Mayor R.T. Rybak appointed lobbyist Jennifer O'Rourke as his chief of staff.
O'Rourke has worked for the last 11 years for the League of Minnesota Cities, an organization that helps more than 800 cities with policy development.
She has pushed the league's agenda at the Legislature, and at state agencies and congressional offices, the mayor's office said. O'Rourke also served as administrator for the Economic Development Budget Committee in the Minnesota Senate.
She replaces Jeremy Hanson Willis, who left the chief of staff position last month to head the city's Community Planning and Economic Development Department.
O'Rourke will start on June 4 and does not require confirmation from the City Council.
"She's smart and well versed in the many issues that affect us at the State Capitol, especially property-tax reform, but her knowledge and experience translates very well outside the Capitol," Rybak said in a statement.
