For five years, Christine Smith has worked with municipalities throughout the territory as the director of community affairs for the Yukon government's Department of Community Services.

In mid-April, Smith will bring that experience to her new job as Whitehorse's new city manager.

The city announced the hiring Friday, a little less than a year since former city manager Stan Westby has been off the job.

Westby was fired last September after having been away since April, first on a suspension and then medical leave after only taking on the job in 2012.

Interim city manager Brian Crist has been taking on the role until a new manager could be hired.

The pay range for the city manager position is between $160,000 and $185,000 annually.

"I'm passionate about municipal government,” Smith, 44, said in an interview this morning as she went on to note her passion for democracy.

It's her belief that municipal government is the most honest, transparent form of governance, closest to the citizens.

"I like hearing directly from people,” she said. "It keeps you honest.”

Smith's job at the Yukon government allows her to work with municipal governments.

Taking on the position of city manager, she said, will give her the opportunity for "more focused” work directly in the community she lives.

In a statement announcing the hiring, she said: "I am excited to be the person who helps mayor, council and administrators become one of the best local governments in Canada providing services and support to citizens who choose to live, work and play here.”

Prior to taking on her current role with the Yukon government, Smith was a senior planner with the territory's development assessment branch, bringing a science background with her to that role.

Smith worked as a biologist with the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Alberta.

She is now working on her Masters of Business Administration in executive management from Royal Roads University.

She said it was during her time as a biologist that she decided a career change was in order, wanting to work with people more.

Moving into the development assessment branch allowed her to do that. She has continued on a career path that has seen her deal more with people and policies that have a direct impact on the public.

While she's looking forward to work that will help steer the course of the city, Smith said she isn't coming into the role of city manager expecting to make major changes.

She's read the city's plans and vision documents and wants to get "the lay of the land” within city hall.

Smith is planning to meet with council and staff once she's in the role to get an understanding of the internal workings of the city and see where things are going.

Smith said council is very positive and passionate about the community and where it's going.

"They take it very seriously,” she said.

As a citizen, she said she is pleased with the work the city does, particularly around the trail systems she frequently uses, its support to a variety of local organizations and the work on infrastructure.

"They're really looking ahead,” Smith said.

Mayor Dan Curtis, meanwhile, said council and officials are "just delighted” to have Smith join the team.

As he pointed out, Community Services works incredibly close with every community in the territory. This has given Smith a lot of experience dealing with municipal government.

He admitted the process of finding a new city manager was a bit of a "long, arduous journey” and that "it was close” between the final handful of candidates, all of whom are local.

The city, he said, simply wanted the best, and was greeted with more than 50 applications from across the country after posting the job.

The list of potential city managers was then whittled down to about a dozen and then further to about four, who are all from within the Yukon.

"We just wanted the best,” Curtis said, noting it was great to see that "the cream of the crop were found to be local.”

The mayor went on to praise Crist and others for their work over the past several months.

"City council thanks interim city manager Brian Crist and the senior management team for their excellent work in staying the course during the past months,” Curtis said Friday.

"We are fortunate to have such a strong team of employees across the city. We truly appreciate their efforts.”