To view a recruitment brochure for the Military and Veterans Affairs Director position for the City of San Antonio please visit:

https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Initiatives/Join-Our-Team/Career-Opportuni…

The first application review will take place on May 24th, 2026. For consideration, please apply before this review date by sending your resume and cover letter to: saexecsearch@sanantonio.gov

To be considered for this position candidates must apply by sending a resume and over letter to saexecsearch@sanantonio.gov before May 24th, 2026.

About San Antonio
The City of San Antonio is the nation’s 7th largest city and is home to more than 1.5 million residents. Located in South Central Texas, approximately 140 miles from the Gulf of Mexico, San Antonio offers its residents one of the most attractive and affordable lifestyles in the country. Residents enjoy one of the lowest tax rates in the state as well as a plentiful supply of high-quality housing and low utility rates. The economy of San Antonio is an excellent mix of business services, manufacturing, health care, communications, corporate and regional offices, government, and the convention and tourism industry. San Antonio is also home to one of the largest concentrations of military bases in the United States. One of the nation's fastest growing cities, San Antonio is rich in recreational and cultural opportunities with over 15,000 acres of public parks and 150 miles of trails, over 50 museums and galleries, and home to the 5-time champion San Antonio Spurs. The Historic San Antonio Missions are Texas’ only UNESCO World Heritage site and is a UNESCO designated Creative City of Gastronomy.

City Government
San Antonio has a Council-Manager form of government with an eleven-member City Council. Councilmembers are elected by District, while the mayor is elected at-large. The term of office for the mayor and all members of the City are four-year terms, for not more than two (2) full terms of office. The City Council appoints the City Manager, who appoints all officials in executive positions with the exception of the City Clerk, City Auditor, Presiding Judge, and Municipal Judges.

The City of San Antonio has been recognized for its high level of professional management by the ICMA and National Civic League, amongst others. For ten consecutive years, the City has maintained a AAA bond rating. The Fiscal Year 2026 adopted budget is $4.06 billion with close to 14,000 employees across approximately 40 departments.

Military Presence
Known and trademarked as Military City, USA®, San Antonio has had a consistent military presence for over 300 years and this sector continues to play a major role in San Antonio’s history and economy. As the largest and most diverse joint base in the Department of Defense with an estimated annual economic impact of $55.1 billion, Joint Base San Antonio’s (JBSA) military installations include Fort Sam Houston, Camp Bullis, Randolph Air Force Base, and Lackland Air Force Base. JBSA serves as the largest single employer in the city, directly employing 67,350 military and civilian personnel. Occupying more than 45,000 acres in the Alamo region, San Antonio’s military commands conduct missions essential to national defense, and JBSA’s bases are a major hub for medical training, flight training, cyber operations, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations.

The Military & Veteran Affairs Department
The Military and Veteran Affairs Department (MVAD) collaborates with military partners to enhance mission readiness, protects installations, advocates for military issues at all levels of government, and supports veterans and their families. The department has 3 authorized positions and a total budget of $5,725,175 for FY 26.
MVAD program activities are designed to sustain and enhance the mission readiness of Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) and its mission partners to ensure the long-term protection of the region's military installations and missions. The department monitors local, state, federal, and civic activities that can impact (negatively or positively) the ability of the military to perform their assigned duties. MVAD maintains relationships with the business community, non-profits, government officials, other community partners as well as military leadership to ensure that the City of San Antonio's policies and priorities support the military community.

The Position
The MVAD Director serves as the City of San Antonio’s senior executive for military and veteran affairs, responsible for advancing strategic initiatives that strengthen the City’s partnership with Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), the Department of Defense, State of Texas, and regional stakeholders. The MVAD Director will provide executive leadership, policy direction, and operational oversight for the Military & Veteran Affairs Department, including oversight of the Military Transformation Task Force (MTTF), Veteran Affairs Commission (VAC), and state and federal entities that support military mission growth strategies. The MVAD Director will serve as the primary liaison between the City and senior military leadership, while ensuring alignment of City priorities, communications, and partnerships that enhance military readiness, maintain/grow regional economic impact and produce tangible results, as well as improve the quality of life for service members, veterans, and their families. The MVAD Director reports to a member of the City’s Executive Leadership Team and exercises supervision over assigned staff

