. As a visible and hands-on leadership role, the City Administrator will work closely with department heads, manage and coordinate significant projects, provide professional analysis and recommendations to elected officials, support implementation of the City's long-range plans, and help strengthen communication and accountability throughout the organization.
A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Planning, or a closely related field, and five (5) years of progressively responsible municipal government experience. Prior municipal government experience is required. Demonstrated supervisory experience is also required. An equivalent combination of education and additional municipal government experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be considered. Candidates should possess demonstrated experience across several areas relevant to the position, which may include but are not limited to community development or planning, municipal finance and budgeting, public works, grant development and administration, project management, human resources, collective bargaining, economic development, and parks and recreation. The ideal candidate will possess a master’s degree in a related field and have experience working in a small, tourism- or recreation-influenced community, within a mayor-council governmental structure. Experience with community development, municipal planning, grant programs, and intergovernmental coordination is also preferred.
For a complete position profile, job description, benefits summary and to apply online, visit Prothman Company at https://www.prothman.com/ and click on "Open Recruitments". For questions, call 206-368-0050. The City of Red Lodge is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Apply by November 1, 2026. (First review, open until filled.)
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