professional management

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City, town, and county managers make an enormous difference in the communities they serve. 

SLACMA supports ICMA’s top organizational priority to continue to build momentum for professionally managed local governments—to demonstrate and promote the “performance dividend” of professional management.

Professional managers, much like executives running private sector corporations, bring together the leadership, vision, and focus on results needed to create better communities by:

• Managing financial and human resources;
• Delivering services;
• Planning strategically for community development;
• Using performance metrics systems to drive continuous improvement; and
• Committing to high ethical standards.

SLACMA believes that communities benefit most when professional managers operate in a council-manager form of government, and works hard to promote this system.

The Benefits of Professional Management

• The appointed manager or administrator is charged with carrying out the policies established by the elected officials, and with delivering public services efficiently, effectively, and equitably.  Elected officials, in turn, have more time to concentrate on creating a vision for the community’s future.

• Day-to-day operations are managed by a professional who is educated and trained in current city and town management practices, state and federal laws and mandates, and cost-effective service delivery techniques.

• Responsiveness to citizens is enhanced by centralizing administrative accountability in an individual appointed by the elected governing body. City and town managers or administrators are appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the elected legislative body. They generally do not have guaranteed terms of office or tenure. They are evaluated based on their responsiveness to the elected legislative body and community, and on their ability to provide efficient and effective services.  If the administrator is not responsive to the elected officials, s/he may be terminated at any time.  In that sense, the manager's or administrator’s responsiveness is tested daily.

• Professional managers or administrators bring technical knowledge, experience, academic training, management expertise, and dedication to public service. 

Local government managers, like other chief executives, are responsible for the overall performance of their organizations. As the top administrator, the manager organizes and directs a team of department heads, supervisors, technicians, and support staff to initiate and manage programs and deliver public services.

A career in local government management is challenging -- and extremely rewarding. Few other careers offer the opportunity to have such a positive impact on your community.

Most positions in the field of local government management require a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree.  Below is a list of accredited MPA programs in the St. Louis area:

University of Missouri-St. Louis  

Public Policy Administration Masters Program 

MASTER OF PUBLIC POLICY ADMINISTRATION 

University of Missouri-Columbia 

Harry S. Truman School of Public Affairs 

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Saint Louis University  

College of Education and Public Service 

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale  

Department of Political Science 

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville  

Department of Public Administration & Policy Analysis 

MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION