ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS OFFICER (SPECIAL PROJECTS OFFICER)

Full Job Description

Applications are available online beginning Friday, February 13, 2026, through 11:59 PM, Friday, February 27, 2026.

The City of Long Beach Police Department is seeking an Administrative Operations Officer (Special Projects Officer) to provide executive level oversight and strategic coordination in the Executive Office for the Chief of Police.

THE COMMUNITY

Ideally located on the Pacific Ocean south of Los Angeles, adjacent to Orange County, the City of Long Beach, California (population 470,000) is frequently described as a series of strong, diverse interwoven smaller communities within a large city.

Enjoying an ideal Southern California climate, Long Beach is home to an abundance of cultural and recreational options.

The Long Beach Convention Center, Aquarium of the Pacific, Queen Mary, and the annual Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, plus a wide variety of other attractions (two historic ranchos, three marinas, and five golf courses), serve to draw 6.5 million visitors a year.

The City is also home to California State University, Long Beach, and Long Beach City College. Cal State Long Beach is the second largest university in the state and was recently ranked the No.

3 best–value public college in the nation.

Covering approximately 50 square miles, Long Beach is supported by a wide mix of industries with education, health and social services, manufacturing, retail trade, and professional services comprising the highest representation.

Known for its livable and desirable neighborhoods, Long Beach was named by America’s Promise Alliance as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People two years in a row.

While it offers all the amenities of a large metropolis, many say Long Beach offers the added benefit of having maintained a strong sense of community and cohesiveness despite its growth.

A superb climate, quality schools, a vibrant downtown, and a wide variety of neighborhoods help make Long Beach one of the most livable communities in the country.

CITY GOVERNMENT

Long Beach operates as a charter city governed by an elected Mayor and nine City Council members elected by district.

The City Manager, appointed by the Mayor and City Council, oversees the daily operations of 15 departments and a proposed FY26 citywide annual budget of $3.7B.

The City employs over 6,000 full-time and part-time staff; dedicated to providing exceptional public services with the vast majority being represented by eleven employee associations.

• City Departments

• Proposed FY26 Budget
• 2030 Strategic Vision
• Elevate '28 Infrastructure Investment Plan

The City of Long Beach fosters an environment where every employee is celebrated for their individuality and unique talents they bring to their role.

Reflecting the diversity of the community within the workforce is a key priority embraced at every level of the organization—from management to policy creation.

City Leadership actively promotes equity and inclusion by partnering with staff and community stakeholders to advance fairness in all initiatives.

Transparency remains a cornerstone of these efforts with demographic data, including workforce diversity and pay equity by race and gender, shared publicly to ensure accountability and progress.

THE DEPARTMENT

The Long Beach Police Department is the second largest municipal police agency in Los Angeles County and provides law enforcement services to the 7th largest city in the State of California.

LBPD is dedicated to professional, proactive and innovative policing and is committed to building and maintaining positive relationships with the diverse community they serve.

THE POSITION

The Special Projects Officer is an at-will management position, reporting directly to the Chief of Police.

This position oversees assigned professional and administrative staff within the Executive Office and provides functional oversight and coordination across department bureaus at the direction of the Chief of Police.

The position also oversees and coordinates executive division operations, departmentwide initiatives, and citywide priorities – providing input into budget development, monitoring, and resource allocation in alignment with department objectives.

Appointment to this position is expected to be at or below the midpoint ($131,593.30) of the salary range, however, the final amount will be carefully determined based on the candidate's knowledge, skills, qualifications, and an evaluation of internal equity within the organization.

