City Managers may:

Appoint department heads and their staff members  

Supervise activities of departments that perform such functions as collection and disbursement of taxes, law enforcement, construction of public works, and purchase of supplies and equipment  

Prepare the annual budget and submit it for approval  

Inform the city council of the city's financial conditions and needs  

Plan for future growth and development of the city and surrounding area  

Recommend residential and commercial zoning regulations  

Study current problems such as crime, and report findings to the elected council  

Develop policies to present to the mayor or city council for adoption  

See that all laws and city ordinances are enforced  

Keep council advised on city activities by reports and other means  

Inform the public regarding the operations of city government  

Prepare long-range plans involving land use and economic development  

The materials and work aids used may include:

Since City Managers are the chief administrators of a city, they supervise, directly or indirectly, all nonelected personnel. Depending on the size of the city, they may supervise assistant city managers, department head assistants, and administrative assistants. In turn, they may be supervised by the elected mayor and the city council members.  

City Managers generally work in clean, well lighted, well ventilated offices. Their job requires that they make frequent trips to inspect the work of various departments, meet representatives of firms doing work for the city, and see how other cities handle certain problems.  

City Managers frequently work more than 40 hours per week. In addition to handling after-hours emergencies, a City Manager may have to attend meetings held by the city council, other city committees, or civic organizations. They may travel out-of-town to attend seminars and meet with other city officials or conventions. They might be furnished with a car or receive a travel allowance.  

City Managers may join professional associations such as the International City Management Association. Members pay periodic fees, which are often reimbursed by the city.  

You Should Prefer:

• Activities concerned with the communication of data  

• Activities involving business contact with people  

• Activities resulting in the esteem of others  

You Should Be Able To:

• Plan, direct, and coordinate entire projects, from start to finish  

• Perform a variety of duties which may change frequently  

• Choose the best administrative method/practice for each situation  

• Communicate ideas to others, both orally and in writing  

• Influence people's opinions/attitudes/judgments about ideas/things  

• Accept criticism gracefully  

• Rate information by using your personal judgment  

• Deal effectively with people beyond giving and receiving instructions  

• See detail/recognize errors in math/spelling/punctuation  

• Work well with a wide variety of people with differing opinions  

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If there is a tax increase of 1% and a certain resident paid $1000 in taxes last year, what will they pay this year?  

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

Business conditions change, particularly in market economies. When the swings become severe, unemployment can rise and business failures can increase.  

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write a report explaining to the residents why there is a need for a tax increase.  

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the best way to spend the tax money so the residents get the most benefits possible.  

NOTE: An Associate Degree (two years of study beyond High School) or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond High School) or A Master's Degree (five to six years of study beyond High School) or A Professional Degree or Doctorate (seven to ten years of study beyond High School) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:  

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 1100 ECONOMICS , 1700 GOVERNMENT , 2200 MATH , 2800 PUBLIC SPEAKING , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES , 3300 TECHNOLOGY

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript  

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

146 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Programs in Public Administration provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills needed for careers at the executive and managerial levels of all areas of local, county, state, or national government service.  

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

You may be able to explore or gain experience in this field through a summer internship or work-study programs available to undergraduate college students at many colleges and universities. A limited number of graduate fellowships and internships are also available, but competition for these positions may be keen.  

                School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships  

mentorships  

job shadowing experiences  

touring a local City Manager employer  

internships  

volunteer work with a City Manager employer  

community service work with an agency  

To become a City Manager, when an opening occurs, apply directly to the city council. Replying to advertisements and using personal contacts are other common job-seeking techniques. Some cities may require applicants to take an examination to determine their knowledge and technical competence to plan and coordinate the administrative functions of a city. After graduating from college, public administration majors often begin their career by serving a six-month to one-year internship in a City Manager's office. They may also be hired as assistants to City Managers. In addition, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:    

Earnings of City Managers vary according to their previous experience as a City Manager and the size and location of the city in which they wish to work. For example, cities in the western states pay higher salaries. Earnings are also dependent on the skill of individual negotiations with city councils, since the councils decide how much City Managers will be paid.  

Nationally, in 1998 the average annual salary for all City Managers working as the chief appointed officer for cities with a council government was $73,002. Assistant City Managers typically earned an average annual salary of $59,498.  

Annual salaries for City Managers and Assistants in several Michigan cities were (mid 1999):  

Annual salaries of City Managers in Michigan ranged from $27,470 to $119,960 in mid 1999. Full-time Assistant City Managers earned from $19,011 to $104,603 per year.  

Depending on the city, most City Managers receive paid vacations and holidays; life, accident, disability, and hospitalization insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. These benefits are usually paid for, at least in part, by the city. In addition, some City Managers receive a car or a car allowance, educational benefits, and deferred compensation plans.  

Most City Managers begin as assistants. Those who are recent college graduates work as administrative assistants to City Managers for several years to gain experience. Relocation is frequently necessary for a Manager wishing to climb the career ladder. After gaining practical experience as an assistant, the able candidate may be appointed City Manager of a small city. With additional experience, the Manager of a small city may advance to a larger city, which would offer more complex challenges, greater responsibilities, and higher pay. Advancement depends primarily on experience, training, ambition, and supervisory ability.  

More than 4,500 City Managers were employed nationwide in 1998. Demand for City Managers will increase as more cities convert to council-manager government, currently the fastest growing form of city government.  

There are approximately 250 City Managers employed in Michigan. There were also approximately 75 Assistant City Managers. The distribution according to city population was:  

Some large cities such as Detroit and Lansing do not have City Managers.  

Because of the small number of City Managers, only a few growth openings occur per year. Most openings are due to replacement of those who retire or leave the occupation. As population grows and shifts to suburban and outlying areas, and as cities become larger, more cities may convert to a City Manager form of administration. Furthermore, the increased emphasis on regional solutions to urban problems should result in additional job opportunities for City Managers. Applicants should expect keen competition for openings because of the many experienced assistant managers and department heads seeking to enter City Manager positions. Individuals with college degrees in public administration or managerial experience will have the best chances for employment.  

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.