City Manager Job Description Template

In plain language: Establishes the official job title, the governing body the city manager reports to (typically the city council), and whether the role is full-time exempt.

Common mistake: Listing the mayor as the reporting authority instead of the full council. In a council-manager government, the manager reports to the council as a body — not to any individual member — and conflating this creates governance ambiguity.

In plain language: A 2–4 sentence description of why the role exists, the overall scope of responsibility, and the organizational outcome the city manager is accountable for.

Common mistake: Writing a generic executive summary copied from another organization. Council expectations, budget size, and community context differ materially between municipalities — a generic summary creates misalignment from the first interview.

In plain language: An enumerated list of the core functions the city manager is expected to perform, including departmental oversight, budget management, council relations, and intergovernmental affairs.

Common mistake: Using passive or vague language such as 'assists with' or 'supports' for duties that are in fact the manager's direct accountability. Vague duty language makes performance evaluation and termination-for-cause determinations legally vulnerable.

In plain language: Defines which staff the city manager directly supervises, what financial and operational decisions may be made independently, and the dollar thresholds for contract and expenditure authority.

Common mistake: Leaving delegated dollar thresholds blank or stating 'as determined by council policy.' Without specific figures in the job description, the manager and staff lack a reliable reference, and council members may apply inconsistent standards.

In plain language: States the minimum academic credentials and years of relevant experience required for the role, typically a master's degree in public administration or a related field and a specified number of years in local government management.

Common mistake: Setting a minimum requirement that is either too restrictive (excluding qualified candidates without an MPA) or too permissive (allowing candidates without any local government experience). Either extreme narrows the candidate pool inappropriately and may expose the city to civil service or equal-opportunity challenges.

In plain language: Lists desirable but not mandatory credentials, including ICMA Credentialed Manager status, specific technology or enterprise resource planning (ERP) experience, and competencies valued by the council.

Common mistake: Listing preferred qualifications that functionally screen out all but internal candidates. If the preferred criteria match only the incumbent or a known candidate, the posting may be successfully challenged as a sham recruitment.

In plain language: States the salary range or band, benefits entitlements, residency requirements, and whether the position is at-will or subject to a fixed-term contract with severance protections.

Common mistake: Omitting the residency requirement or making it aspirational rather than mandatory. Many states and charters require the city manager to reside within city limits; leaving it out of the job description creates a post-hire dispute when council enforces it.

In plain language: Describes the frequency and structure of formal performance evaluations, the criteria used, and which body conducts the review.

Common mistake: Omitting performance evaluation criteria entirely or leaving them to a separate document that never gets adopted. Without evaluation criteria tied to the job description, the council lacks a defensible basis for termination-for-cause and the manager has no clear performance benchmark.

In plain language: States that the recruitment and appointment process comply with applicable equal employment opportunity laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act (or equivalent), and any applicable civil service or charter rules.

Common mistake: Using a generic boilerplate EEO statement without confirming it reflects current federal and state law. States such as California, New York, and Washington require specific protected-class language beyond the federal floor — a dated template may omit legally required categories.

In plain language: Lists background check requirements, licensure verification, drug screening policies, and any bond or oath-of-office obligations required before the appointment becomes effective.

Common mistake: Failing to list all pre-employment conditions in the job description. Introducing a background check or drug screen requirement only after a conditional offer is made can trigger a legal challenge if the candidate argues the requirement was not disclosed upfront.

A city manager job description is a formal document adopted by a city council that defines the title, duties, qualifications, reporting structure, compensation range, and conditions of employment for the municipality's chief administrative officer. It serves as the legal and operational foundation for recruiting, appointing, and evaluating the city manager, and is typically required to be posted publicly under civil service or open-government regulations before any recruitment begins.

A city manager serves as the chief administrative officer of a municipality under the council-manager form of government. Core responsibilities include directing all city departments and their directors, preparing and administering the annual operating and capital budget, implementing council-approved policies, negotiating contracts, managing intergovernmental relations, and advising the council on administrative and policy matters. The city manager does not set policy — that authority belongs exclusively to the elected council.

Most municipalities require at minimum a bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, or a related field, plus seven to ten years of progressively responsible local government management experience, including several years at a department director or senior executive level. A master's degree in public administration (MPA) and ICMA Credentialed Manager (CM) status are widely preferred but not universally required. Larger cities often require experience managing budgets of a comparable scale and overseeing collective bargaining agreements.

In a council-manager form of government, the city manager reports to the full city council as a collective governing body — not to the mayor or any individual council member. The mayor in a council-manager city is typically a presiding officer with limited independent executive authority. The job description should make this reporting structure explicit to prevent governance conflicts after hire.

In most US jurisdictions operating under a council-manager charter, the city manager serves at the pleasure of the council and can be removed by majority vote at any time. However, most employment agreements include a severance provision — typically three to six months' salary — payable upon termination without cause. In Canada, the UK, and the EU, statutory notice and severance minimums apply regardless of what the appointment document says.

A city manager is typically the chief administrative officer in a council-manager form of government, with broad delegated authority over all city operations, departments, and staff. A city administrator often operates in a strong-mayor form of government, with narrower authority that is subject to the mayor's direction. The distinction affects reporting structure, delegated authority, and the scope of duties. Some states use the titles interchangeably, so confirming the applicable charter language is essential before drafting the job description.

City manager roles in the US are governed by a combination of the municipal charter, state municipal law, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA — the city manager is typically classified as exempt), state civil service statutes where applicable, equal employment opportunity law (Title VII, ADA, ADEA), and any applicable collective bargaining laws. Charter cities have significant discretion; general-law cities must comply with state-prescribed structures and procedures.

Yes, for most municipalities. The job description establishes the legal framework for the appointment and must comply with the city charter, applicable state law, civil service requirements, and equal employment opportunity standards. A city attorney review before posting is standard practice and typically takes one to three hours. For cities without in-house counsel, retaining outside municipal law counsel for this review is well worth the cost given the exposure a defective posting can create.

City manager compensation varies substantially by municipality size, region, and budget complexity. As of 2024–2025, salaries range from approximately $80,000–$120,000 for towns under 25,000 residents, $120,000–$180,000 for mid-size cities of 25,000–100,000 residents, and $200,000–$400,000+ for large metropolitan areas. Total compensation typically includes a pension, health and dental benefits, a vehicle allowance, and in some cases a housing stipend. ICMA publishes annual compensation surveys that councils can use to benchmark offers.