City Manager
A City Manager, called a Township Manager in township governments, is the appointed chief administrative officer of a municipality, directing departments, the budget, and daily operations on behalf of the elected governing body. This is a sample job description from Excelon Associates that you can adapt as a template for your own city manager hire.
What does a City Manager do?
A city manager is the professional executive who runs a municipal government. Appointed by the elected council or board, the manager serves as chief administrative officer: directing every city department, preparing and administering the annual budget, appointing and supervising department heads, and turning the governing body's policy decisions into working programs and services.
Whatever the title, the position is the operational center of the municipality, accountable to the elected body for everything from public safety staffing and road programs to labor agreements and the municipality's financial condition.
A city manager is the appointed chief administrative officer of a municipality under the council manager form of government. In township governments the same role is titled township manager, and some charters use city administrator. All are professional executives who direct operations and answer to the elected governing body.
What does the city manager oversee?
The manager owns the operating side of the municipality: every department, the budget, personnel administration, labor relations, and the delivery of daily services. The elected council or board sets policy, and the manager is accountable for turning that policy into results.
Key responsibilities of a city manager
- Serve as chief administrative officer, directing the day to day operations of all municipal departments.
- Implement the policies, ordinances, and strategic priorities adopted by the governing body.
- Prepare and administer the annual operating and capital budgets, and safeguard the municipality's financial position.
- Appoint, supervise, and evaluate department heads, and oversee personnel administration.
- Advise the council or board on operational, financial, and policy matters, and attend all public meetings.
- Lead labor relations, including negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements.
- Direct economic development initiatives, capital projects, and intergovernmental relations.
- Ensure reliable delivery of municipal services, including public safety, public works, utilities, and community development.
- Represent the municipality with residents, businesses, and county, state, and federal partners.
- Ensure compliance with all applicable laws, charter provisions, and grant requirements.
What qualifications does a city manager need?
- Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, or a related field; master of public administration (MPA) strongly preferred.
- Seven or more years of progressively responsible municipal management experience, such as manager, deputy or assistant manager, or department director in local government.
- ICMA Credentialed Manager designation preferred.
- Demonstrated success with municipal budgeting, labor relations, economic development, and council relations.
- Strong public communication skills and a record of transparent, ethical leadership.
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Download the TemplateWhy is the city manager hire so important?
The manager is the one appointment through which an elected body runs the entire municipal organization. Service quality, financial stability, department leadership, and staff culture all flow from this seat, and councils live with the consequences of the hire for years.
Turnover at the manager level is also disruptive in a way few other roles are, since every department head reports to the position. A careful, well run selection process protects the organization and the community it serves.
A hiring note from Excelon
The strongest city manager and township manager candidates are usually sitting managers who will only engage through a confidential process. Excelon Associates recruits municipal executives for local governments nationwide, holds a GSA Human Capital MAS contract, and typically presents a qualified slate of candidates in three to five weeks, supporting the council or board from profile through appointment.
The manager is the one appointment through which an elected body runs the entire municipal organization.
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Frequently asked questions
What does a City Manager do?
A City Manager is the chief administrative officer of a municipality. The manager runs the day to day operations of all city departments, prepares and administers the budget, appoints and supervises department heads, and implements the policies adopted by the elected council or board.
What is the difference between a city manager and a mayor?
A mayor is elected and provides political leadership, while a city manager is a professional executive appointed by the governing body to run municipal operations. In the council manager form of government the mayor presides over the council and the manager administers the organization.
What is the difference between a city manager and a township manager?
The roles are professionally equivalent. A township manager serves a township form of government, common in states such as Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Michigan, while a city manager serves an incorporated city. Both act as appointed chief administrative officers who direct departments, prepare the budget, and answer to the elected governing body.
What qualifications does a city manager need?
Municipalities typically require a bachelor's degree in public administration or a related field, with a master of public administration strongly preferred, plus seven or more years of senior municipal management experience. The ICMA Credentialed Manager designation is a frequent plus.
How much does a city manager make?
City manager pay scales with population and budget size. Managers of smaller municipalities and townships often earn $110,000 to $150,000, mid sized cities commonly pay $150,000 to $250,000, and managers of large cities can exceed $300,000.
How are city managers hired?
City managers and township managers are appointed by the elected governing body, usually following a structured recruitment. Many municipalities engage an executive search firm to recruit candidates nationally, screen finalists confidentially, and support the council or board through interviews and appointment.
Hiring a City Manager?
Excelon Associates recruits city managers, township managers, and municipal executives for local governments nationwide. Retained executive search since 2007, headquartered in Asheville, NC, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL.
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