How to become A City Manager

• CEO: Municipality

What do City Managers do?

A City Manager would typically need to:

• Serve as Chief Administrator and Executive Officer of the city; implement and oversee policies set by the mayor of the city and city council
• Ensure compliance with government laws by initiating and following through with corrective action to rectify any violations
• Recommend and create new public programs and services by studying, identifying and anticipating the city’s community service trends and changing needs
• Establish and maintain an effective system of communications throughout the citY; represent the city in all public utility franchise concerns to ensure optimum performance
• Prepare and submit an annual budget to the city council with details of the city’s fiscal status and unanticipated fluctuations in tax revenue or other funding sources
• Administer the implementation of the budget by monitoring city expenditures
• Approve hiring, suspending, enforcing necessary disciplinary actions, and firing the staff member(s)
• Oversee the government departments; monitor and mentor the staff and support their participation in professional development programs
• Meet with various heads of departments to identify and resolve issues including personnel needs and project costs
• Collaborate with local businesses and government institutions to continue the city’s economic development and provide advanced opportunities to the residents of the city
• Represent the city and present ideas in public meetings and conferences, address media questions about city council activities; coordinate city activities with civic and commercial organizations
• Ensure citizen welfare; implement an appropriate level of safety, municipal services, and a clean community environment
• Inform the citizens about city policies & procedures; receive feedback, respond to and directly resolve difficult questions or concerns via emails and calls
• Write proposals for new ordinances or resolutions; ensure completion of reports and studies commissioned by elected officials
• Oversee and implement economic development projects, comprehensive public works, and succession plans for critical positions
• Participate in local, regional, and state-level networking opportunities; provide personal leadership for projects and programs that are highly sensitive, political or controversial

A City Manager serves a diverse group of stakeholders, from residents to city employees, and must be sensitive to the needs and desires. They serve as a conduit between the mayor, city council, and city personnel, with the city council being the immediate supervisor. Most of the workday is spent in the office or meeting with various stakeholders of the city. Working closely with others as part of a team is the norm. You may be required to visit different towns and sometimes stay there for more than three weeks.

The dress code may vary according to location and season but would generally entail a business casual attire.

City Managers are supposed to have a regular work schedule of eight hours per day, five days a week. However, frequent change in tasks and occasional emergencies could translate into an irregular program with overtime becoming a necessity.

Under a council-manager form of government, its members can get to decide who is going to be the city’s manager via a series of interviews. The council may hire a headhunting firm to recruit the most qualified candidates as the City Manager, which may make the selection process challenging to get through.

City Managers are generally employed by:

• City Councils of Large Cities
• Small Towns
• Suburbs
• Other Communities

Professional associations and organizations are a crucial resource for those interested in pursuing professional development or connecting with like-minded professionals in their industry or occupation. Membership in one or more looks excellent on your resume to bolster your credentials and qualifications as a City Manager.

• Time pressures, frequent change of tasks and multitasking compounded by a noisy & distracting work environment
• Work made tedious by lack of resources and capacity to match the needs of the city
• Increasingly uncivil civic discourse
• Little or no help from increasingly dysfunctional state and central governments

The role of a City Manager is far from what an entry-level job would require you to do. If possible, secure an internship in your local city to learn more about the practical side of the city government. Most employers require at least five years of local government experience. Before assuming a City Manager’s role, professionals typically have backgrounds as an assistant City Manager or department leader with progressively responsible experience in goal setting and program evaluation.

There are no hard and fast rules for a City Manager’s educational qualifications, and they tend to come from various educational backgrounds, including criminology, finance, and accounting. However, a bachelor’s degree in public administration would improve your chances of getting hired as a City manager.

Ideally, you will take classes that include technical and professional writing, macro and microeconomics, government and public affairs, data-driven decision making, financial statement analysis, organizational behavior principles, and business policies and strategies. Most programs include a public administration capstone project that may involve practical experience or a research paper.

A degree in political science, business administration or business management is a viable option. A master of public administration (MPA) or certified public manager credentials may also be recommended by employers. The increase in demand for City Management positions has led to some schools offering a City Management graduate certificate as part of the MPA program or even training in City Management.

Certification from an objective, credible and reputed organization can help you gain professional credibility, stand out in a competitive job market, increase your chances for a promotion or advancement, validate your knowledge and increase your confidence at work, and help you build your knowledge in a specific area or stay up-to-date on technology.

