City managers act as chief executives for government agencies.
At its most basic, the job of a city manager is roughly the same as being the chief executive of a municipality.
And like chief executives, city managers shoulder the responsibility of making the municipality work while answering to a board of directors – except for a city manager it’s an elected city council or commission.
City Manager’s Fill Executive Role for Government
According to an article on the National Association of Schools of Public Administration website, about 60% of America’s cities use a city manager form of government.
A Journal of Public Affairs Education article published on the National Association of Schools of Public Administration website said a city manager’s position is a rarity among public jobs.
“The position of city manager is one of the few truly general management executive roles within our public sector, where an appointed rather than an elected official serves as the chief administrative officer,” the article said.
A city manager is tasked with carrying out the policy decisions of the council or commission elected to represent the public. Most city managers work at the pleasure of the council or commission and are answerable to the elected body.
This, along with city managers moving to larger cities for more responsibility and higher pay, can lead to some turn-over in the position.
Job Duties for City Managers
A survey by the International City/County Management Association posted on its website, imca.org, showed a city managers’ average tenure in one city was 7.4 years but they remained in the profession for an average of nearly 20 years.
A city manager is in charge of a municipality’s administration, ranging from finances to overseeing police, fire, public works, zoning, utilities and other departments.
The job can include ultimate oversight of a large number of employees. For example, the city of Phoenix, one of the largest cities with a city council and manager government, employs 12,000 workers, the city’s website said.
The U.S. Census Bureau said in 2011 that 12 million people worked full time for local government with another 4.9 million working part time.
Education Requirements for City Managers
While a bachelor’s degree in public administration can serve as the foundation for entering into the city manager profession, most in the position pursue a master’s degree in public administration.
However, a bachelor’s degree in public administration can provide entry-level jobs in municipal government and allow you to accumulate experience while pursuing a graduate degree, the PublicServiceCareers.org website said.
The city/county management association survey showed 62% of city managers held a master’s degree in either public administration or business administration and 24% had a bachelor’s degree. Fewer than 2% held degrees above a master’s.
There are more than 250 programs offering a master’s in public administration or public policy, PublicServiceCareers.org said. Most take two years or four semesters and usually include an internship during the summer with the first year directed at completing a core curriculum.
The master’s degree programs look at how to implement policies, organizational skills and budgetary concerns, according to PublicServiceCareers.org. This will typically cover public policy analysis, leadership, economics and public management.
The core courses focus on management and include topics such as human resources and personnel, financial management, management principals and information systems, the website said.
The National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration represents 253 college programs, including public administration. On its website, the association reports that basic courses may cover statistics, public budgeting, administration and democracy and managing public organizations.
The salary is largely based on the size of the city and will vary greatly. The management association’s survey said the average pay for a city manager was $97,000 in 2006. An article in the Sacramento Bee that was updated in 2012 said 476 city managers in California had an average salary of $200,000.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics considers city managers in its category with top executives in other fields and said the median salary is $100,000 a year.
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