Recently, I worked on a webinar series titled, “Is the ACAO Your Next Career Move?” For me, this has always been my goal, and my path through finance was the happy accident. 

In this article, I’ll impart some tips on how to successfully transition from a department director to assistant or deputy city administrator within the same organization. Also, city managers should read, too, as it may help you aid a successful transition!

I remember being an MPA student at the University of Kansas and feeling like the only career path modeled to me was one of jumping from town to town, moving up in career title and size of community. I knew from the start this wasn’t for me. I wanted to stick to one metropolitan area so my husband could also develop his career and we could be near family. Committing to one area would mean I may need to be flexible with my title and path to the manager’s office.

I graduated with my MPA in 2010 during the Great Recession so flexibility was key. After a short stint working for the State of Kansas I came across a budget analyst role for the city of Olathe. I knew the leadership and culture in Olathe were great, so I applied, not expecting to stay in budget and finance for a decade.

However, budget and finance turned out to be a great fit for me. The work is cyclical, task-oriented, and the backbones of organizations. I got to learn a little about everything in these roles, eventually transitioning to another city. Five years ago, it brought me to a finance director position at my current city, Prairie Village.

Over time it became more and more clear that an assistant manager role was my next move. The daily weeds of the finance position, especially at a small organization, began to feel tedious. Fortunately for me, the prior deputy city administrator moved on to another organization, and I was appointed to her role.

The transition from a technical department to a leadership position was not easy! Most notably, the new role oversaw planning and community development, which I had never overseen. And while learning the basics of planning and zoning, the community was in a political debate about attainable housing. Even though this was extremely stressful, it truly forced me to understand the basics of planning and housing, and quickly.

Despite the challenges, I immediately loved the new role and knew it was a good fit for me.

The following are practical tips that helped me transition successfully within the organization:

1. Shift from tactical to strategic thinking. 

You will need to shift from being a “doer” to a “director.” This was hard for me! Going from completing numerous specific daily tasks to some days where all I did was “think” all day, it can feel unproductive. But we all know this is the most productive time spent.

2. Backfill your old role as soon as possible. 

Do not fall into the trap of continuing with a prior role while transitioning to the new one. This is common when someone is promoted within an organization. Thankfully, in my situation we had someone in mind to take my old role who was in the position to apply.

3. Explore areas of the organization you didn’t touch in your prior role. 

In my case, this included joining the citizen’s police academy, going on police ride-alongs, and doing park tours. This not only educated me but exposed me to more employees throughout the organization to allow them to start seeing me in a different role.

4. Create a fresh start. 

Change offices if you can! For me this was just a move down the hall. Depending on the size of your organization, the new role may be in a new building so a move may be inevitable, but for me I could have stayed in place. A change of scenery went a long way. Also, consider switching up some of the details. I upgraded some of the little things, like getting a new water bottle, coffee cup, and lunch bag. It sounds silly but it helped me feel like I was “starting over.”

5. Refer to ICMA’s publication, The First-Time Assistant Chief Administrative Officer’s Guide. 

(Shameless plug.) The guide includes an entire section on moving up successfully within the organization. Additional resources, such as state-specific documents, are included in the guide.

If you or a department director in your organization is looking to move up—congrats and good luck! Most of the required skills and experience for an ACAO are consistent with department directors: leadership, management, decision-making, communication, and business acumen. Your unique technical skills may be exactly what is needed for the broader organization.

NICKIE LEE is deputy city administrator for Prairie Village, Kansas.