County Manager job in Friday Harbor

About the Position:
The County Manager supports the County Council in carrying out its goals, policies, and strategic initiatives, developing policy, and representing the County in a variety of public forums. The Manager also provides day to day oversight and direction to County departments in the performance of their duties. The Manager acts as the County’s signing authority on contracts and interlocal agreements, provides support to the Board of Equalization and Public Defender program, assistance on human resources, risk, and insurance issues, and serves as a member of the budget team and a member of the capital budget committee.

Additional responsibilities:
• Provides efficient and responsible County operations through managerial leadership and direction; designs and maintains organizational structure, establishes major operational objectives, monitors progress, and takes necessary corrective action; assigns project and program responsibilities to department heads and works with them in developing goals.
• Develops short and long-term plans to meet the goals and objectives of the County; directs the development of County operation and presents policy recommendations to the County Council regarding all aspects of County programs and services; implements the policies established by the Council.

• Participates in the budget process. Budget preparation is the lead responsibility of the County Auditor. The County Manager is the County Council’s representative on the budget team. In addition to full responsibility for appointed department budgets, the County Manager is the advisor to the Council on overall County budget requirements and long-range finance. The Council has final budget authority.

• Works with and assists the County Council in developing and implementing their goals, vision, and strategic public policy direction (such as budget and finance, communications, land use, natural resources, economic development, transportation, and social services.)

• Directs appointed departments and performs the full range of managerial oversight functions: reviews and recommends changes in organizational structure, budget, staffing levels, financial management, planning, policy development, program oversight, performance management and accountability, and the prioritization of fiscal, human, and capital resources.

• Coordinates with Elected Official departments, and assists the Council in various liaison functions, including intergovernmental relations with local, state, federal and Canadian legislative representatives, and agencies.

• Provides selected centralized management functions in budget, technology, capital improvement, human resources, public contracting, purchasing, risk management and other support functions.

• Directs the County’s human resources system, including personnel policies, employee relations and labor negotiations.

• Develops and manages the County’s Executive and Legislative communications strategy. Oversees the process by which citizen communications and community relations are addressed by county departments. Serves as lead communicator to the public on county activities.

• In consultation with the Council reviews and approves or disapproves the hiring, termination, or changes in status of employment and pay for County employees; oversees labor relations function of the County.

• Oversees preparation of the County Council meeting agenda for approval by the Chair, consulting with the Council and department heads as needed to identify appropriate issues to include on the agenda; reviews and approves staff reports and recommendations.

Performance Dimensions and Expectations:
The preferred and successful candidate will possess skills and abilities in the areas of leadership, constituent relations, communications, and planning:

• Lead courageously: Continuously build and promote the strength, reputation, and image of the County. Engage, motivate, and inspire staff and the community around a shared vision and mission. Demonstrate principled leadership, personal courage, and decisiveness.

• Build talent pools: Hire, mentor, develop and manage staff. Continue to build and reinforce a cohesive, dedicated and highly effective team. Champion diversity.

• Drive effective external communications: Develop and nurture mission-critical relationships with community partners, business and civic leaders, political leaders, and the media.

• Build consensus: Collaborate, facilitate, and develop relationships. Coordinate intergovernmental activities with the County Council, County officials, business, government agencies and the community.

• Promote open communication: Maintain an environment where communication is open, direct, encouraged, rewarded and relevant.

• Provide visionary insight: Translate big picture vision and goals of the County into both long and short-range plans that are comprehensive, realistic, and effective. Identify key opportunities resulting from the intersection of external events (political, social, economic, demographic, and environmental) to develop and strengthen the County’s effectiveness.

• Manage change: Recommend and oversee the change management process, including successful communication strategies; involving others in the implementation of change; and monitoring and reinforcing process and success. Create a work environment that encourages original and innovative solutions.

The Ideal Candidate:
For this important role, San Juan County seeks a dynamic, credible, and unifying leader who is deeply committed to the County. The successful candidate will be a big-picture thinker, who gives attention to details and is able to implement direction from policymakers and deliver the level of services and quality of life that residents expect and value.

The ideal candidate will inspire trust by communicating honestly; be trustworthy and consistent; follow through on commitments; and create an atmosphere of transparency and integrity, marked by fair, respectful behavior. The preferred candidate will communicate a vision that is aligned with the strategy and direction of the County. Other key roles include clarifying teams’ involvement in the vision; inspiring a sense of energy and ownership; creating a culture of high performance; and recognizing the efforts of others.

The new County Manager must have demonstrated leadership skills and set a high standard by engaging people at all levels – from staff and councilmembers to community members and partners.

The preferred candidate must be eager to make a personal investment in the long-term success of the County. Proven leadership experience and political acumen are essential. Candidates should bring strengths in both external relations and internal management, with the ability to manage the two.

Desirable Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in public administration or related field, and eight years of progressively responsible local government or relevant private sector management experience involving financial planning, organizational systems, and program analysis; Master's degree in public administration or related field is desirable; or any combination of education and experience, which would provide the applicant with the desired skills, knowledge, and ability required to perform the job.

Application Process
Persons interested in this position must submit a cover letter and a current resume detailing size and scope of leadership and management experience.

If you have questions regarding this announcement, please call Marissa Karras at (360) 956-1336. The position will remain open until filled; however, the screening process will move quickly.

Please submit your application materials as soon as possible but no later than October 6th, 2021, by visiting karrasconsulting.net and clicking on “view open positions.”