As the top administrator of a local government, the manager organizes and directs a team of department heads, supervisors, technicians, and support staff to implement programs and deliver public services. The local government manager’s primary responsibility is to implement the policies of the elected officials for whom they work. In a council-manager government, the manager prepares the annual budget, oversees personnel, and directs day-to-day operations.
According to IMCA.org, salaries for local government managers vary widely depending on the population and demographics of the community and region in which it is located. In 2012, the median annual salary of a city manager was $103,000, ranging from $63,000 in municipalities with fewer than 2,500 residents to $235,099 in cities with a population of more than 1 million.