Council Seeks Executive Director

By Adam Pagnucco.

In the wake of the pending retirement of County Council Executive Director Marlene Michaelson, the council is seeking her successor.  This is one of the most critical jobs in county government.  Its occupant will play a key role in shaping the direction of the council, and therefore of the county overall.

Back in August, I described the job in this way:

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The council’s executive director (which has changed title a couple times over the years) is the most important position in the council building other than council member.  The executive director is hired directly by the council and works for the institution.  He or she is the council’s chief adviser as it fulfills its legislative, fiscal, and land use responsibilities under the charter; represents the council on the boards of the county’s retirement funds and other bodies; and oversees the central council staff.  The central staff drafts and analyzes legislation, provides policy advice and helps the council oversee the executive branch, work that I described back in February.  The role of the central staff is particularly important at budget time, when they review every agency, department and office budget as well as revenues and lay out options for council decision making.  The council simply could not do its work without the central staff and the executive director is its leader.

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When I worked at the council, the position was called council administrator and its occupant was Steve Farber, whom I profiled in 2017.  Farber excelled at the job, but my account of his tenure reveals how incredibly difficult the job is.  It’s also financially rewarding as it pays more than $200,000 annually with excellent benefits.  While there will never be another Farber, it’s imperative that the council find a skilled manager who can guide its central staff, preserve the legislative branch’s independence and integrity and – above all – stay out of politics.

The council has posted a job advertisement on LeaderFit.  Its text is reprinted below.

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Executive Director, Montgomery County Council

Rockville, MD

Position Summary

The County Council of Montgomery County, Maryland is seeking a highly skilled leader of people, organizations, and systems to serve as its next Executive Director. Top candidates must be exceptional communicators and relationship builders, grounded in deep emotional intelligence. They will bring demonstrated experience leading talented and diverse teams, managing large and complex budgets, and advancing racial equity and social justice. They will have a proven ability to lead by example with humility, transparency, and the highest ethical standards. Experience in Montgomery County or county government is not required, however an eagerness and capacity to learn quickly is necessary to thrive in our dynamic work environment.

About Montgomery County, Maryland

Montgomery County, Maryland, which shares a border with Washington, D.C., is one of the largest, most diverse counties in the United States. More than a quarter of its one million residents are foreign-born and speak over 100 languages. As one of the wealthiest counties in the country, it also holds the record for most post-graduate degrees per capita. The county is home to three Fortune 500 companies and many large global organizations in the government, biotech, and hotel sectors such as National Institutes of Health, Lockheed Martin, AstraZeneca, and Marriott.

About the Montgomery County Council

The Montgomery County Council is the legislative branch of County Government and is comprised of eleven Councilmembers, elected by the voters of Montgomery County for four-year terms. The Council’s responsibilities are specified by the County Charter and state law and include:

• Appropriates money to fund the capital and operating budgets and sets the local property tax rate and other local taxes.
• Approves all land use plans including the General Plan, area master plans, and sector plans prepared by the Planning Board.
• Acts on zoning changes.
• Exercises oversight over County programs to ensure efficiency and effectiveness.
• Approves the six-year capital improvements, public services, and fiscal policy programs.
• Approves the county Ten Year Solid Waste and Water Supply and Sewerage System Plans.
• Serves as the Board of Health for Montgomery County.
• Enacts all County laws and amendments to the Code.
• Sets the tax rates required to fund the County budgets.
• Confirms major appointments made by the County Executive and appoints the members of the Montgomery County Planning Board and the Board of Appeals.
• Acts on or initiates reorganization plans for the County government’s executive branch.
• Directs and reviews the annual independent audit of County government operations.

About the Executive Director Position

The Council’s Executive Director is appointed by the Council to provide overall leadership and management of a 100-person staff, $16.8M operating budget, and day-to-day administrative operations. The Executive Director plays a critical role in ensuring the Council has all the resources needed to fulfill its responsibilities including staff with appropriate experience and expertise, information technology systems, communications and broadcasting capabilities, and facilities. The Executive Director is also responsible for cultivating a positive and collaborative workplace where all employees are supported and have the resources required to succeed.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with Councilmembers and their staff to achieve their goals for legislative, policy, and budget initiatives.
• Develop and implement strategies to attract, hire, and develop a diverse workforce, and to further incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility principles and practices into all facets of the work environment.
• Champion the Council’s efforts to incorporate racial equity and social justice into all facets of its work including policy development and community outreach and engagement.
• Lead the staff review of the capital ($17B) and operating ($6.8B) budgets and develop strategies to address the unique issues in each budget and adhere to the Council’s fiscal policies.
• Oversee staff analysis of policy, planning, and legislative issues, ensuring quality analysis and the development of cutting edge and creative solutions to the issues before the Council.
• Provide direct assistance to each Councilmember’s office related to staffing, office operations, and policy initiatives of the Councilmember.
• Ensure the Council’s Communication Team (in collaboration with the County’s Public Information Office) is effectively engaging with the County’s diverse population.
• Oversee the Offices of the Council Clerk, Information Technology staff, and Legislative Information Services and ensure the systems they use maximize accuracy, efficiency, transparency, and access to the public.
• Maintain strong working relationships with leadership in the Executive Branch and other agencies as appropriate. Work with department directors in the Office of Legislative Oversight and other legislative branch offices as needed.
• Maintain a politically neutral perspective while understanding the underlying political landscape and influences in managing the legislative and budget processes of the Council.
• Assist other Legislative branch offices on a variety of matters, including procurement, contracting, operational policies, and performance.
• Ensure the Council’s meetings are conducted in a fair and orderly manner.
• Ensure the Council complies with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Additional assignments, as needed, to support the Council and its staff.

Ideal Qualifications

• Demonstrated expertise in providing oversight for multi-billion dollar budgets and developing fiscal policies that will protect the County’s AAA bond rating and adhere to Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to develop sound and innovative approaches to policy issues affecting local governments with effective application of information technology to policy analysis and communications.
• Proven record of advancing racial equity and social justice through professional and personal commitments.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and provide leadership for a large and diverse policy and administrative staff.
• Successful experience attracting, hiring, and maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce.
• Exceptional communication skills, including the ability to write and speak about complex issues clearly, accurately, and concisely.
• Expert knowledge of local government functions, budget practices, intergovernmental relations, and the effective application of information technology to policy analysis and communications.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain effective working relations with elected and appointed officials, local government staff, and the public.

Salary Range:

The targeted salary range for this position is $200,885 – $258,204. Montgomery County Government offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Benefits include a wide variety of health and wellness plans, life insurance, flexible schedules, and time off for work-life balance. Learn more here.

Application notes:

Please submit a resume and cover letter addressed to Montgomery County Council Executive Director Search Committee online here. Finalists will be asked to submit a brief video introduction to be shared in confidence with the Search Committee. In addition, top candidates will be required to complete background and reference checks.

If you have any questions regarding the search process or require accommodations to submit your application, please contact Katie McNerney at LeaderFit Executive Search: kmcnerney@leaderfit.org.