City Manager

Job Title: City Manager

Department: City Manager
Salary: Dependent on Qualifications

Benefits Information

The City of Converse offers a competitive compensation and benefit package, including:

• Medical, vision, and dental coverage options for employees and their family
• Paid Holidays (established by City Council)
• Vacation leave accrues from the date of hire
• Sick leave accrues from the date of hire
• Retirement through the Texas Municipal Retirement System (TMRS) requires 7% employee contribution with the City of Converse matching 2-to-1 of the employee contribution
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plans
• Voluntary flexible spending account (FSA) for health and dependent care
• Employer-sponsored long-term disability
• Employer-sponsored life insurance for the employee, their spouse, and child(ren)
• Voluntary life insurance for the employee, their spouse, and child(ren)
• Voluntary short-term disability
• Tuition reimbursement
• Certification pay

General Description

The City Manager is responsible for directing a variety of administrative processes that allow the City to operate. It is their job to implement and oversee policies crafted by the City Council. They are also responsible for documenting and presenting the City budget as well as interfacing with the community to develop new programs.

Working under the direction of the City Council, the City Manager leads, plans, organizes and directs the operations of the City, including administering policies established by the Council in accordance with the City Charter, and state and federal law. He/she is the Chief Administrative Officer for the City and serves at the will of the City Council and is employed under the terms of a separate employment contract with the City. The City Manager develops and implements administrative procedures; coordinates and directs all departments, staff and operations; and

selects, develops, and utilizes staff. He/she supervises and provides leadership for City staff, direction of projects, city financing, and public and intergovernmental relationships.

Essential Job Duties:

Following City policies and procedures and the instructions and guidance of the City Council, the City Manager must be able to perform the following essential job duties, with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Shall appoint and, when he/she deems it necessary for the good of the City, suspend or remove all City employees and appointive administrative officers provided for by or under the City Charter, except as otherwise provided by law, the City Charter, or personnel rules adopted pursuant to the City Charter. He/she may authorize any administrative officer who is subject to his/her direction and supervision to exercise these powers with respect to subordinates in that officer’s department, office or agency.
• Shall direct and supervise the administration of all departments, officers, and agencies of the City, except as otherwise provided by the City Charter or by law.
• Shall attend all City Council meetings and shall have the right to take part in discussion but may not vote.
• Shall see that all laws, provisions of the City Charter and acts of the City Council, subject to enforcement by him/her or by officers subject to his direction and supervision, are faithfully executed.
• Shall prepare and submit the annual budget and capital program to the City Council.
• Shall ensure that the City Master Plan is maintained and all changes approved by the City Council.
• Shall submit to the City Council and make available to the public a complete report on the finances and administrative activities of the City as of the end of each fiscal year.
• Shall make such other reports as the City Council may require concerning the operations of the City departments, offices, and agencies subject to his direction and supervision.
• Shall keep the City Council fully advised as to the financial condition and future needs of the City and make such recommendations to the City Council concerning the affairs of the City as he/she deems desirable.
• Shall perform such other duties as are specified by the City Charter or may be required by the City Council.
• Shall keep a written inventory of all real property and all permanent equipment belonging to the City, said inventory to be subject to annual audit. A system shall be established and maintained to control the use and replacement of expendable items.
• Shall facilitate a minimum of ten (10) hours of annual municipal government training to include two (2) hours of budget/audit training for each Mayor/City Councilperson.
• Prepares or reviews and approves agendas and other materials for and assists with all meetings of the City Council.
• Communicates effectively with the City Council, City employees, and others in order to provide, exchange, or verify information, answer inquiries, address issues, or resolve and/or report problems or complaints.
• Develops and implements plans for the personnel, financial, and program aspects of city operations in accordance with budgetary and other policy direction established by the City Council.
• Supervises the City's program and administrative functions and provides general leadership and direction, including ensuring that advance planning is conducted for management of the City's future growth and development.
• Provides adequate and accurate information to news media so that citizens can be informed of governmental activities.
• Meets with citizens, developers, and community groups and committees.
• Works closely with policy and advisory boards or committees appointed by the City Council, and with the general public; interacts with other city managers, with statewide organizations and associations, with representatives of governmental agencies at the state and federal levels, and with the news media.
• Follows City and Department policies and procedures and the instructions of City Council.
• Is helpful, cooperative and courteous, and demonstrates a good attitude in all dealings with the public, co-workers and others.
• Demonstrates initiative and diligence in the prompt and proper completion of all job duties, whether or not listed in this Job Description.
• Safeguards City property and recognizes and reports needed repairs.
• Works safely, follows safety rules and training, and maintains a clean, safe and healthful working environment.
• Maintains appropriate confidentiality with regard to City business.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the City Council or contractually bound.

Education and Basic Requirements:

The City Manager must meet the following requirements.

• At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in public administration, with at least five (5) years as a City Manager, Assistant City Manager, or executive in government service.
• Demonstrated success in working well with elected officials and department heads, as well as the private sector.
• Experience in economic development.
• Preferred Masters Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or closely related field from an accredited college or university.
• Satisfactory background and credit checks and physical/medical exam and drug screening.
• Must be able to be bonded.
• Have and maintain a valid Texas driver’s license and acceptable driving record.
• The City Manager need not be a resident of the city or state at the time of his appointment, but he/she must agree prior to such appointment, to become a resident of Converse within six (6) months from the date of appointment. If he/she thereafter fails to become a resident of Converse within that six (6) month period, he/she shall be deemed to have forfeited his appointment and the office shall be declared vacant by announcement of the Mayor at the first meeting of the City Council following the expiration of the six (6) month period.

OTHER REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

The City Manager should possess the following knowledge, skills and abilities shown below.

Knowledge of:

• General management principles, budgeting procedures and multi-funded financing operations, regulations, guidelines prepared by state and federal agencies on a variety of programs.
• Areas of water acquisition, planning and development, utility services, and public works.
• Good working knowledge of laws and government codes/regulations.
• Proficient in inspections procedures/requirements.
• Principles and processes for providing good customer and personal services. This includes the ability to assess customers’ and co-workers’ needs, meet quality standards for services and evaluate customer and co-worker satisfaction.
• Administrative and clerical procedures and systems including but not limited to word processing, file and records management and form design.
• Acquire and maintain a working knowledge of Incode.

Skill in:

• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to get along well with the public, co-workers and others.

Ability to:

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with officials in local, state, and federal government and in the private sector.
• Select, develop, organize, motivate, and effectively utilize staff.
• Interpret and communicate state, federal and local rules, regulations and guidelines
• Recognize, evaluate and adequately respond to a variety of issues faced by the City.
• Communicate in English effectively, both orally and writing.
• Work independently with limited supervision.
• Work significant amounts of after-hours time, attend meetings as needed, and be flexible so as to handle other assignments as directed by the City Council.

Physical and Mental Requirements:

In order to successfully achieve the goals of the City, the City Manager must meet the following physical and mental requirements with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Sit, stand, move around, bend, reach, stretch, push and pull and remain upright for extended periods of time in one room. Must be able to lift or move objects weighing as much as fifteen (15) pounds. The activities and the approximate amounts of time required per day for each are shown below.
• Sitting - 65%
• Bending - 5%
• Standing - 5%
• Lifting objects of 35 pounds or less - 5%
• Pushing or pulling - 5%
• Reaching - 5%
• Moving within and without the office environment - 10%
• Ability to work under pressure/stress and under deadlines in order to respond to the Council, co-workers, and the public.