Voluntary certification is often seen as evidence of an individual’s drive and motivation, giving them a leg up for raises and promotions. A valid driver’s license would prove handy for a City Manager.

City Managers typically work up through the ranks of management to the top local government jobs. Most town managers begin their careers in a small town and then work their way up to a larger city position.

Focus on a career path, such as finance, engineering, or law enforcement, that has a practical application to local government and learn the principles that will prepare a person to lead a complex and diverse organization. Also, understand how to manage relationships. Add these to your City Manager toolbox and broaden your career options.

City Managers are hired by the city council and mayor. When elected positions change, it is common for the City Manager to move on to a job in a new city. The experience will help City Administrators build a reputation for excellence and move into higher-paying positions throughout their careers.

Candidates who have the required education and experience while remaining passionate about public service and influencing positive change in local government, have the best job prospects.

A City Manager continues professional education and development to maintain and enhance performance. Ongoing professional development in the areas of public administration and management is expected. Attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, and participating in professional societies are all means towards those ends.

If you have your sights set on becoming the City Manager of a larger city, consider continuing your education with a graduate degree in public administration. Most graduate programs in public administration only admit students who already have professional experience in the field. In addition to advanced courses in public administration, you may also complete a thesis or a major research project that reflects your specialty or interests.

The Growing Need for City Managers

Due to natural population growth, greater job opportunities, and an influx of immigrants, cities and the surrounding suburban communities have become bigger and more complex to manage. With this continued growth of cities, there is an unfilled need for city leaders. The same is true of “exurbs” in large metropolitan areas, where the number of residents can come close to those of a midsize city. That is where City Managers come into play.

While people may equate City Managers with large cities, any community can employ a City Manager to ensure operations run smoothly. Smaller towns sometimes hire them to oversee the city’s services, and large suburbs increasingly hire professionals to monitor local activities.

Why Should You Take Up This Career?

For many young professionals, working in public service means working at the federal/central or state level, not local government, but that is not necessarily the case. As more members of the Baby Boomer generation serving as City Managers reach retirement age, this relatively unknown field falls wide open to talented young professionals or career changers wanting to contribute to the future success of their communities.

If you might be someone with interest in making a real difference in local government, someone who aims for getting things done for your community, or if you find delight in getting involved in local politics simply because you love serving the public, then you should consider looking into a career in City Management. A City Manager does exactly that.

Making and Carrying out Decisions

City Managers serve a dual purpose – acting as public administrators and as the Chief Executive Officer of the local government unit. You must have the skill and experience directing the city’s bureaucracy to help the council make sound decisions. You must also possess the qualities of a good public administrator to carry out those decisions (e.g., government policies) made by the council.

Although you will be very much involved in the council’s decision-making as you are their chief advisor, you virtually do not have any voting power on laws legislated by the group.

Overseeing Departments

Departments may include parks, finance, community development, police, water and sewer, fire, library, and building and inspections. A City Manager’s job description includes overseeing departments that take care of services and utilities. When an emergency arises, a City Manager responds quickly and informs the mayor and city council of the situation.

How Long Does the Job Typically Last?

One aspect of City Management that may be different from other local government positions is that the jobs typically last about three to six years. This is because most are hired, not elected, and can lose their position if a majority of council members decide it is time for a change.

Daily and Long-Term Responsibilities

Among all appointed positions in a local government unit, City Managers take the top spot. As senior city administrators, they must have their fingers on the pulse of the city’s needs. City Managers focus on the practical, everyday responsibilities of running a city and long-range programs that benefit residents.

Working with Diverse Stakeholders

City Managers help bridge the gap between politics and administration. They are successful at managing relationships among and between a diverse set of stakeholders such as elected officials, community members, colleagues, and other government officials. They are public-facing and work hand-in-hand with elected officials in mapping out a city’s future.

According to a United Nations report, by 2050, seven percent of the world’s expected 9.8 billion people will be living in urban areas.

Being a City Manager is not a typical CEO type of job. To be successful, City Managers need to get their hands dirty, roll up their sleeves, and mix it with diverse community members, elected officials with differing views, and colleagues ranging from police officers to planners. To demonstrate an understanding of these various functions, a City Manager needs to display sincere interest, become sensitive to the needs of these different disciplines, and understand the role each subject plays in the success of a community. This is a 24/7/365 commitment.

Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. The most effective way to do it is to do it. Remember that done is better than perfect. To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.