Local Government
CAO vs city manager: how the roles differ in local government
Both a chief administrative officer and a city manager run the day-to-day administration of a local government. The difference is less about the job title and more about the form of government around it: who appoints the official, who can remove them, who prepares the budget, and who hires department heads. This guide explains those differences and how to read the charter or ordinance that actually defines the role.
Updated 2026-10-028 min read
Key themes
- Council-manager vs mayor-council
- Appointment and removal
- Budget and hiring authority
- Charter-defined powers
Forms of government
The form of government shapes the role
Local governments are commonly organized under one of a few structures. The structure determines whether the senior appointed official is the chief executive of the administration or a professional administrator working under an elected executive.
Council-manager
The elected council sets policy and appoints a professional manager to run the administration.
- Mayor often a council member with a ceremonial or presiding role
- Manager is the administrative chief executive
- Manager typically serves at the pleasure of the council
Mayor-council (strong mayor)
An elected mayor is the chief executive; the council is the legislative body.
- Mayor holds executive powers such as appointments and budget proposal
- A CAO may be appointed to run daily administration
- The CAO usually reports to the mayor
Mayor-council (weak mayor) and hybrids
Executive authority is shared between the mayor and council, or split across elected officials.
- A CAO or administrator may be appointed by council, mayor, or both
- Authority is often narrower and more coordinating
- Counties and towns frequently use variations of this model
Where a city manager fits
The city manager title is most closely associated with the council-manager form. In that structure, the manager is usually the person with formal executive authority over the administration: appointing and directing department heads, preparing and recommending the budget, and carrying out council policy. The council governs through the manager rather than directing staff itself.
Where a CAO fits
The CAO title appears in several structures. Under a strong mayor, a CAO is commonly appointed by the mayor — sometimes with council confirmation — to run day-to-day operations while the mayor keeps executive authority. In other jurisdictions, the council appoints a CAO whose role closely resembles a city manager's. And in some jurisdictions, including many Canadian municipalities, CAO is simply the standard title for the senior appointed official, whatever the specific governance model.
Titles
Same job, many titles
Local governments use a wide range of titles for the senior appointed administrator. The title alone rarely tells you how much authority the position carries.
Why titles vary
Titles reflect local history, state or provincial enabling legislation, and political preference as much as differences in the job. Some jurisdictions deliberately choose "administrator" instead of "manager" to signal that the position supports an elected executive rather than replacing one. Others use the terms interchangeably.
Counties and towns
Counties commonly use county administrator or county manager, and the scope depends on whether the county has an elected executive. Smaller towns often appoint a town administrator whose authority is narrower than a full council-manager city manager, especially where a board of elected officials retains direct oversight of departments.
Due diligence
How to read the charter or ordinance
Whether you are a candidate, a new council member, or a staff member trying to understand who decides what, the governing document is the authoritative source. These are the provisions worth finding first.
Charter checklist
Questions to answer from the charter, ordinance, bylaw, or statute that creates the position.
- Who appoints the official, and is confirmation required?
- Who can remove them, by what vote, and with what notice?
- Who prepares, proposes, and executes the budget?
- Who appoints and removes department heads and other staff?
- Are council members restricted from directing staff directly?
- Which officials (clerk, attorney, auditor) report outside the administrator?
- What contracting and spending authority is delegated?
Read the employment agreement too
Many senior appointed officials work under an employment agreement that adds terms the charter does not cover: performance review cadence, severance, residency expectations, and outside activities. The agreement cannot expand powers beyond what the charter or law allows, but it shapes the working relationship.
Look for practice, not just text
Delegations, council rules of procedure, and long-standing practice can shift how authority works day to day. Ask how the last few budgets were prepared, who led recent department head hires, and how council requests reach staff. The answers reveal the real operating model.
Working pattern
What changes in the day-to-day
The skill set for both roles is largely the same — budgeting, service delivery, workforce leadership, and governance. What changes is the political relationship at the top.
Working for a council
A manager or council-appointed CAO serves a collective body with members who may disagree with each other. The core discipline is treating all members fairly, giving the same information to everyone, and bringing recommendations rather than taking sides. Stable relationships depend on predictable briefings and clear written reports.
Working for a strong mayor
A CAO under a strong mayor serves one principal while staying professionally responsive to the council. The CAO translates the mayor's priorities into operating plans, protects the administration's integrity, and keeps the council informed through agreed channels. Clarity on which decisions the CAO can make alone is essential.
Shared responsibilities
- Supervising departments and setting performance expectations.
- Managing budget execution and reporting variances.
- Overseeing procurement within public purchasing rules.
- Leading labor relations and workforce planning.
- Coordinating emergency management and continuity.
Moving between the roles
Professionals commonly move between manager and CAO positions across jurisdictions. The transferable core is the same; the adjustment is learning a new governance structure. Reviewing the 90-day CAO plan and the onboarding questions helps structure that transition.
When the form of government changes
Communities sometimes revisit their form of government through charter amendments or referendums. A move from council-manager to strong mayor, or the reverse, changes who holds appointment, budget, and hiring powers. The senior appointed official's title may stay the same while the underlying authority shifts significantly, which is why the current charter text matters more than the title on the door.
Professional norms
In many jurisdictions, managers and CAOs follow professional codes of ethics that emphasize political neutrality, equal treatment of elected officials, and merit-based hiring. These norms apply regardless of the form of government, and they are often what allows an appointed administrator to serve successive councils and mayors.
FAQ
CAO vs city manager: common questions
Is a CAO the same as a city manager?
They are often similar. Both run the day-to-day administration of a local government. A city manager is most commonly associated with the council-manager form and holds executive authority over the administration, while a CAO may serve under a strong mayor with narrower powers or may be appointed by council with powers close to a manager's. The charter or ordinance defines the actual role.
Who does a CAO report to?
It depends on the form of government. Under a strong mayor, the CAO usually reports to the mayor. Where the council appoints the CAO, the CAO reports to the council as a body. The governing charter, ordinance, or statute sets the reporting relationship.
Can a CAO hire and fire department heads?
Sometimes. In council-manager systems the manager commonly appoints and removes department heads. Under a strong mayor, that power often belongs to the mayor, with the CAO supervising or recommending. Local law determines who holds the authority.
Why do some places use CAO instead of city manager?
Title choice reflects local history, enabling legislation, and the form of government. Some jurisdictions use administrator to signal that the role supports an elected executive. In some jurisdictions, including many Canadian municipalities, CAO is simply the standard title for the senior appointed official.
What is the difference between a county administrator and a CAO?
Often there is little difference beyond the title. County administrator is a common title for the senior appointed official in county government. Its scope depends on whether the county has an elected executive and on the powers set out in the county's charter or applicable statute.
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