Deputy City Manager

K. Nicole Cote brings over two decades of knowledge and expertise to her role as Deputy City Manager for the City of El Paso. With more than 20 years of service to the City, Ms. Cote has demonstrated exceptional leadership in navigating fiscal challenges and driving significant advancements in internal process improvement and service delivery.

Prior to her appointment as Deputy City Manager, Ms. Cote served as Managing Director for the Office of Management and Budget and Purchasing and Strategic Sourcing. In this capacity, she played a key role in overseeing the financial management and strategic sourcing for the City’s multi-billion-dollar budget and workforce of over 6,000 employees. Her work ensured compliance with federal, state, and local procurement policies while managing the acquisition of more than $500 million annually in construction, goods, and services.

Ms. Cote’s leadership style is defined by her systems-level perspective and ability to foster collaboration and teamwork to enhance service delivery for the community. Over her 12 years in the Office of Management and Budget, she rose from Budget Analyst to Budget Director, where she led initiatives such as balancing budgets and establishing sustainable funding for critical infrastructure and operations, including $29.1 million in capital funding for facility maintenance and vehicle replacements.

As Purchasing Director, Ms. Cote strengthened the City’s collaborations and partnerships while championing initiatives like Supply El Paso, which bolstered the local procurement economy with the support of City Council.

Her dedication to continuous improvement is evident in her work as a Strategic Planning facilitator for over 14 years, as well as her involvement as a co-facilitator for Workforce Solutions Borderplex and Community en Acción. She also served for more than six years as a Team Leader and Board Examiner for the Quality Texas Foundation, lending her expertise to advancing organizational excellence across various sectors.

Ms. Cote began her career with the City of El Paso in 2003 as a graduate intern in Economic and International Development. She later gained valuable experience at the El Paso Fire Department, where she worked for nearly seven years. These roles, combined with her extensive experience in budgeting and procurement, have equipped her with a deep understanding of municipal government operations.

Ms. Cote holds a Master of Science in Economics and a Bachelor of Business Administration in Economics from the University of Texas at El Paso. Her career reflects a steadfast commitment to innovation, collaboration, and excellence in public service.