Thank you for considering ICMA’s resources as you begin the process of finding a new executive for your community. ICMA has resources to make the search and hiring process more efficient and effective:
Executive Search Firm Directory
ICMA's directory of firms that specialize in local government executive recruitment and placement; available as an online roster and a downloadable guide.
Recruitment Guidelines Handbook
Guidelines to help local government officials recruit and select the best professional for their needs.
Model Employment Agreement
A template for administrators of municipal governments. Useful for both the council and the manager.
Manager Evaluations Handbook
A starter resource for a new or tenured professional manager to assist local elected officials in the design of an effective evaluation tool. (Member Resource)
Sample RFPs
Sample requests for proposal from local governments seeking to hire an executive search firm.
Considerations
- When conducting a search for an executive or for other positions, you should check resume details to verify credentials, experience, and qualifications. ICMA's Recruitment Guidelines Handbook, linked above, is a helpful guide for the CAO hiring process.
- If you are looking for a search firm, sample RFPs for executive search services are available in our document database. Searching our site using keywords may reveal more as they are added, also available using the link above.
- ICMA maintains a Job Center targeted to ICMA members and other local government professionals. Designed to be self-service, our online job board is available directly to local governments and recruiters alike. To see examples of current job descriptions that may appear in the ICMA Job Center, please use the link above under "Sample Job Descriptions."
Code of Ethics and Membership
- ICMA is concerned with local government administrators, assistants, and support staff maintaining high personal and professional standards and requires its members to submit complete and accurate credentials when they apply for employment.
- ICMA exposes your job to a network of ICMA members who are committed to the ICMA Code of Ethics. In addition to the professional benefits managers gain by joining ICMA, local governments benefit as well. ICMA members must agree to the principles of the code as a condition of membership and are subject to peer review of their conduct under a well-established enforcement process.
- If you hire a nonmember of ICMA, encouraging membership to the association will bring those same benefits to both the individual, and your community. Details are available at icma.org/membership.
- If you would like a copy of ICMA’s Code of Ethics with guidelines, download above or at icma.org/ethics.
Job Advertisement
ICMA's Job Center offers additional features that are included in the cost for executive/deputy CAO posts.
- Your post for CAO/Deputy CAO is renewable for an additional 60 days at no charge.
- CAO/Deputy CAO posts are automatically included in the weekly ICMA Leadership Matters newsletter as long as the post is live. A 60-day post reaches nearly 25,000 local government professionals each week, for about eight weeks.
Chief Selection Advantage
Great management doesn't begin or end with the CAO. It's a team effort. If you are searching for a police or fire chief, ICMA has a service to help you find the right chief for your community. Visit our Chief Selection Advantage page to learn more.
Contact Us
If you have any additional questions, contact ICMA at advertising@icma.org or call (800) 745-8780. Thank you again for trusting ICMA with your recruiting needs!
