The City Manager of Alexandria, Virginia, is an official appointed by the City Council and serves as the City’s Chief Administrative Officer. As Chief Administrative Officer, the City Manager is responsible for the daily operations of Alexandria City’s government. Among other responsibilities, the City Manager oversees the City’s budget and finances and appoints all of the City’s heads of department and employees. It is important to note that the City Manager is not responsible for heads of departments in elected, judicial, or school positions. The City Manager position, in many respects, is similar to that of a County Executive in that they are responsible for the operation of all government departments.
A few examples of programs or departments the City Manager oversees include the Community Policing Review Board, established by the City Council’s resolution condemning police brutality and systemic racism in 2020. The City Attorney and the City Manager drafted an ordinance establishing the Community Policing Review Board for the Council to review. Once the Review Board is officially established, the County Manager will work closely with the Board to implement its recommendations. The City Manager is also responsible for implementing Alexandria’s new collective bargaining agreement, which is the first locality in Virginia to authorize such an agreement under new state law.
The current City Manager is Mark Jinks, who has been serving in that role since 2015. City Manager Jinks has three Deputy City Managers who help manage the daily operations of the City:
Emily Baker is the Deputy City Manager responsible for overseeing and facilitating the City’s land use planning, zoning, historic preservation, transportation, environmental protection, code administration, affordable housing, recreation, parks, cultural activities, and museum functions.
Debra Collins is responsible for the oversight of Public Safety Agencies and the Department of Community and Human Services. She is the City Liaison to the Health Department, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Court Service Unit, and the Sheriff’s Office. She is also responsible for all City grant funding to nonprofits and functions as the City’s lead staff to the Alexandria City Public Schools. Collins previously was the Director of Human Services for the City of Alexandria.
Laura Triggs is currently responsible for overseeing the Finance Department, the Department of General Services, Legislative Office, Information and Technology Services, and the Office of Management and Budget. Triggs also serves as the City Liaison to the Registrar of Voters and the Courts.
Contact information for the City Manager’s office can be found on the City of Alexandria’s website.
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