Post job

Explore jobs

Find specific jobs

Explore careers

Explore professions

Best companies

Explore companies

OverviewJobsSalaryResume

Skills

What They DoEducationCertificationsDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesBest StatesBest CitiesRemote JobsJob OutlookComparePart Time jobsEntry Level jobsFull Time jobsWork From Home jobs
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

City manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
5 min read
Quoted experts
Dr. Timothy Edwards,
Jaunelle Celaire
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical city manager skills. We ranked the top skills for city managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 9.0% of city manager resumes contained human resources as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a city manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 city manager skills for your resume and career

1. Human Resources

Human resources is a set of people in a business or a corporation that are designated to locate, interview, and recruit new employees into the company. They are also responsible to maintain the integrity of the employees and help them sort their problems out. They try to introduce and manage employee-benefit programs.

Here's how city managers use human resources:
  • Systematized processes in planning, finance, human resources and administration to eliminate unaccountable bureaucracy.
  • Served as interim Human Resources Manager during period of significant reorganization and change.

2. Economic Development

Economic development refers to an increase of creation of wealth that overall benefits a community. This may occur when a community, city, or country produces more goods to sell or when a job program is developed. By increasing the wealth of a community, the economy is stimulated and the quality of life for that population also increases.

Here's how city managers use economic development:
  • Developed and implemented public policy, led economic development, and instated retention incentives for industrial parks and local businesses.
  • Direct special projects, including establishing strategic planning, economic development, capital improvements and special construction projects.

3. Oversight

Having oversight of someone means to monitor a process or a situation. If someone has oversight of something, they are responsible for the completion of the project. Oversight is usually given to experts as they monitor their juniors or newbies as they go through a project.

Here's how city managers use oversight:
  • Provided administrative oversight of the Finance, Information Technology and Public Services departments.
  • Managed executive oversight on all Public Safety Services and customer service.

4. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how city managers use customer service:
  • Supervised a staff of four distribution drivers - sales/marketing team consisting of 35 customer service representatives.
  • Introduced total quality management (TQM) methods, streamlined/computerized permitting process and improved customer service.

5. Public Works

Public Works usually include the divisions of water, wastewater, street, landfills, airports, and parks and fall under the control of city managers or some other city staff.

Here's how city managers use public works:
  • Facilitated the consolidation of Public Works and Environmental Management addressing weed abatement issues.
  • Initiated eminent domain proceedings for public works and redevelopment projects.

6. Payroll

Payroll is the sum of all the compensation that an organization has to pay to employees at a specified time. Payroll is managed by the finance or HR department while small business owners may handle it themselves. Payroll isn't fixed as it varies every month due to sick leaves, overtime, etc.

Here's how city managers use payroll:
  • Guided organization to outsourcing of various functions including payroll saving an estimated 1MM.
  • Facilitated staff payroll and incentives.

Choose from 10+ customizable city manager resume templates

Build a professional city manager resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your city manager resume.

7. Public Safety

Public safety can be defined as the well-being or protection of a community, citizen, or nation as a whole. There are 4 basic elements that come under public safety namely: national security, border policy, countering crime, and emergency management.

Here's how city managers use public safety:
  • Worked collaboratively with Public Safety Unions/Pension Boards to renegotiate union contracts to reduce unsustainable nature of current and future public pensions.
  • Implemented routine salary and benefit reviews to ensure that City remains areas most competitive public safety employer.

8. Municipal Government

Here's how city managers use municipal government:
  • Assisted City Manager with general management responsibilities for growing municipal government.
  • Served as Chief Executive Officer of municipal government with 1700 employees and $300 million budget.

9. Customer Satisfaction

Here's how city managers use customer satisfaction:
  • Championed/introduced employee incentive programs, improved team productivity and efficiency, and substantially increased customer satisfaction and retention.
  • Provided and maintained customer satisfaction, identified new business opportunities, and provided strategies to increase business base.

10. Community Development

Community development refers to the process where community members are being supported by agencies to identify or take collective action on issues that are important to them.

Here's how city managers use community development:
  • Provided staff support for Aiken's non-profit community development organization.
  • Experience with inter-municipal agreements and community development block grants.

11. Direct Reports

Here's how city managers use direct reports:
  • Managed an 18 member accounting team (7 direct reports, 11 indirect), ensuring accuracy of staff work.
  • Direct reports by nine department directors and three program staff.

12. Cash Management

Here's how city managers use cash management:
  • Maintained and reconciled financial records and reports, as well as daily cash management.
  • Participated with clients in strategic planning, including expense forecasting, tax planning and cash management/investment strategies.

13. General Fund

Here's how city managers use general fund:
  • Restored financial integrity by doubling size of general fund budget to $15M during period of state mandated property tax reductions.
  • Developed financial planning models for the General Fund, Water & Sewer Fund, and Solid Waste Fund.

14. Onsite

Here's how city managers use onsite:
  • Generated $16000 in one day of onsite sales.

15. Strategic Plan

Here's how city managers use strategic plan:
  • Planned and coordinated strategic planning sessions for elected officials and senior staff and provided technical support to outside facilitator.
  • Performed market analysis and strategic planning to support product line objectives.
top-skills

What skills help City Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on city manager resumes?

Dr. Timothy EdwardsDr. Timothy Edwards LinkedIn profile

Professor, Interim Director, University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.

What city manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Jaunelle Celaire

Chair, Professor of Voice, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.
Do you want to know more?
Read more about what experts have to say about city manager

List of city manager skills to add to your resume

City manager skills

The most important skills for a city manager resume and required skills for a city manager to have include:

  • Human Resources
  • Economic Development
  • Oversight
  • Customer Service
  • Public Works
  • Payroll
  • Public Safety
  • Municipal Government
  • Customer Satisfaction
  • Community Development
  • Direct Reports
  • Cash Management
  • General Fund
  • Onsite
  • Strategic Plan
  • Budget Preparation
  • City Government
  • Development Finance
  • Customer Complaints
  • City Budget
  • City Operations
  • Municipal Services
  • Capital Projects
  • Business Development
  • Capital Improvements
  • Cash Control
  • Administrative Functions
  • Code Enforcement
  • Strategic Direction
  • FTE
  • Golf Courses
  • Bank Deposits
  • Law Enforcement
  • Local Businesses
  • Dollar Budget
  • Building Permits
  • FAA
  • Federal Agencies
  • Travel Arrangements
  • GIS
  • Tax Increment
  • Arbitration
  • Project Monitoring
  • CDBG

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs