ACCMA Local Government Professional Management Certification Program
Provided by the Government & Economic Development Institute at Auburn University (GEDI), the Local Government Professional Management Certification is administered through the Alabama City/County Management Association (ACCMA). This program is designed for all leaders and aspiring leaders in Alabama’s local governments, increasing their specialized knowledge and skills around the political, social, and economic complexities of public administration. Course topics include public leadership, financial management, community and economic development, strategic planning, and numerous other issues to sharpen participants’ awareness and effectiveness in their respective City or County.
The Local Government Professional Management Certification consists of 5 courses, each offered in-person and simultaneously online, and includes continuing education requirements for an individual to maintain active certification. Details on the program curriculum and certification maintenance requirements can be found in the following webpages.
Classes in this program are also eligible for continuing education credit with the International Institute of Municipal Clerks (IIMC) and the Alabama State Board of Public Accountancy (ASBPA). Completing the program curriculum, earning the Local Government Professional Management Certification, qualifies as 1 “Certified Municipal Clerk” experience” or 1 “Master Municipal Clerk professional contribution point” per 6 educational hours for the IIMC.
Through the Local Government Professional Management Certification program, GEDI is proud to contribute to the ACCMA’s mission: “to advance professional management in Alabama's City and County Governments and to support the professional development of its members and local officials.” Thank you for interest in this program.
Please note that the contents of this site are limited to the ACCMA Local Government Professional Management Certification program. For other information regarding the ACCMA, please visit the www.accma-online.org site.
The Local Government Professional Management Certification consists of 5 courses, each identified below. To earn the Local Government Professional Management Certification, one must complete all 5 courses in any order. There is no specific order in which the courses must be completed. Individuals successfully earning this certification are recognized and presented commemorative certificates during an awards ceremony within the ACCMA Summer Conference, which takes place on an annual basis.
This course provides participants with an overview of the supervisory, managerial, and leadership principles in public organizations. Organizational successes are a function of positive managerial climates that nurture strong leaders while facilitating learning, adaptation, and high performance. Therefore, it is important for all members of a public organization, from executives to frontline staff, to understand and reflect upon standards of leadership.
This course explores the ethical and legal responsibilities associated with management in the public sector, with an emphasis on such responsibilities in Alabama. Participants will be introduced to State ethics laws and rules, examining tools and practices to build and expand on high-performing ethical organizations. Sessions will also identify real-world ethical tensions from the field for class discussion and problem-solving.
This course provides information around local government professionals' roles in the planning, advancement, and promotion of their community. It explores such issues as strategic and comprehensive planning, community branding and engagement, technology and development, and policy development and implementation.
This course is designed to provide an overview of important personnel, employment, and human resource issues, exploring their impact on the workplace. Current employment law and its effects will be addressed from the perspectives of both the employee and the employer. The course will also examine strategies and techniques for effective employee supervision and motivation.
This course is designed to provide an overview of theories and techniques surrounding stewardship of public resources, a critical responsibility of local government professionals. The course explores such issues as financial planning and control, risk management, procurement, management of grants and contracts, reporting, and accounting.
The Local Government Professional Management Certification remains active for 3 years following one’s conferral during the ACCMA Summer Conference. During this 3-year period, the individual must complete 40 approved instructional hours to maintain their active certification. Individuals who have earned the certification will be notified before their 3-year period of activation expires, and they will also be notified of recertification if 40 credit hours have been completed.
Approved instructional credit hours for certification maintenance can be earned through retaken classes in this program, as well as attendance to the ACCMA Winter or Summer Conferences, the Alabama Women Leading Government (WLG) Annual Conference, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) Annual Conference, any classes of the Government & Economic Development Institute, and ICMA Coaching Program webinars, which are cost-free. More information on these external programs can be found on partner sites through the icons below.
Attendance records for ACCMA conferences are reported directly through GEDI, and participants are not required to report such attendance. If a participant seeks to report their attendance to a WLG or ICMA conference or webinar, they should submit proof of attendance, such as registration documentation, to gedi@auburn.edu.
Please find course offerings listed below. All classes are offered in Auburn, Alabama, and online. If you would like to attend a class through an online platform, please select the “Virtual Registration Fee” option instead of the “Registration Fee” option, which indicates in-person attendance. While in-person registrants are responsible for their own lodging and meal arrangements, a listing of nearby hotels can be found here.
Note that registration fees for classes within the Local Government Professional Management Certification program are separate from ACCMA membership fees and ACCMA conference registration fees, though ACCMA membership is not required for class participation. Please make any check payments for class registration fees payable to Auburn University.
To register for a conference or find information about the ACCMA outside of this certification program, please visit the www.accma-online.org site.
- Written registration cancellations received 15 working days prior to the course’s beginning will receive a partial refund of the registration fee, less an administrative fee of $50.00. Note that refunds are only allowed for credit card payments, as Auburn University will not refund check payments unless the agency is a registered vendor of the university.
- Due to commitments with instructors and meeting facilities, late cancellations or non-attendance will not be refunded. However, substitutions for registered participants may be made anytime before the course’s registration deadline.
- Participants must attend the entirety of the course to receive its associated credits. A participant who misses any portion of the course will be required to retake it in its entirety to receive credit.
- Online participants must activate their anterior camera through Zoom for the entirety of the course, ensuring that they are present and visible for all sessions.
- Participation in this program's events grants organizers the right and permission to use photos, videos, and audio recordings taken from such events in publicity efforts, to include social media content.
Last Updated: April 17, 2024