Jukka-Pekka Ujula was elected by the Helsinki City Council on 13 September to the position of City Manager for a seven-year term. Ujula has worked in the public sector for almost his entire career and therefore has plenty of experience and a good track record in the strategic and operational management of a large public organisation. Because of his previous positions, he is familiar with the role he will have as presenter to the City Council and working as a representative of the City Executive Office. He also has years of experience working in cooperation with elected officials.
Ujula has also led several significant change management projects, and during his long-term management of a public sector organisation, he has participated in a variety of different local, national and international networks to promote urban policies and vitality.
The current term of the City Manager ends on 14 October. The date that Ujula will begin in his new position will be agreed on separately.
The City Manager is the City of Helsinki’s most senior officeholder, charged with leading the city’s Central Administration and the City Executive Office under the direction of the City Council. The City Manager also acts as a presenter to the City Board, its subcommittees and the Mayor, and is the head of the Executive Directors of the four Divisions conducting city operations. The City Manager has a central role in managing the entire city, together with the rest of the senior management team.