DescriptionThe County Administrator is the chief administrative executive overseeing 2,700+ employees and a $551.3M FY2027 budget. The role spans all city and county operations, budget oversight, capital planning, executive team leadership, and partnerships with elected officials and regional entities.
The Unified Government seeks an experienced, strategic executive who is a team builder with sound financial judgment and operational discipline. The ideal candidate understands that successful local government requires disciplined partnership between elected and professional leadership, makes timely decisions with clear accountability, values all departments equally, and communicates risks candidly. Resilient amid competing priorities and grounded in practical implementation, they will demonstrate a long-term commitment to institution-building and delivering measurable results for residents, employees, and elected officials.
The salary range for this position is $300,000-$335,000 (DOQ) with comprehensive benefits including health coverage, wellness programs and KPERS pension.
For more information on this position, contact:Clay Pearson, Senior Vice President, Executive Recruitment
RequirementsRequired Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, or a related field
- Minimum of seven years of progressively responsible executive leadership experience in city or county government, including at least two years of experience as a City/County Manager or Administrator (preferred)
- Successful experience working with a Mayor/Council, Commission, Board, or similarly complex elected governance structure
- A record of building, aligning, and holding accountable an executive leadership team
- Strong financial leadership, including structural budgeting, long-range financial forecasting, reserve management, capital planning and financing, debt management, and development of strategies to strengthen long-term fiscal capacity
- Evidence of carrying major initiatives from concept through implementation and measurable completion
- Residency within Wyandotte County within one year of hire
Preferred Qualifications:- Master's degree in public administration, business administration, or a related field
- Demonstrated success in an executive-led or similarly complex governance environment involving an active elected chief executive and professional administrator (strongly preferred)
- Demonstrated economic-development leadership at meaningful scale, including public-private development and redevelopment, tax-base growth, development agreements, and measurable community outcomes
- Infrastructure and capital-program leadership; utility, sewer/stormwater, or consent-decree experience
- Experience in a consolidated city/county, countywide, regional, multi-jurisdictional, or similarly complex governmental environment
- Public safety, emergency management, or justice-system experience, including work with independently elected officials
- Labor relations and collective bargaining in a large public organization
- Housing, homelessness, health and human services, or neighborhood revitalization experience
- Technology modernization, including ERP, 311/CRM, and data and performance systems
