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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJefferson County WA County Administrator Profile Final COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR $135,000 - $160,000 DOQ Plus Excellent Benefits Apply by February 27, 2022 (First Review, Open Until Filled) J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A S H I N G T O N ♦ C O U N T Y A D M I N I S T R A TOR 2 WHY APPLY? This is an excellent op- portunity for a senior level public sector pro- fessional to lead an out- standing management team at an exciting time for the County. If you are looking to apply your skills to make a differ- ence in the County and also in the community, Jef- ferson County is the place to be. Jefferson County is committed to diversity and equity and supporting equity and inclusion in the community and in our workplace. Jefferson County offers the right can- didate a chance to join and work with a cohesive and collaborative Board of Commissioners and dedicated staff committed to enhancing their community! Located on the Olympic Peninsula in Western Washington, Jefferson County offers an amazing quality of life. The region offers incredible outdoor recreational opportunities both on sea and in the mountains, stunningly beautiful landscapes, and a uniquely vibrant cultural scene. Accessible by ferry or car from Seattle on the east side of Puget Sound, Jefferson County has maintained a historic character while embracing a progressive and crea- tive way of life. THE COMMUNITY With a population of over 32,000 residents, Jeffer- son County offers everything from a remarkable natural environment to the vibrant arts and cultural center of Port Townsend. The City of Port Town- send is a spectacular seaport designated as a Na- tional Historic Landmark and is famous for its Wooden Boat, Film, Steampunk and Rhododen- dron Festivals. The communities of Port Hadlock, Irondale, and Port Townsend are as varied as the geography that surrounds them. Historically, these communi- ties formed a major seaport in the 1800's, and most of that era’s unique architecture remains. Port Townsend is the only incorporated city in Jef- ferson County and is the county seat. Port Town- send is located just 41 miles northwest of Seattle. The city has a population of approximately 9,500, though the city's spectacular festivals, vibrant cul- tural scene, and other unique attractions bring over a million visitors each year. From hiking, camping, rafting, or biking in the Olympic Moun- tains, to drama at the downtown theatre in Port Townsend, life here is connected to both the land and to the people. Discovery Bay, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Port Townsend Bay surround the Quimper Peninsula, and make the area a cen- ter for boating and sailing. Jefferson County is also home to the beautiful Olympic National Park, in- cluding the Pacific coastline, the Olympic Moun- tains, and a temperate rainforest. The region is home to a diverse community of farmers, artists, long-time residents, boat folks and those looking to live in an active community offer- ing a choice of urban and rural lifestyles. Many hidden gems in the area have generated a thriving writing, music, and theatre scene. The area hosts well over 50 major events each year, including the opening of the award-winning Farmers Market in April, the Rhododendron Festival in May that brings pet parades, bed races, a downtown carni- val, the "Rhody Run", and the Steampunk Festival in June. Centrum, located in Fort Worden State Park, hosts nationally renowned week-long work- shops and festivals throughout the summer, in- cluding Blues, Fiddle Tunes, Jazz, Voice, Cham- ber Music, Choro, Ukulele, Dance This, and Writ- ers’ Conference. Other events include the Wooden Boat Festival, Port Townsend Film Festival, the Jefferson County Fair, Concerts on the Dock, and many more. A thriving organic agriculture commu- nity exists in the County as well as several award- winning cideries. J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A S H I N G T O N ♦ C O U N T Y A D M I N I S T R A TOR 3 THE COUNTY Jefferson County covers 2,183 square miles, stretching from Puget Sound to the Pacific Coast, and is home to just over 32,000 residents. Elected to four-year terms by the Citizens of Jefferson County, the Board of County Commissioners is the legislative authority of Jefferson County, and is comprised of three Commissioners. In addition, Jefferson County citizens elect their Assessor, Auditor, Clerk, District Court Judge, Prosecuting Attorney, Sheriff, Superior Court Judge, and Treasurer to serve 4-year terms. The County’s General Fund budget for 2021 is $22 million and the total budget is $60.5 million. Jefferson County conducts planning under the Washington State’s Growth Management Act. The County has one incorporated urban growth area - the City of Port Townsend - an unincorporated urban growth area in Port Hadlock, the Master Planned Resorts in Port Ludlow and Brinnon, several limited areas of intense rural development, and designated re- source lands for agriculture, forestry and mining. Unincorporated, but well-established communities include Port Hadlock, Irondale, Chimacum, Quilcene, Brinnon, Cape George, and Gardiner. THE POSITION Under broad policy direction from the Board of County Commissioners, the County Administrator serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the County, and coordinates departments reporting to the Board. This position facilitates administrative functions that cross departmental lines, assists the Board in developing policy, and oversees its im- plementation through the continuing delivery of services to the community. The County Adminis- trator carries overall responsibility and authority for the business and service delivery aspects of Jef- ferson County government. The Administrator helps maintain good working relationships be- tween the Board and other elected County officials and establishes team-based management pro- cesses to maximize collaboration in the County organization. The Human Resources, Finance and Risk Management functions for the County are supervised by the County Administrator but also report directly to the Board as needed. To view the full responsibilities of the position, please view the attachment found on www.prothman.com or by clicking here. OPPORTUNITIES & CHALLENGES 1. The new County Administrator will set the tone and exemplify the next evolution of Jefferson County’s workplace culture. Part of setting that tone is empowering employees to make appropri- ate decisions and knowing that some risk is an acceptable tradeoff for nimble, timely action. This will include acting with urgency that reflects and respects the value of public service and a diverse and equitable work force. Overseeing the work of county staff and directed by the priorities of the Board of County Commissioners, the County Ad- ministrator will shape the county’s team as an en- gaged, collaborative leader. 