Essential job Functions

Strategic Leadership & Military Engagement
• Serves as the City’s principal liaison to JBSA leadership, military commands, local, federal and state agencies, and defense partners.
• Leads and coordinates the Military Transformation Task Force (MTTF), aligning military priorities with community support and advocacy efforts.
• Advises the City Manager, Mayor, City Council, and City departments on military-related actions/initiatives, state and federal actions, and defense policy impacts.
• Leads and crafts strategies with local, state, and federal agencies to retain and grow military missions in the region, including coordination with state and federal congressional delegations, the Governor’s Office, and Department of Defense leadership.
• Identifies opportunities for defense-related funding supporting local commanders’ priorities, including municipal funding, and federal (e.g., Defense Community Infrastructure Program) and state grant programs (Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grant).
• Monitors and addresses issues impacting military installations such as Congressionally-mandated Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) actions, Military Department/Service basing decisions, force structure changes, urban encroachment, infrastructure needs, and mission transitions.
• Oversees implementation and alignment of planning efforts to protect military missions and installations such as Joint Land Use Studies (JLUS)/Regional Compatible Use Plans (RCUP) and other compatible land use strategies.
• Serves as the military lead on boards and commissions that support city goals.
• Oversees preparation of executive-level communications, including speeches, talking points, reports, briefing materials, and formal correspondence.
• Prepares for and participates in high-level meetings, presentations, and public engagements with military and civic leaders.
• Represents the City at military ceremonies, community events, and national defense-related forums.
• Directs departmental operations, including planning, budgeting, performance management, and staff supervision.
• Oversee coordination of complex, cross-functional projects with City-wide impact.
• Evaluates departmental processes and implements improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Supervises staff responsible for program delivery, administrative support, and strategic initiatives.
• Builds and sustains strong relationships with military leaders, community stakeholders, nonprofits, and private sector partners.
• Facilitates intergovernmental agreements (IGSAs) with the military that improve services, reduce costs, and enhance mission support.
• Supports workforce initiatives for transitioning service members, military spouses, and veterans.
• Promotes San Antonio’s identity as Military City USA®, Military Medical City USA® and a national leader in military-community collaboration.

Education & Experience
Qualified candidates will have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college in Public Administration, Business Administration, Political Science, or a related field, a master’s degree is preferred. Qualified candidates will have a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in government relations, military affairs, economic development, or strategic planning. They will also need a minimum of eight (8) years of supervisory or leadership experience.

The most highly qualified candidates for consideration will be selected based on a combination of education, career experience, and accomplishments that best fits the needs of the City of San Antonio.

The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate has previous experience in military service at a senior officer or equivalent leadership level (retired flag officer {O-7}) . They will also have extensive experience working with municipalities, military organizations and government agencies. Experience with grant writing, grant management, or federal/state funding programs is a plus. Ideal candidates will extensive knowledge of military service structure, ranks, missions, and installation operations, generally within the Joint Basing construct, but particularly with respect to Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA). They will also have knowledge of federal and state legislative processes, defense funding programs, and military construction (MILCON), and Facilities Sustainment, Restoration, and Modernization (FSRM) as well as knowledge of local and state government policies, procedures, and regulatory frameworks. The selected candidate should have an understanding of encroachment management, compatible land use, military-community planning efforts, and the Air Installation Compatible Use Zones (AICUZ).
The person selected for this position must possess exceptionally strong leadership capabilities and have the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment. They will have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, enabling them to build positive relationships and effectively communicate messages clearly and concisely to stakeholders, elected officials, employees, and staff. The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a sophisticated public sector environment alongside a high-energy executive management team.

Salary
An expected salary for an ideal candidate would be in the range of $130,000 - $190,000. Salary is commensurate with experience. The City offers generous benefits and retirement including annual and personal leave, monthly car allowance, deferred compensation plans, relocation/moving expenses and participation in the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS).

How To Apply

If you are interested in this opportunity, please send a cover letter, resume, references and salary requirements to:

saexecsearch@sanantonio.gov

The first resume review date will take place on May 24th, 2026. To ensure you are considered for this role please apply prior to the resume review date and submit your application as soon as possible. This position is open until filled. Upon receipt, resumes will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this brochure. Candidates selected for interview will be contacted by the City of San Antonio’s Executive Recruiter.