Requirements

Duties of this position may include, but are not limited to:

• Support day-to-day executive decision-making and operations of the Office of the Chief of Police to ensure alignment with City and community priorities.
• Oversee internal and external communications, including review and coordination of City Council correspondence, executive memos, public safety messaging, and departmental presentations and publications to City Council, the community, and various commissions including the Technology & Innovation Commission, Public Safety Committee, and Human Relations Commission, to ensure comprehensiveness, consistency, accuracy, and political sensitivity.
• Direct departmentwide project management efforts to ensure timely execution of priority initiatives and alignment with organizational objectives.
• Assist the Chief of Police and Executive Team, by providing analysis, recommendations, and strategic guidance on management, staffing and organizational issues.
• Serve as a liaison to the public, elected officials, the City Manager’s Office, City departments, law enforcement partners, and outside agencies facilitating intergovernmental coordination, community engagement activities, and the exchange of operational and data-related information.
• Manage and oversee departmental administrative support (clerical) staff and activities, including training and standardizing procedures, and efficiency enhancement efforts.
• Lead departmentwide strategic planning, policy development, and modernization initiatives, including operational improvement and community engagement strategies.
• Independently evaluate operational risk and exercise authority to make decisions that advance departmental objectives as outlined by the Chief of Police.

Qualifications

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Political Science, or a closely related field (proof required)*.

Experience offering specific and substantial preparation for the duties of the position for the required education on a year-for-year basis may be considered case-by-case.

EXPERIENCE

Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible professional experience performing duties similar in nature and complexity to those performed by this position.

*Required documents, such as transcripts, degrees, certificates, or licenses, must be uploaded to the online application in PDF format at the time of filing.

Any documents submitted must contain either the applicant's name or other identifying characteristics on the document.

Proof of education for academic degrees should indicate the type of degree and date of degree conferral.

Candidates who possess degrees or units from outside the United States must attach proof of educational equivalency at the time of filing.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• One year of supervisory or lead responsibilities is desirable, but not mandatory.
• Master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Governmental or Public Safety experience is desirable.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Will possess the following:

• Significant progressively responsible experience in administrative management, operations, or executive support within law enforcement, public safety, or a complex governmental organization.
• Demonstrated experience in strategic planning, policy development, and cross-organizational coordination.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing executive-level presentations, reports, and public-facing materials.
• Proven ability to exercise sound judgment, assess risk, and make independent decisions in high-profile or time-sensitive situations.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and evaluating professional staff.
• Knowledge of municipal government operations, budgeting processes, and community engagement practices is highly desirable.

Additional Information

This recruitment will close at 11:59 PM Pacific Time on February 27, 2026.

To be considered, please submit an online application, including a cover letter, resume, and proof of education (If qualifying with a degree) in PDF format.

Applications that fail to include all necessary documents will be considered incomplete and will not be taken into consideration.

Applications will be reviewed for depth and breadth of experience, and for level and relatedness of education.

The most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in further selection procedures.

The selected candidate may be required to go through a background check and a physical examination prior to appointment.

Applicants who do not meet the minimum requirements, including submission of all required attachments, will not be considered. For questions regarding this recruitment, please call (562) 570-7008.

The City of Long Beach is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value and encourage diversity in our workforce.

The City of Long Beach is committed to creating a workplace where every employee is valued for who they are.

Having our workforce reflect the diversity of our community at various levels of the organization is a continuous goal embraced by our departments, management staff, and policymakers.

To support efforts of fairness and diversity, City Leadership is committed to incorporating equity and inclusion into our work by supporting staff and community partners.

We are committed to promoting transparency by publishing updated demographic information for employees, including workforce diversity data and pay by race and gender.

The City of Long Beach will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act.

You are not required to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until you receive a conditional job offer.

If the City of Long Beach has concerns about a conviction that is directly related to the job after making a conditional job offer and conducting a background check, you will have the opportunity to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide evidence to mitigate concerns, or challenge the accuracy of the background report.

Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act

The City of Long Beach is committed to maintaining fairness and transparency in our hiring practices.

We believe in providing equal opportunities to all applicants and ensuring that every applicant is evaluated based on their qualifications and merit.

If you believe that you have been unjustly disqualified based on minimum qualifications for an unclassified job opportunity, you have the right to appeal the decision.

Find out more about the Applicant Appeal Process by visiting Applicant Appeal Process (longbeach.gov).

The City of Long Beach intends to provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If a special accommodation is desired, or if you would like to request this information in an alternative format, please call (562) 570-7008.

In support of the City’s Language Access Policy, bilingual skills (Spanish, Khmer and/or Tagalog) are desirable for positions interacting with the public.

For technical support with your governmentjobs.com application, please contact (855) 524-5627.