The City Manager is the Head of Administration. The City Manager is also the Accounting Officer. The Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000 and the Municipal Finance Management Act, 56 of 2003 prescribe the financial and non-financial responsibilities of the Head of Administration and Accounting Officer. As Head of Administration and Accounting Officer, the City Manager is also responsible for various functional areas and competencies devolved to local government by other national legislation such as the Constitution (1996), Electricity Act (1987), Water Act (1998), Housing Act (1997), National Environmental Management Act (1998) etc.

The City Manager is supported by the Chief Financial Officer and other Heads of Departments (HoDs) in the execution of his role. These include HoDs for Infrastructure Services, Human Settlements, Development and Spatial Planning, Health and Public Safety, Municipal Services, Economic Development, Corporate Services and Executive Support Services.

The City Manager is guided by the National Development Plan (2030), the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality Integrated Development Plan, the Service Delivery and Budget Implementation Plan, Municipal By-Laws and Policies, as well as various spatial and sectorial plans applicable to the Metro.

The municipality has a constitutionally derived 'developmental mandate' and as such the City Manager works in partnership with various development actors in the metro such the Buffalo City Development Agency (BCDA), East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ), Transnet SOC, Eskom SOC, Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and other State Owned Companies (SOCs) and organs of state.