Town Manager

NC Coastal Community Seeks Next Town Manager

• Are you a visionary and a compassionate leader committed to uniting communities around a cohesive vision?
• Are you passionate about inspiring and motivating highly effective teams to thrive and excel while delivering outstanding customer service?
• Are you experienced in working collaboratively and effectively within the Council/Manager model of government?
• Do you have leadership experience in a coastal community driven by tourism?
• Does it excite you to embrace the challenges and opportunities of tourism growth while maintaining and enhancing what community members find desirable?

If this describes you, then the NC Coastal community of Wrightsville Beach invites you to apply to be its next Town Manager. The Town Manager is responsible for leading this well-known, highly sought-after community with outstanding leadership skills through a period of opportunity and growth, executing the strategic direction of the town, and overseeing and managing all service delivery daily.

The next Town Manager is an inspirational, trustworthy leader who effectively models the appropriate municipal chain of command, naturally unites teams around shared goals, and facilitates the development of targeted objectives and critical metrics for staff to achieve. The Town Manager is passionate about developing connections and partnerships with key stakeholders, including but not limited to the Town Board, staff, community groups, residents, visitors, NC Inlets/Byways, CAMA, Flood organizations, NCDOT, local foundations, architects, and engineers and other stakeholders.

The ideal candidate for this position leads with a sense of urgency yet is a highly effective decision-maker known for their swift and considerate decision-making. Wrightsville Beach's next Town Manager will skillfully navigate and balance serving and meeting the needs of residents, ensuring a high quality of life while also addressing visitors' unique needs during tourist seasons.

About the Organization and Position:

The Town of Wrightsville Beach operates under the Council-Manager form of government. The Town's Board of Aldermen comprises five members, including the mayor pro-term and the mayor.

Permanent boards and committees include the Planning Board, Board of Adjustment, Parks & Recreation Advisory Committee, Marketing Committee and Historic Landmark Commission. The Town employs 82 FTE positions, 48 of which are public safety employees, across nine departments. The Town also employs 40 - 50 seasonal employees, primarily for Ocean Rescue operations (housed within the Fire Department).

Wrightsville Beach maintains AA+ bond ratings. Its FY 23 -24 budget of $20.3 million is supported by an ad valorem tax rate of $.0923 per $100 of assessed tax value (accounting for 6% of the revenue budget). Sales and occupancy taxes account for 59% of the revenue budget, validating the town's vital tourism industry.

Parking revenue is also a significant portion of the revenue budget. The budget includes an Enterprise Fund for Water and Sewer. The Town has a significantly healthy (153%) fund balance to protect against emergencies and/or revenue shortfalls from downturns in tourism activities. There is also an additional $8 million plus reserved for CIP projects.

Reporting to the Board of Aldermen, the Town Manager oversees and manages all town services with direct supervision of the following departments: General Administration (includes the Finance Officer and Human Resources Officer), Fire, Police, Public Works, and combined Planning/Parks.

The Town Clerk also reports to the Town Manager and provides significant administrative support to the Town Manager. The Town Manager also oversees the outsourcing to contracted providers for the following municipal functions: parking management, information technology, sanitation, and engineering services. Public Works currently includes Water and Sewer, but there are ongoing negotiations for a merger of the Wrightsville Beach water and sewer function with Cape Fear Public Utility Authority.

As the Town Manager leads Wrightsville Beach, they will implement innovative and proven methods to support the town's sustainability and succession planning efforts. This will position the organization to thrive and adapt to all seasons of change while ensuring staff, community members, and visitor satisfaction. The Town Manager will monitor essential issues for Wrightsville Beach residents and visitors, including the federally funded Beach Renourishment project, and help advocate for the community's needs.

This hands-on/working manager position is for the executive with the depth and breadth to oversee the modernization of the organization's systems, processes, policies, and procedures to support efficiency, workflow, quality service delivery, and accountability.

Qualifications:

A bachelor's degree in public or business administration or a closely related field from an accredited college or university is required. The candidate must also have seven or more years of successful and progressive supervisory and management experience.

Preferred qualifications include:

• A master's degree in public or business administration and/or ICMA credentialed management;

• Experience in North Carolina local government; and,

• Experience in coastal or resort communities.

Salary and Benefits: The hiring range for this position is $140K -$160K.

The starting salary is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. The Town of Wrightsville Beach provides comprehensive benefits, including a 4% 401K match, state retirement, and health insurance.

To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the title of Town Manager - Town of Wrightsville Beach, NC. 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 June 17, 2024.

• The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluation on July 25 - 26, 2024. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.

• Direct inquiries to hiring@developmentalassociates.com.

The Town of Wrightsville Beach, NC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC manages the recruitment and selection process for this position. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select "Client Openings," and scroll down to "Important Information for Applicants."