ABOUT WAKE COUNTY
Consistently ranked high among the best places to live and work in America, Wake County is home to NC State University, Research Triangle Park, and 2006 Stanley Cup Champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
In addition to being Wake County’s seat of government, Raleigh is also the center of state government, with the Capitol Building, legislature and many state government offices located in Raleigh.
With an estimated population of just over 1.2 million residents, Wake County is North Carolina’s most populous county. Entertainment, recreation, and art and culture abound with the North Carolina Museum of Art, JC Raulston Arboretum, and the Neuse River Trail all in the heart of Wake County.
Wake County uses the Council/Manager form of government. Currently, the seven members of the Board of Commissioners are elected by district on a partisan basis and serve four-year terms. In Fall 2026, two at-large seats will be added for nine total commissioners. The County is regarded as a fiscally responsible and well-managed government, enjoying a AAA bond rating. The County’s FY2026 General Fund budget is approximately $2.1 billion, and the County has over 5,100 full time employees.
Wake County Government came in at #2 on the Healthiest Employers list for 2024. This year, US News & World Report ranked Raleigh #5 on its list of Best Places to Live, and the Milken Institute ranked Raleigh #1 on its 2025 list of Best-Performing Cities.
THE DEPUTY COUNTY MANAGER
As members of the County Manager’s Executive team, Deputy County Managers (DCMs) serve as key advisors and strategists to County management and the Board of Commissioners. Together, DCMs provide leadership across the county’s wide range of departments and program areas. The County Manager’s office expects the Deputy County Manager currently being recruited will focus on a public safety portfolio. Portfolios are not permanent, and the determined areas may shift over time. The salary range for this position is $174,850 to $314,730 annually.
Among the duties required of the position, the Deputy County Manager:
- Leads major initiatives within the determined portfolio area, coordinating activities across multiple departments and with external stakeholders
- Manages and provides strategic leadership and oversight to assigned departments and participates in general management of the County in support of the County Manager
- Mentors selected department directors and assists department directors with implementing strategic plan priorities, operational challenges, and navigating stakeholder relationships
- Works effectively with elected officials to help them understand complex issues, strategic options, and ramifications of their decisions
- Helps elected officials find consensus on policy issues
- Develops high-quality business strategies and plans, ensuring their alignment with short-term and long-term Board of Commissioners’ goals and objectives
- Champions Board goals and initiatives; translates the strategic plan to staff to ensure support and movement in achieving objectives
- Represents the County Manager in local and regional governance and operational partnerships and functions
- Advocates on behalf of County Executives and Commissioners with community stakeholders
- Builds effective partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders, including internal and external agencies, groups and organizations
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS
The minimum qualifications for the position of Deputy County Manager include a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or related field and eight years of experience in public management, including three years of executive leadership experience. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be accepted. A master’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or related field is preferred.
The qualified candidate will be a leader with demonstrated competencies across the areas of strategic visioning, relationship building, fiscal accountability, organizational alignment, and coaching and mentoring.
Specifically, the qualified candidate will have the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
- Ability to provide strategic planning assistance to management
- Ability to exercise independent and sound judgment in performing the duties of the position
- Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of public administration and business administration
- Supervision skills and the ability to provide guidance and professional support to staff, offer regular feedback, hold staff accountable, and serve as a mentor
- Exceptional critical thinking ability with demonstrated troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
- Superior customer service skills, integrity, and commitment to collaboration and forward-thinking efficiency
- Ability to demonstrate initiative and independent judgment in dealing effectively with ambiguity, recognizing trends, identifying approaches and offering a variety of options and solutions to solve problems
- Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates, officials, and the public
HOW TO APPLY
Wake County is partnering with POLIHIRE to recruit their Deputy County Manager. To be considered for this position, please attach 2 PDFs – a letter of interest and your resume – in an email o Wake_DCM@polihire.com. Please include only your name (Last, First) in the subject line.
The first review of applications will be at the end of January 2026. Candidates should be prepared to reserve the following options for an in-person interview: February 10, 11, 24, and 26.
Once your application is successfully transmitted, you will receive an auto-generated acknowledgment email. Please be aware that this confirmation email may be in your junk/spam folder. Please contact info@polihire.com if you do not receive an acknowledgement or have any questions.