Town Manager

POSITION - Town Manager LOCATION - Town of Oriental, NC 507 Church St, Oriental, NC 28571 The Town is seeking an authentic municipal leader who blends strong technical and financial acumen with exceptional interpersonal intelligence. The Town Manager will need to work effectively with elected officials, employees, residents, businesses, volunteers, and community groups; communicate clearly; handle disagreement professionally; and make difficult decisions while maintaining constructive working relationships. The Town Manager oversees a small municipal organization with responsibilities that extend across administration, finance, public works and water, planning and zoning, regulations, public safety, and service to residents . The successful candidate will be expected to provide direction, accountability, and stability while building trust throughout the organization and community. The Town is looking for a practical, capable, and approachable local-government professional who can: - Lead a small municipal organization with a hands-on, service-oriented approach. - Build effective working relationships with elected officials, employees, residents, and community stakeholders. - Communicate directly and respectfully, including when addressing disagreement or difficult issues. - Manage budgets, grants, infrastructure projects, and municipal operations with sound financial judgment. - Understand planning, zoning, development, and the opportunities and challenges facing a coastal community. - Prepare for emergencies and coordinate response and recovery efforts. - Preserve Oriental's distinctive character while supporting thoughtful, sustainable growth. - Identify opportunities, establish priorities, and turn plans into results. Required Qualifications - Bachelor's degree in coastal or urban planning, political science, business, or a related field - 3 years or more experience in planning - 5 years or more experience in municipal or county government or closely related field Preferred Qualifications - Master's degree in public administration, coastal or urban planning, emergency management, business, or a related field - 3 years or more experience in economic or community development - 2 years or more experience as an administrator or department head - 2 years or more experience with municipal budgets, grantsmanship, and emergency management ~ FEMA: Public Assistance Hiring Range: $90,000-$125,000, depending on qualifications and experience. The Board prefers that the next Town Manager reside within the Town's corporate limits. Recognizing the limited housing stock, the Board is willing to negotiate residence within a reasonable commuting distance of Town Hall, generally no more than 15 minutes. Residence within the agreed area is expected within twelve months of employment. Benefits: employer-paid group health, dental, vision, and life insurance; the North Carolina statutory retirement contribution; and an available 401(k) plan for employee participation. Reasonable relocation and moving assistance, as well as a car and phone allowance, may be negotiable. For consideration, submit a completed PD-107 NC State Application, Resume, Cover Letter, five professional references having knowledge of your work to: Larry Faison, Local Government Consultant, Eastern Carolina Council, EMAIL: Lfaison@eccog.org. The position is open until filled; The Board of Commissioners anticipates beginning its first review of candidate qualifications during the week of November 16th, 2026