2. An opportunity with once in a generation timing is underway as the result of new leadership in four key local public sector agencies (Port and City of Port Townsend, Jefferson County PUD, and the County itself) that Jefferson County residents rely on. That opportunity includes the ability to estab- lish new relationships, open communications channels, share objectives and build efficiencies between these agencies. All four entities will have new Chief Administrative/Managers within 24 months of each other. This unique timing needs to be put to its best advantage by the County Admin- istrator. 3. Jefferson County government is perfectly posi- tioned to redesign its organization and workplace culture. There is “room to move” the organization forward in how employees engage with the public and interact with their work and with their super- visors. The three Jefferson County Board of Commissioners are open to recrafting the organi- zation to foster collaboration, seek efficiencies and act decisively so that Jefferson County resi- dents are even better served by their county gov- ernment. J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A S H I N G T O N ♦ C O U N T Y A D M I N I S T R A TOR 4 4. The challenge of work force housing may be seen across the Puget Sound area, though in Jef- ferson County it is particularly acute. Finding ap- proaches for working families and adults to live in Jefferson County has become harder and harder. Existing houses are purchased quickly as second homes or retirement housing and at values that exceed the ability of working people to match. As a result, Jefferson County is looking for ways to add housing supply, flatten development costs and other approaches to increasing housing for younger, working people. Housing is a priority of the Board of County Commissioners. 5. An outcome of the Jefferson County work force housing challenge, along with other factors, is that more County employees are leaving the county workforce to take employment elsewhere than was experienced previously. The economics of the ar- ea have made it more difficult to retain career em- ployees for the county. This “churn” of new people coming into the County’s workforce has reduced productivity and shifted resources into hiring and training, away from direct service delivery. Re- gardless of department, the county is seeing its role shift from being an “employer of choice” to a “trainer” for the next employer. The new County Administrator should be prepared to examine the details and craft strategies the Board of Commis- sioners can select from, to stem the tide of exiting employees. IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE Education & Experience: A master’s degree in public administration or in a related field with 5 years of experience in manage- rial and executive level positions, or a bachelor's degree with 10 years of managerial and executive level experience is required. Any equivalent com- bination of education and experience that demon- strates the knowledge, skills, and abilities to per- form the essential functions of the job will be con- sidered. The selected candidate must have a valid Washington State Driver's License by time of hire. Necessary Knowledge, Skills & Abilities: ➢ Substantial emphasis in public management is required, specifically executive level local govern- ment positions, such as city or county manager, demonstrating a collaborative and effective lead- ership style. ➢ Substantial expertise in budget, financial man- agement, human resources, technology and capi- tal facilities management. ➢ Demonstrated success in collaborative man- agement processes/projects involving complex local and regional issues. ➢ Demonstrated success in public involvement and citizen participation processes. The new Ad- ministrator needs to be willing to be visible and engaged with the local community. ➢ Demonstrated successful experiences in critical urban and rural service processes including infra- structure, transportation development, criminal justice and law enforcement, land use planning and natural resource management. The selected candidate must have an understanding of rural issues. J E F F E R S O N C O U N T Y , W A S H I N G T O N ♦ C O U N T Y A D M I N I S T R A TOR 5 © 2022 Prothman. All Rights Reserved. ➢ The ability to develop effective and accountable leadership for advancing equity, diversity and in- clusion in the community and the workplace. ➢ Knowledge of labor relations and collective bargaining agreements. ➢ Must have strong communication skills, both written and verbal, be an attentive listener, and display strong interpersonal skills. ➢ The new Administrator will have a collaborative approach, be a diplomat, and be balanced with staff by setting clear expectations, knowing when to be more engaged versus when to delegate in a concise manner, and by trusting staff to get their work done with appropriate follow-up. ➢ The next Administrator will be approachable by all citizens, staff, and the Board, and will display honesty, transparency, and kindness. The select- ed candidate is expected to build lasting relation- ships with staff and the Board, empower and moti- vate team members, and engage the Commission. ➢ The ability to be forward-thinking and open to new ideas and processes is critical to success in this position. The selected candidate is expected to identify and act, and know-how and when to make tough decisions. COMPENSATION & BENEFITS ➢ $135,000 - $160,000 DOQ ➢ Full Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescriptions ➢ 11 Paid Holidays ➢ Up to 3 Floating Holidays according to tenure ➢ 32 Days of Personal Time Off (PTO) in place of vacation and sick leave ➢ Washington State PERS retirement ➢ Deferred Compensation Match up to 5% ➢ Optional Flexible Spending Account ➢ Employee Assistance Program For more information on the County and region, please visit www.co.jefferson.wa.us Jefferson County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply by February 27, 2022 (first review, open until filled). Applications, supplemental questions, resumes and cover letters will only be accepted electronically. To apply online, go to www.prothman.com and click on "Open Recruitments", select “Jefferson County, WA – County Administrator”, and click “Apply Online”, or click here. Resumes, cover letters and supplemental questions can be uploaded once you have logged in. www.prothman.com 371 NE Gilman Blvd., Ste 310 Issaquah, WA 98027 206.368.0050