Now Hiring: Head of City Personnel Department

Mayor Eric Garcetti said he is looking for a new director to head up the city's Personnel Department, with General Manager Maggie Whelan retiring at the end of June.

Whelan was appointed to the position in 2000 by then Mayor Richard Riordan. She oversaw the hiring of 6,500 police officers and led the consolidation of 23 separate personnel divisions into a single department.

Garcetti said Whelan's 47-year tenure with the city and 14 years as a general manager "will stand as a record of dedication and achievement."

When faced with "some of the toughest and most contentious times in our city's long history," Whelan was always "a constructive problem-solver and has never wavered in her commitment to inclusion and fairness," he said.

Whelan said she is proudest of having shifted the department's focus from rules to customer service.

David Luther, former personnel assistant general manager, will be acting director after Whelan steps down.

Garcetti said he is looking for a "dynamic and innovative human resources leader" to replace Whelan.

Steve Harmon, of management consulting firm Citygate Associates, was retained find a new department leader.

—City News Service