Employers
Cities large and small have council-manager forms of government and require city managers for the administration of policies and programs. Counties and suburbs also have managers. The International City/County Management Association reports that 85 percent of U.S. cities with a population of 2,500 or more, as well as an additional 372 counties, use a council-manager form of government. Those with a master's degree in public administration may find work as a city planner. Other employment possibilities include working as an administrator of a hospital or an association, or in private industry. Some professionals with this background work as instructors for undergraduate public administration programs at universities or community colleges.
Starting Out
Nearly all city managers begin as management assistants. As a new graduate, you'll work as a management analyst or administrative assistant to city managers for several years to gain experience in solving urban problems, coordinating public services, and applying management techniques. Or you may work in a specific department such as finance, public works, civil engineering, or planning. You'll acquire supervisory skills and also work as an assistant city manager or department head assistant. After a few years of competent service, you may be hired to manage a community.
Other avenues of potential employment include online job listings and professional journals. Those willing to relocate to smaller cities at lower salaries should have better job opportunities.
The position of city manager is not entry level and competition is keen. You will need five to 10 years of experience as an assistant city manager, department head, or in another managerial position before you will be considered for a position as a city manager.
The International City/County Management Association offers several career guides that aspiring and current city managers should read. They include Careers in Local Government Management; Breaking into Local Government; Management Internships; and ICMA Job Hunting Handbook for Local Government Professionals. Visit https://icma.org/career-guides to download the guides.
- Advertising Managers
- Agile Coaches or Trainers
- Ambassadors
- Aviation Safety Inspectors
- Bailiffs
- Bank Examiners
- Border Patrol Agents
- Campaign Workers
- Civil Engineers
- Congressional Aides
- Construction Inspectors
- Construction Managers
- Cryptographic Technicians
- Customs Officials
- Demographers
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Economists
- Emergency Management Directors
- Environmental Lobbyists
- Environmental Planners
- EPA Special Agents
- FBI Agents
- Federal and State Officials
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Foreign Service Officers
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Futurists
- Health and Regulatory Inspectors
- Information Technology Consultants
- Information Technology Project Managers
- Intelligence Officers
- Internet Developers
- Interpreters
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Lobbyists
- Manufacturing Supervisors
- Marketing Managers
- Military Recruiters
- Military Workers, Enlisted
- National Park Service Employees
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Park Rangers
- Policy Analysts
- Political Columnists and Writers
- Political Consultants
- Political Reporters
- Political Scientists
- Political Speechwriters
- Press Secretaries
- Product Owners
- Project Managers
- Property and Real Estate Managers
- Public Opinion Researchers
- Real Estate Developers
- Recycling Coordinators
- Regional and Local Officials
- Scrum Masters
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Statisticians
- Traffic Engineers
- Traffic Managers
- Translators
- Transportation Planners
- Urban and Regional Planners
- Wind Energy Project Managers