Jim Parajon brings more than 30 years of experience as a professional urban planner and public administrator to his role as City Manager of Alexandria, Virginia. Since joining the City in January 2022, he has overseen a municipal government of over 3,000 employees in a dynamic, 15.2-square-mile independent city adjacent to Washington, D.C., serving a population of approximately 160,000 residents.

Parajon's career spans both the public and private sectors. He previously held senior positions in the North Carolina cities of Raleigh and Cary, and spent nearly a decade managing planning operations at private consulting firms, including URS Corporation and Buchart Horn Inc. His experience includes leading major development projects, managing municipal operations, and guiding long-term planning strategies.

From 2006 to 2022, Parajon served the City of Arlington, Texas, in multiple leadership roles. As Director of Planning and Development, he managed diverse functions including real estate services, civil engineering, the Arlington Housing Authority, federal grant programs, and building inspections. He later became Deputy City Manager, overseeing a broad portfolio that included asset management, public works, economic development, communications, libraries, the Office of Strategic Initiatives, and more.

Parajon holds a bachelor's degree from Dickinson College and a master’s degree in Regional Planning from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In 2014, he was inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners—one of the profession’s highest honors. He has presented at national and regional planning conferences and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Texas at Arlington.