CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (May 7, 2026) – The City of Chattanooga has launched a new employment website developed in partnership with Work for America (WFA), a national nonprofit that helps state and local governments remove barriers to public sector hiring and build the teams their communities depend on.
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The city’s updated employment website marks a significant step in efforts to strengthen recruitment and hiring practices. To kick off the partnership, city employees across a variety of departments and job functions participated in a WFA-led workshop to define what it means to work for the City of Chattanooga.
Through these conversations, employees articulated a shared identity: Chattanooga as “a city transformed by connection,” grounded in a people-first culture. Employees emphasized a strong sense of teamwork, a commitment to innovation, particularly around sustainability, and a deep dedication to serving Chattanooga residents.
In addition to developing the city’s authentic narrative to enhance recruitment strategies, WFA conducted a hiring diagnostic with key members of the City of Chattanooga’s human resources team to identify opportunities for improvement. Results showed that hiring practices at the city are
stronger than most government agencies; while the average time to fill a position at the city is 35 days, the national average for government jobs
is 80–120 days. This means positions are filled more quickly, reducing disruptions to city services and operations.
“You can tell when a city is loved by the people who run it,” said Caitlin Lewis, Executive Director of Work for America. “In Chattanooga, that shows up everywhere: in the teamwork, the sense of place, the belief that public service moves the city forward. We’re honored to help tell that story and to inspire both current and future talent to choose Chattanooga.”
As one of five cities selected nationwide, Chattanooga’s Spotlight City designation reflects the city’s commitment to rethinking how local government attracts, hires, and retains talent at a time when public services are more essential than ever.
“Public service is only as strong as the people behind it,” said Burnessa Rollins, Deputy Chief Human Resource Officer for the City of Chattanooga. “Finding the right talent isn’t just hiring; it’s building the future of our community, where every great hire strengthens the trust as we deliver services to people who live, work and play in Chattanooga.”
These efforts to improve hiring practices are in keeping with One Chattanooga values that inform and motivate the work of every employee at the City of Chattanooga.
The annual City Expo hiring event will be held in October. Open positions range from full-time and leadership roles to part-time, temporary, and
entry-level opportunities. Look for all open positions at chattanooga.gov/careers.
Watch Inside Chattanooga: A City Reinventing What It Means to Serve | Work for America
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About Work for America
Honored by Fast Company as one of 2026 World’s Most Innovative Companies, Work for America (WFA) is a nonpartisan
nonprofit rebuilding the talent pipeline into state and local government. We connect talented professionals to public sector roles, help governments modernize how they recruit and hire, and inspire the next generation of public servants to see government as the most powerful place to drive progress. By expanding pathways into government and telling a new story about public service, WFA is helping communities build the teams they need to deliver results. WFA’s work has been recognized by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and TIME.