Job Posting - County Manager

County Manager

Organization: Buncombe County, North Carolina
Salary: The position offers a competitive salary and benefits
Close Date: The position will remain open until filled and the process will move forward immediately upon receipt of an adequate pool of well-qualified applicants.

Job Description:

Buncombe County, established in 1791, is located in the southwestern portion of North Carolina in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nicknamed the Land of the Sky, the County comprises 657 square miles of land and water and is shaped by one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. With approximately 258,000 residents who call this home, Buncombe is the most populous county in Western North Carolina accounting for over half of the population in the four-county Asheville Metropolitan Area.

The County encompasses six incorporated municipalities, the largest being the City of Asheville (population of approximately 89,000 or approximately 35% of the County), which lies at the geographic center of the County and serves as the County seat. Throughout history Buncombe County has been an important crossroads, being approximately 240 miles west of the state capital, Raleigh, North Carolina; 205 miles north of Atlanta, Georgia; and 120 miles east of Knoxville, Tennessee.

The County operates under a commissioner/manager form of government. Presently, a seven-member Board of County Commissioners governs Buncombe County. The Chair is elected separately by all the qualified voters in Buncombe County every four years. Two commissioners are elected from each of the three House of Representative Districts in Buncombe County to serve staggered four-year terms. Each commissioner is required to reside in and represent one of the districts, and only the qualified voters of that district will be eligible to vote for that district seat.

The County Manager is appointed by and is responsible to the BOC to plan, direct and oversee the administration of County Departments and to ensure that all policies, orders, resolutions and regulations of the BOC are executed. The County Manager prepares and submits the annual budget and capital improvement program to the BOC and administers the budget once approved. The County Manager appoints (with BOC approval) all County officers, employees, and agents except elected officials and those whose appointment is otherwise provided for by law. He or she develops, evaluates performance, and takes disciplinary action as needed and is expected to develop and maintain a positive teamwork environment and provide effective, clear and timely communication.

Buncombe County provides a full range of services including: human services, public safety, economic and physical development, environmental protection, cultural and recreational activities and others. The majority of the annual budget is spent on public safety, human services, and support of local public education entities. The County's workforce consists of more than 1,500 regular employees. The County has a General Fund appropriation of $318.8 million for fiscal year 2019, and actual expenditures across all governmental funds totaled more than $436 million in the 2017 audit. The total taxable assessment for 2019 is more than $37.3 billion in value. Buncombe County has an excellent credit opinion, with an AAA bond rating from both Moody's Investor Service and Standard and Poor's. Visit Buncombe County on the web at www.buncombecounty.org.

Minimum Education, Training and/or Experience: Bachelor=s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or Accounting; Master=s degree in Public Administration or Business Administration is preferred. Minimum of five years of local government management experience which includes finance, human resources and public relations; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Prefer experience in economic development, budgeting, strategic planning and community relations. Prior county manager experience is also preferred.

The compensation for the County Manager will be highly competitive and will include a generous fringe benefit package. The County will pay reasonable and customary moving expenses.

To Apply: The position will remain open until filled and will move forward immediately upon receipt of a sufficient pool of wellqualified applicants. If interested, please email your resume and cover letter with current salary immediately to: slavin@bellsouth.net. For additional information about this position, contact Robert E. Slavin, President, Slavin Management Consultants by phone at (770) 449-4656 or by email at slavin@bellsouth.net.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY RECRUITER/EMPLOYER