City Manager Job Descriptions
City managers are administrators responsible for making city governments operate effectively as businesses, according to StateUniversity.com. They are chief executive officers for their cities. Their work is directed by elected officials who hire them, such as city councils and mayors. Employment of management occupations in state and local government is projected to climb 8 percent from 2008 to 2018. The median annual salary for a city manager in July 2008 was $94,992, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Duties
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City managers are responsible for hiring administrative officers and overseeing recordkeeping. They supervise the leaders of a city's essential departments such as sanitation, fire protection, law enforcement, recreational facilities and parks. City managers usually are involved in labor relations and contract negotiations with the city's unionized workers such as firefighters, teachers and police officers. They meet with community and business groups to discuss city policies and listen to residents' concerns. The paramount responsibility of a city manager is the preparation of a city's annual budget reflecting projected revenue and expenses, which is the subject of public hearings. In addition, city managers might handle re-zoning issues and building projects, according to JobProfiles.org.
Accountability
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Although city managers can make decisions, they are held accountable by the elected officials who gave them their positions. For example, city managers can devise a way to trim tax collection costs. After looking at all possibilities and making a decision on this topic, these professionals must present their idea to a city council before the plan can be put into action. City councils have influence because they determine policy and overall direction for a city through legislation, according to the City of Murfreesboro in Tennessee. However, the execution of a council's decisions is the prime responsibility of the city manager.
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Other Skills
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City managers must understand all aspects of government and public works, and cannot take sides in political debates. They must be able and willing to work full-time, year round. They must have strong leadership skills, be financially responsible and have strong communication skills, because they often participate in meetings and provide information to committees. City managers must have strong people skills to work well with city staffers.
Locality
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Most city managers work under the umbrella of governments of small and medium-size municipalities. These cities typically have populations of 10,000 to 500,000. Smaller cities might have only a city manager and one administrative assistant. In bigger municipalities, a city manager might have an assistant manager for various departments such as education and transportation.
Education
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For city managers, a master's degree in public administration is strongly suggested, according to DegreeDirectory.org and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although many cities don't require this degree, many prefer it. Other cities require at least a bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, finance or a related field. Classes in these degree programs might include public budgeting and finance, urban management and judgment/decision making. Aspiring city managers also might gain experience in this field as management analysts or assistants in government departments, or they can work as assistant city managers.
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References
- Photo Credit city image by WojtekZ from Fotolia.com
