County Director

Abbeville County is seeking a highly skilled and experienced County Director to lead the daily business operations of the County. As the chief administrative officer, the County Director will supervise all county departments, institutions, and agencies, ensuring ethical, efficient, and transparent management. This role plays a critical part in creating a high-performance, service-oriented environment and strategically driving the County’s long-term development goals.

Summary:

The purpose of this position is to direct the daily business of the county while exercising general supervision over all county departments, institutions and agencies, coordinating its various activities, and unifying the management of its affairs in an ethical, efficient, and transparent manner.

As the chief administrative officer, this class formulates long-range goals for the organization, develops policy and position papers and negotiates with elected officials.

Essential Duties

• Supervises, directs, and evaluates assigned staff, processing employee concerns and problems, directing work, counseling, disciplining, and completing employee performance appraisals.
• Coordinates, assigns and reviews work and establishes work schedules; maintains standards; monitors status of work in progress; inspects completed work assignments; answers questions; gives advice and direction as needed.

• Provides leadership, vision, and a focus on results that are needed to create a better community by managing financial and human resources, overseeing the delivery of essential community services, planning strategically for community development, using performance metrics to drive continuous improvement, committing to the highest level of ethical standards.
• Plans, organizes, controls, integrates and evaluates the work of all County departments to ensure that operations and services comply with the policies and direction set by the County Council and with all applicable laws and regulations; with the County’s management team, develops and recommends adoption of the annual budget and other business, infrastructure and resource plans; directs the development of the capital improvement plan budget for approval by the Council; monitors the implementation of adopted budgets.
• Provides leadership and works with the management team to develop and retain highly competent, public-service oriented staff through selection, compensation, training and day-to-day management practices that support the County’s mission, operating plans and objectives.
• Assesses community and citizen needs and ensures objectives and priorities are focused on meeting those needs effectively, efficiently, and with high-quality municipal services; directs development and implementation of initiatives for service quality improvement; provides day-to-day leadership and works with the County’s management team to ensure a high-performance, service-oriented work environment consistent with sound management principles.

• Works closely with the County Council, a variety of public, private and community organizations and citizens groups in developing and implementing programs to achieve County priorities and solve community problems; directs and coordinates preparation of analyses and recommendations on public policy issues and on long-range plans for County services; develops and coordinates proposals for action on current and future County needs; represents the County and works closely with appointed boards, committees, and public and private officials to achieve planned action and results.
• Interprets County Council instructions and requests; makes interpretations of County ordinances, codes and applicable laws and regulations to ensure compliance.
• Directs and oversees the preparation of a wide variety of reports and presentations for the County Council, citizen committees and outside agencies; oversees the preparation of press releases and materials for dissemination to the media and the public; maintains effective relationships with the media.
• Directs and oversees the creation and maintenance of comprehensive, effective human resource management programs, policies and systems consistent with the County Council’s guidance; directs and monitors the County’s labor negotiations and labor relations programs and initiatives; directs the improvement of management systems, processes and measurement techniques to improve County operations and effectiveness.
• Participates in regional, state and national meetings and conferences to stay abreast of trends and technology related to municipal programs and operations.
• Participates in professional and community organizations on behalf of the County and as part of the County’s public affairs program; maintains good working relationships with key community constituencies.
• Provides personal leadership for projects and programs that are highly sensitive, political or controversial.
• Performs related work as assigned.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:

• Master’s Degree in Public or Business Administration or related field.
• Ten (10) years of local government experience of which four (4) are as a Department Director, Assistant or County Administrator (Chief Administrative Officer) or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.

Special Certifications and Licenses:

• Must possess and maintain a valid state driver’s license with an acceptable driving history.

Physical Demands

• Performs sedentary work that involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time: requires little or no dexterity.

Unavoidable Hazards (Work Environment)

• None.

Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance

Abbeville County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  ADA requires the County to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are encouraged to discuss ADA accommodations with management.

How to Apply:

Interested candidates should submit their resume, cover letter, and references to:

Clerk to Council

=lynn@abbevillecountysc.com.

864-366-6693