LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's former deputy chief of staff was tapped Tuesday to become the city's highest-ranking, non-elected leader.

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Marcus Allen was named to replace current City Administrative Officer Karen Sisson, who is leaving for a job at Pomona College.

Allen's appointment -- he would be the first African American to hold the position -- is subject to approval from the Los Angeles City Council. The mayor's office expects Allen to take over on July 1, the first day of the next fiscal year.

"I know Marcus Allen as a tough-minded person of integrity and talent," Villaraigosa said. "With a difficult budget forecast on the horizon that will require singular focus, I have total confidence that Marcus will pick up the outstanding work Karen has done without missing a beat."

The CAO is responsible for the city's multibillion-dollar budget, labor relations programs and debt management.

Allen spent five years in the City Controller's Office, two as an assistant general manager and three as chief deputy controller. In 2005, he began work as one of the mayor's deputy chiefs of staff.

Controller Laura Chick applauded Allen's appointment, calling him a "highly dedicated and experienced executive manager."

"I saw firsthand his expert abilities when he served as my chief deputy in the Controller's Office. It is a major boon for the people of Los Angeles to have Marcus come back to take the reigns of the CAO's Office. He will help lead this city to make long overdue changes," Chick said.

The appointment also gained support from the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

"Having been on the other side of the table from Marcus over the years, I can say that Marcus is uniquely qualified to lead as L.A.'s City Administrative Officer," said LAPPL President Tim Sands.

"Marcus will provide the city with professional leadership and integrity and we look forward to working with him in the years to come," he said. "We think that the community is very fortunate that someone with Marcus' abilities is available to the city at this time."

Allen is a graduate of UCLA, and holds a master's degree in public policy from the University of Chicago.

Allen briefly made headlines last summer when the controller announced she planned to employ him as a consultant. At the time, concerns were raised over Allen's ties to lobbyists, and Chick and Allen eventually decided not to move forward with the contract.

Sisson is leaving the city to become the vice president and treasurer of Pomona College, of which she is a 1979 graduate. Sisson began her career with the city of Los Angeles in 1990, working with the Community Redevelopment Agency.

She was appointed interim CAO in December 2006, and was confirmed by the Los Angeles City Council last March.

"I'm thrilled and excited about the opportunity that Pomona has given me," Sisson said.

Noting that the city is facing a multimillion-dollar deficit in the next fiscal year, "if you could pick a time to start a new job, this wouldn't have been the most opportune," Sisson said. "That said, going through a transition with someone of Marcus' caliber and integrity and just all around smarts and knowledge of the city, that's the next best thing."