City of Denton, TX - City Manager

The City of Denton is seeking a dynamic City Manager to help lead a growing, vibrant community that blends small‑town character with big‑city opportunity. This is a chance to guide a full‑service organization, support a seven‑member City Council, and shape Denton’s future through strategic investment, strong services, and a culture of collaboration.

Home to approximately 166,000 residents, Denton offers exceptional regional connectivity, a thriving arts and music scene, two major universities, and a distinct sense of place anchored by its historic downtown and expansive parks system.

With a $2.22 billion budget and more than 1,900 employees, Denton is a complex, high‑performing municipal enterprise. The next City Manager will translate policy into results, strengthen organizational systems, and uphold the City’s Core Values of Inclusion, Collaboration, Quality Service, Strategic Focus, and Fiscal Responsibility while supporting a rapidly growing community.

The ideal leader is collaborative, strategic, and approachable, with proven operational and financial insight and a commitment to authentic community engagement. Denton seeks an executive who can translate policy into actionable work, clearly explain tradeoffs, ensure accountability across departments, and make timely, well-delegated decisions while strengthening systems for a growing city. Internal visibility and strong external relationships are essential; the City Manager should understand the needs of businesses, neighborhoods, employers, and institutions.

Denton offers a competitive executive compensation and benefits package for a leader ready to make a lasting impact.

The salary range for this position is $325,000-$350,000 annually, DOQ.

For more information on this position contact:

Clay Pearson, Senior Vice President, Executive Recruitment

Strategic Government Resources

claypearson@governmentresource.com | 713-816-8639

Requirements

REQUIRED:

• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Government, Business Administration, or a related field
• Eight (8) years of experience in municipal government or public administration
• Two to five years as a City Manager, Assistant City Manager, or Deputy City Manager

PREFERRED:

• Direct responsibility for municipally owned utilities and enterprise operations—especially electric, water, and wastewater—with airport, landfill, and solid‑waste experience as additional assets
• Skill in financial forecasting, capital financing, debt and rate strategy, risk assessment, and coordinated infrastructure delivery in a growing community with aging assets
• Strong Council relationships, executive‑team development, employee trust, and cross‑department implementation
• Success working with engaged, diverse communities and sustaining partnerships with universities, businesses, nonprofits, and intergovernmental entities