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The county manager oversees day-to-day operations of county departments, requires an advanced degree and experience in county administration, and works closely with human resources and accounting departments. They also travel and may be called upon to give formal testimony at public meetings.
A county manager is an administrative employee at the county level who manages day-to-day operations. An advanced degree is usually required to serve in this position, along with some experience in county administration. The work is very broad in scope and can involve long hours and considerable public responsibility. As the administrative face of the county, the county manager reports to elected officials as well as the general public with concerns about county policies and activities.
This administrative officer must oversee all county departments. Counties often run agencies to deal with issues such as child welfare, road safety and construction. The county manager checks into these departments, participates in hiring and firing decisions, and works with agency representatives on policy recommendations and related topics. This requires knowledge of what each department does, who works in each department, and how the departments operate. Some county managers may have experience in a county department and thus have extra familiarity with its operations.
County managers also maintain administrative teams to support their work and that of other county employees. They coordinate with a human resources department on personnel topics, from arranging vacations for pregnant employees to hiring new employees. County managers also often work closely with accounting departments to address funding, budgeting issues, grant applications, and related topics. Networking is important as the municipality cannot run out of money for day-to-day operations or it will be unable to meet the needs of the public.
Civil servants can expect a briefing from the county manager. This can occur at events such as board of supervisors meetings, as well as in private communications between the county manager and elected officials. At public meetings, this member of the county administration may be called upon to give formal testimony relating to a topic discussed at the meeting. Employees might want to know, for example, which county departments are most in need of funding or how the county makes hiring decisions.
In addition to working in an office, the county manager also travels. She may have access to multiple agencies in the same building, but may need to travel to multiple locations across the county. It should be mobile for meetings with people who might not be able to get into the office. Hours can be long in a civil emergency such as a severe weather warning or a security threat, and the county manager must be prepared to stay late or arrive early as needed.
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