Iconic Chapel Hill, North Carolina, seeks next Town Manager
Are you an innovative leader committed to collaborating with communities around a cohesive concept and action plan of sustainable growth?
Are you experienced in working effectively with an active and engaged Council committed to fostering an equitable, progressive, sustainable Town through implementing our Complete Community vision?
Do you have a track record of expanding opportunities to ensure access to community assets and services?
Are you a strategic and experienced leader who can navigate ambitious and sometimes competing project demands in a changing funding atmosphere?
Are you passionate about customer service and inspiring teams to achieve established approved priorities?
If this describes you, the Town of Chapel Hill invites you to apply to be its next Town Manager. The next Town Manager must be able to demonstrate experience effectively implementing innovative solutions and programs and solving 21st-century issues. The successful candidate will be able to navigate the complexity of a progressive university town in a challenging state and federal political environment.
About the Organization:
The Town's mission is Learning, Serving, and Working Together to Build a Community Where People Thrive. Our organization's RESPECT values (Responsibility, Equity, Safety, Professionalism, Ethics, Communication, and Teamwork) are the basis for our choices. They are reflected in our behavior and decisions every day. They are our compass as we accomplish our mission and objectives. As a result, residents have consistently rated Chapel Hill as "high-performing" in biennial community surveys.
In the past three years, the Town has transitioned to a five-year budget outlook aimed at ensuring organization-wide sustainability and economic resiliency. The Town consistently wins awards for its annual budget and financial report. More information about the Town, its mission, and its core values of RESPECT can be found here (or copy http://www.townofchapelhill.org/town-hall/departments-services/human-resource-development/mission-and-values into your browser).
The Town operates under a Council-Manager form of government, with the Town Manager reporting to the Mayor and eight at-large Council members. The Town Manager works with the Council to carry out their strategic priorities. The Town's strategic focus areas include Environmental Stewardship, Economic and Financial Stewardship, Affordable Housing, Connected Community, Healthy and Inclusive Community, Safe Community, and Employee Recruitment and Retention. Chapel Hill's strategic focus for the future is guided by the community vision established in the Chapel Hill 2020 Comprehensive Plan, refined with our 2023 Complete Community framework. It is incorporated into the organization's departmental business plans.
The Town prides itself on equitable community engagement. It offers multiple ways for the community to become involved, share input, and stay informed through the Community Connections Strategy and Engagement Study Implementation, nine Advisory Boards and Commissions, and state-of-the-art communication tools such as an open data Web platform and social media to community surveys.
About the Position and Scope of Supervision
The Town Manager, with two Deputy Town Managers, lead more than 793 FTE employees and 200-250 seasonal and part-time staff across 16 departments. In the past three years, the Town has transitioned to a five-year budget outlook aimed at ensuring organization-wide sustainability and economic resiliency. The Town of Chapel Hill's FY2024-25 budget is approximately $157 million, a 4% increase over the prior year. The General Fund budget is $85,000,000. There are several enterprise funds, including funds for transit, Stormwater, parking, and housing.
Minimum Qualifications:
A minimum of a bachelor's degree is required.
The successful candidate will have at least 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in municipal management, with at least five years as an assistant manager or manager, or as a department head from a larger community overseeing more than one area.
Evidence of significant economic development and housing growth success is required.
Must have a proven track record in leading with a philosophy that ensures transparent public communication, effective intergovernmental relations, personal community engagement, cohesive and collaborative change, visionary leadership, and adeptness at leading and implementing strategic planning to meet community goals.
Preferred Qualifications:
A master's degree or higher is strongly preferred.
Work experience in a university community is desirable.
ICMA credentialed manager designation is preferred.
Salary and Benefits: The hiring range for this position is $225,000 to $300,000. Compensation is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. View the Town’s excellent benefits package here: https://www.townofchapelhill.org/government/departments-services/human-resource-development/employee-benefits. Residency within the Town’s corporate limits is highly preferred, residency within the county is required within a negotiated timeline.
Please note the following:
All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the town’s employment application portal or any other external website.
Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application.
Applicants should apply by April 9, 2025.
The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in skill evaluation on May 15-16, 2025. Final interviews with the Council will occur in person after that point. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.
The Town of Chapel Hill is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC manages this position's recruitment and selection process. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select “Client Openings," and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.”
