‘Uthmān ibn Abu al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he said: "O Messenger of Allah, make me the leader of my people!" He said: "You are their leader; be considerate to their weak ones, and choose a Muezzin who does not take wages for his Adhān.”
This Hadīth shows that it is permissible for the one who thinks that he is qualified for leading the prayers to request from the authorities to appoint him as an Imām. This is different from asking for political leadership, which is discouraged. The prayer leader, however, should be considerate to the people with weaknesses or disabilities. He should not prolong the prayer for them. It is preferred that the Muezzin do this job for Allah's sake, so that he does not charge a remuneration for it. If there is no volunteer to do this job, it is fine to hire someone and pay him from the public treasury.