Breaking into local government takes tenacity and patience. Most senior managers will tell you they started their careers with some kind of internship or fellowship (paid and/or unpaid).
As senior managers begin to retire in greater numbers, local governments need bright and dedicated young people to make public service their career. ICMA is working to increase opportunities for the local government leaders of tomorrow.
Here are suggestions for how you can pursue your interest in local government management:
- Search ICMA's Job Center.
- Explore ICMA's Local Government Management Fellowship.
- Check out Management Internships: A Guidebook for Local Governments.
- Veterans, check out our Veterans Local Government Management Fellowship
The websites of state local government management associations often also list internship opportunities. ICMA provides a list of these organizations. If these sites do not offer specific internship listings, they may connect you to resources in other jurisdictions near you.
The Network of Schools of Public Affairs and Administrations (NASPAA) also offers information on internships on its Public Service Careers site. Lastly, your own school or university may have contacts with local governments through its career services or political science/public administration departments.
Informational Interviews
Contacting managers and assistant managers for informational interviews is a great way to build your local government network. If you're an ICMA member, you can find contact information for ICMA members in our Who's Who database.
City and county websites also offer contact information for various departments. Simply Google the local government you'd like to contact.
Local Government Management Fellowship/Internship Programs
(Alphabetized by State)
National Listings
Arizona
California
- CalOpps Internship Clearinghouse
- Municipal Management Association of Southern California Job Board
- Municipal Management Association of Northern California Job Board
- City of Long Beach Management Assistant Program
District of Columbia
Kansas
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington
The ICMA Senior Advisor program (formerly Range Rider Program *) is a joint activity of ICMA and state sponsors established by the ICMA Executive Board in 1974 to make the counsel, experience, and support of respected, retired managers of the profession available to members. Currently 114 Senior Advisors in 30 states provide a highly valued service by volunteering their time to offer confidential professional and personal support and advice.
Senior Advisors are selected jointly by the state sponsor and the ICMA Executive Director. Although they are expected to be visible, accessible and responsive to members and association needs, Senior Advisors are unpaid volunteers who pursue other activities while in retirement and thus are not “full time.” Expenses are shared by ICMA and the sponsoring state organization. The expenses allocated depend on the size of the state, the number of Senior Advisors and funds available from the sponsors.
Senior Advisors are available to meet periodically with members in their states or areas to discuss the profession and their concerns as members. Discussion topics range from relations with elected officials, overall management questions, relations with ICMA, responses to local controversies such as referenda on the council-manager plan, to career development.
Senior Advisors are friends, colleagues, and advisors to the profession—not consultants. The Senior Advisor program is designed to help with personal and professional issues, not to provide technical assistance or solve substantive problems in a local government. However, Senior Advisors may consult with local governments as individuals, on a part-time basis, as long as the consulting does not impair the effectiveness of the Senior Advisors. Senior Advisor guidelines contain advice for Senior Advisors who do part-time consulting.
Senior Advisors may also help communities interested in creating a professional local government management position, including adoption of council-manager government.
Members with questions on the Senior Advisor program can contact Senior Advisor Program Coordinator, Pam Brangaccio at (727) 204-8095 or e-mail pbrangaccio@icma.org.
*2013-2014 Program Review
As part of a review of the program in its 40th year, the ICMA Executive Board, in February 2014, approved changing the name from Range Riders to Senior Advisors to better describe the role and its primary emphasis on providing members with advice and support.
