A city manager, usually appointed by the elected officials of a community, administers and coordinates the day-to-day activities of the community. The city manager oversees such functions as tax collection and disbursement, law enforcement, public works, budget preparation, studies of current problems, and planning for future needs. In a small city, the manager handles all functions; in a larger city, the manager usually has a number of assistants, each of whom manages a department.
City managers and their assistants supervise city employees, coordinate city programs, greet visitors, answer correspondence, prepare reports, represent the city at public hearings and meetings, analyze work procedures, and prepare budgets.
Most city managers work for small cities (under 25,000) that have a council-manager type of government. The council, which is elected, hires the manager who is then responsible for running the city as well as for hiring a staff. In cities with a mayor-council type of government, the mayor hires the city manager as his or her top administrative assistant.
A few managers work for counties and for metropolitan and regional planning bodies.
Most city managers begin as management assistants in one of the city departments such as finance, public works, or planning. Experience in several different departments is valuable and can provide a well-rounded background.
There are few women in this field, but this is a new and growing profession with room for people with training in a variety of disciplines that relate to the functions and problems of urban life.
Places of employment and working conditions
City managers are employed in cities of all sizes, but job opportunities are greatest in the eastern states.
Working conditions for a city manager are usually those of an office position with considerable public contact. More than 40 hours a week is usually required, and emergency situations and public meetings frequently involve evening and weekend work.
Qualifications, education, and training
Persons planning a career in city management must be dedicated to public service and willing to work as part of a team. They should have self-confidence, be able to analyze problems and suggest solutions, and should function well under stress. Tact and the ability to communicate well are very important.
A graduate degree is presently required even for most entry-level positions in this field. An undergraduate degree in a field such as engineering, recreation, social work, or political science should be followed by a master's degree in public or municipal administration or business administration.
Requirements in some of the 185 colleges and universities that offer advanced degrees in this field include an internship of six months to a year, in which the candidate must work in a city manager's office to gain experience.
Potential and advancement
More than 5,000 persons are presently employed as city managers and assistants, and the field is growing. However, job competition is expected to be very strong over the next few years, due to an increase in the number of graduates in this field.
Recent computerized management techniques for taxes, traffic control, and utility billing will create openings for those trained in finance, while increasing emphasis on broad solutions to urban social problems will result in job opportunities for those with a strong public administration background. In addition, the council-manager system of government is the fastest growing type of government in the country, and the move is toward professional, rather than elected, city management.
Generally, one begins as an assistant to a city manager or department head with promotions leading to greater responsibility. A city manager will probably work in several different types and sizes of cities in his or her career, which will further broaden the person's experience and promotion potential.
Income
Salaries for city managers depend on education, experience, job responsibility, and the size of the employing city. Salaries are generally high, ranging from $42,559 per year in cities of 5,000 to $84,591 in cities of 100,000 or more and more than $109,000 a year in cities of 500,000. Those who work as assistants earn $29,578 to $72,130 in cities of comparable size.
Benefits usually include travel expenses, and a car is often provided for official business.
Additional sources of information
The International City Management Association, Washington, DC 20005
