The city of Fort Worth will conduct a national search to find the new city manager. The initiative comes on the heels of current City Manager David Cooke announcing his retirement, which will commence at the end of February 2025.

The details

According to the International City/County Management Association, city and county managers have several responsibilities, including:
  • Carrying out the city council's decisions
  • Overseeing all city employees
  • Making sure that basic services such as utilities, sanitation and road maintenance are provided to the community
A city news release states Fort Worth is the 12th-largest city in the U.S. According to the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership, Fort Worth experienced an impressive 5.9% growth, adding 54,866 people from 2020 to 2023, which earned the city the top spot in terms of percentage growth of cities in the U.S. The city news release states the next city manager will play a critical role in steering Fort Worth’s future growth as well as maintaining the city’s reputation as an urban center.

Diving in deeper

The news release states rather than hiring an external search firm, the city’s human resources department will conduct the national search. The search will target highly qualified and experienced city management professionals through national recruitment efforts, ensuring that a diverse range of candidates are considered.


According to the news release, a comprehensive brochure will be available in the coming weeks that outlines key details for prospective applicants, including:
  • Recruitment timeline
  • Key competencies of the ideal candidate
  • Application process