City manager with 20 years in local government, leading a full-service city of 210,000 with 1,600 employees. Delivered six straight balanced budgets while raising reserves from 12% to 20% and launching a voter-approved $350M bond program. Brings executive leadership, council partnership and a record of measurable service improvements.
Experience
City Manager, City of Camelback (Camelback, AZ)
Jan 2020 – Present
Lead 1,600 employees across 14 departments with a $780M annual budget reporting to a 7-member council
Delivered 6 balanced budgets and raised general fund reserves from 12% to 20%
Led the $350M bond program approved by 64% of voters for streets, parks and public safety facilities
Launched a resident dashboard with 30 service targets; 22 now met, up from 11 in 2020
Assistant City Manager, City of Pinnacle Peak (Pinnacle Peak, AZ)
Apr 2013 – Dec 2019
Oversaw public safety, community services and IT with 900 employees
Led a regional dispatch consolidation that cut costs by $2.5M a year
Deputy Budget Director, City of Agua Fria (Agua Fria, AZ)
Jul 2006 – Mar 2013
Led recession-era budget restructuring that closed a $35M structural gap
Education
Master of Public Administration, Arizona State University (Aug 2004 – May 2006)
B.S. Political Science, Northern Arizona University (Aug 2000 – May 2004)
Finance: budgets, reserves policy, bond programs, credit ratings
Operations: public safety, utilities, performance management
Credentials: ICMA Credentialed Manager, Arizona City/County Management Association board
How to write a City Manager resume
A strong City Manager resume shows the programs, policies and public services you delivered, the budgets and rules you worked within, and the measurable outcomes for residents. Show the organization you ran (team size, budget, revenue) and the business results you are accountable for.
Sections, in order
Summary
Experience
Education
Skills
Certifications
Length: Two pages are common for leadership roles; keep the first page strong enough to stand alone.
Summary: Lead with your leadership scope and the business outcomes you are known for.
Skills to feature
Policy analysis
Program evaluation
Budget development
Regulatory compliance
Stakeholder and community engagement
Grant administration
Data analysis (Excel, Tableau, ArcGIS)
Briefing and plain-language writing
Public procurement (FAR or state code)
Interagency coordination
Example bullet points
Cut average permit review time from 42 to 19 days by redesigning intake and adding online plan submission
Wrote the fiscal analysis for a $38M affordable housing bond approved by 61% of voters
Coordinated 14 agencies through a FEMA-funded hazard mitigation plan update adopted on schedule
Tips from recruiters
For federal roles on USAJOBS, list hours per week, GS grade and exact dates for each role, and mirror the specialized-experience wording in the announcement.
Name the laws, programs and funding streams you worked with (for example CDBG, FEMA BRIC, the FAR or the state open meetings act).
Quantify public impact in residents served, dollars managed or days saved rather than describing duties.
Recommended templates
Classic (ATS-friendly): Jake's-style LaTeX classic: small caps and hairline rules
Meridian (ATS-friendly): Modern serif with a hairline date rail on the right
Ivy (ATS-friendly): Harvard-style Times layout with centered headings
City Manager resume FAQ
What should a City Manager resume include?
A City Manager resume should show the programs, policies and public services you delivered, the budgets and rules you worked within, and the measurable outcomes for residents. Use these sections in this order: Summary, Experience, Education, Skills and Certifications. Show the organization you ran (team size, budget, revenue) and the business results you are accountable for.
What is the best resume template for a City Manager?
Classic, Meridian and Ivy work well for City Manager roles. They are single-column with standard headings, so applicant tracking systems (ATS) parse them reliably.
How long should a City Manager resume be?
Two pages are common for leadership roles; keep the first page strong enough to stand alone.
Which skills should a City Manager put on a resume?
Prioritize the skills named in the job posting. Common ones for City Manager roles are Policy analysis, Program evaluation, Budget development, Regulatory compliance, Stakeholder and community engagement and Grant administration.
How do I write strong City Manager resume bullet points?
Start with an action verb, say what you did, and end with a measurable result such as residents served, budget managed and processing time. For example: "Cut average permit review time from 42 to 19 days by redesigning intake and adding online plan submission."