If you are wondering why the level of service for the City of Richmond is declining, why no one answers the phone anymore or returns phone calls, and why no one responds to complaints, it might be because there are over 100 job vacancies, and this is on top of the lowest number of funded positions in years. Not only have the Richmond Progressive Alliance (RPA) City Council members defunded the Police Department; there are 25 unfilled funded positions in the Police Department, including a number of critical sworn officer and dispatch positions.
Why is this happening?
Regarding the Police Department, there seem to be two reasons. The RPA-driven defunding and the general low regard the RPA City Council members have for police are discouraging potential candidates who would rather work in a city where they are better appreciated and have better job security. The Richmond compensation for police employees may also have dropped substantially below market, and the RPA City Council members have clearly signaled a lack of interest in fixing it. The compensation issue is difficult to evaluate because the City’s recently completed comprehensive compensation study is being withheld from both the City Council and staff. The defunding has also resulted in a high work load and stress factors that discourage recruitment.
Regarding other non-police positions, there could be several reasons for unsuccessful recruitment, including the same non-competitive compensation that is affecting police recruitment. Talking to City employees, I am hearing the City Council takeover by the RPA and the management style of the city manager, including a penchant to launch extensive and expensive investigations of City employees with little justification, has adversely affected employee morale, and the word gets out to prospective employees on the public service grapevine.
There has also been substantial turnover in leadership at the Richmond HR Department that may have adversely affected the recruitment program.
Having shared all this, I am optimistic that things will get better, and I believe Richmond is still a great place to work and will continue to be in the future. See City of Richmond Job Opportunities for a list of vacancies and application instructions.
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Vacant Full-time Positions |
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As of September 30, 2021 |
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GENERAL FUND |
|
Location Desc |
Description |
Number of Employees |
CITY ATTORNEY |
ASST CITY ATTORNEY |
1.00 |
CITY ATTORNEY |
ASST CITY ATTORNEY |
1.00 |
CITY ATTORNEY |
ASST CITY ATTORNEY |
1.00 |
CITY MANAGER |
EXEC SECRETARY II |
1.00 |
CITY MANAGER |
PRIN PERSONNEL ANALY |
1.00 |
COMMUNITY SERVICES |
EXEC SECRETARY II |
1.00 |
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRM |
ENVIRONMENTAL MGR |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
ACCOUNTANT I |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
ACCOUNTANT I |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
BUDGET ADMINISTRATOR |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
BUDGET ANALYST II |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
ACCOUNTANT I |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
ACCOUNTING MANAGER |
1.00 |
FINANCE |
BL FIELD INVEST |
1.00 |
FIRE |
DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF |
1.00 |
FIRE |
FIRE CHIEF |
1.00 |
FIRE |
FIRE FIGHTER |
1.00 |
FIRE |
FIRE FIGHTER |
1.00 |
FIRE |
FIRE FIGHTER |
1.00 |
FIRE |
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE |
1.00 |
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY |
BUSINESS ANALYST I |
1.00 |
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY |
DUPL MAIL ASST II |
1.00 |
INTERNAL SERVICES PROGRAM |
ASSOC. ADMIN ANALYST |
1.00 |
LIBRARY |
LIBRARIAN I |
1.00 |
LIBRARY |
SR LIBRARY ASST |
1.00 |
LIBRARY |
ADMN LIBRARIAN |
1.00 |
PLANNING & BUILDING REGULATION |
CODE ENF OFFICER II |
1.00 |
PLANNING & BUILDING REGULATION |
CODE ENF OFFICER II |
1.00 |
POLICE |
ACCOUNTANT II |
1.00 |
POLICE |
CRIME ANALYSIS TECH |
1.00 |
POLICE |
CRIME PREVENTION SPC |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFC TRAINEE |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM SRVCS OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM SRVCS OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
PUBLIC INFO OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE OFFICER |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE CAPTAIN |
1.00 |
POLICE |
POLICE LIEUTENANT |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM DISPATCHER I |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM DISPATCHER I |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM DISPATCHER I |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM DISPATCHER I |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM DISPATCHER I |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM DISPATCHER II |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM SFT SUPV |
1.00 |
POLICE |
COMM SFT SUPV |
1.00 |
POLICE |
PARKING ENF REP |
1.00 |
POLICE |
PARKING ENF REP |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
GARDENER |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
SR CIVIL ENGINEER |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
BLDG TRADES WKR I |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
UTILITY WORKER II |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
ELECTRICIAN |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
PARK CONT&MAINT WKR |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
PARK CONT&MAINT WKR |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
PARK CONT&MAINT WKR |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
EQUIPMENT OPERATOR |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
MAINTENANCE WORKER I |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
MAINTENANCE WORKER I |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
MAINTENANCE WORKER I |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
COMB. EQUIP MECHANIC |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
EQUIP MECHANIC IV |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
EQUIPMENT SUPERVISOR |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
MAINTENANCE WORKER I |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
MAINTENANCE WORKER I |
1.00 |
|
General Fund Total |
70.00 |
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NON-GENERAL FUND |
Location Desc |
Description |
Number of Employees |
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRM |
EXEC SECRETARY II |
1.00 |
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRM |
PORT DIRECTOR |
1.00 |
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRM |
SR BUSINESS ASST OFF |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
EMPLOYMNT PGMSPEC II |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
EMPLOYMNT PGMSPEC II |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
EMPLOYMNT PGMSPEC II |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
ADMN SERV ANLYST |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
ASST ADMIN ANALYST |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
SR EMPLOYMNT PGM SPC |
1.00 |
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING |
EMPL & TRAINING DIR |
1.00 |
HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT |
HR DIRECTOR |
1.00 |
INTERNAL SERVICES PROGRAM |
MANAGEMENT ANALYST I |
1.00 |
PLANNING & BUILDING REGULATION |
PLANNING MANAGER |
1.00 |
PLANNING & BUILDING REGULATION |
BUILDING INSPECTOR |
1.00 |
PLANNING & BUILDING REGULATION |
DEPUTY BDLG OFFICIAL |
1.00 |
PLANNING & BUILDING REGULATION |
INDUSTRIAL BDLG INSP |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
CONSTR INSPECTOR II |
1.00 |
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT |
OFFICE ASSISTANT II |
1.00 |
RENT CONTROL |
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE |
1.00 |
RENT CONTROL |
RENT PRG ANALYST II |
1.00 |
RENT CONTROL |
SENIOR MGMT ANALYST |
1.00 |
RICHMOND HSING AUTHORITY(RHA) |
RESIDENT HOUSING MGR |
1.00 |
RICHMOND HSING AUTHORITY(RHA) |
ADMINISTRATIVE AIDE |
1.00 |
RICHMOND HSING AUTHORITY(RHA) |
BLDG MAINT SUPV |
1.00 |
RICHMOND HSING AUTHORITY(RHA) |
SR DEV PROJ MGR |
1.00 |
RICHMOND HSING AUTHORITY(RHA) |
SR PROPERTY MANAGER |
1.00 |
WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY |
SR.ENV COM INSPECTOR |
1.00 |
WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY |
ENV SRVCS MANAGER |
1.00 |
WATER RESOURCE RECOVERY |
DIR WATER RES RECOV |
1.00 |
|
Non-General Fund Total |
30.00 |
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Grand Total |
100.00 |
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