W Talent Solutions represents Ottawa County in their search for a County Administrator.
All search processes are EEOC compliant and are organized by W Talent Solutions.
We welcome you to join Ottawa County in cultivating a vibrant community Where Freedom Rings, businesses flourish, and families thrive.
Ottawa County is a beautiful county with a bright future. Nestled between Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan, the people of Ottawa County largely have a deep love for America, individual freedoms, and traditional American values— the bedrock of our vibrant communities.
OUR COMMUNITY
Ottawa County is situated in the southwestern section of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula on Lake Michigan’s breathtaking freshwater coastline, with its western boundary formed by Lake Michigan. Ottawa County is 174 miles west of Detroit and 150 miles northeast of Chicago.
The County is composed of 17 townships, six cities, and one village, with an area of 563.5 square miles. Thirty-eight (38%) percent of the land is farmland, with farms being a cornerstone of both the economy and the cultural heritage of the County.
Ottawa County is the state’s seventh most populous county, with an estimated 305,000 people in 2024. Ottawa County is the fastest growing of Michigan's 10 largest counties, with an increase in population of 10.7% from 2000-2010 and 11.4% from 2010-2020, and continued strong growth into 2024. The county's spectacular parks, economic opportunities, bountiful agriculture, excellent schools, safe neighborhoods, and low property taxes all contribute to a great quality of life and make Ottawa an attractive place to live.
Each year this area welcomes millions of visitors to its vacation playground. In Holland, people from all over the world come to the Tulip Time festival each spring. It is the third largest such festival in the United States. Grand Haven boasts the name “Coast Guard City, USA” as it hosts an annual Coast Guard Festival that attracts 350,000 people a year.
Ottawa County’s convenient location and never-too-warm summer climate have made it a mecca for sportsmen and vacationers. Besides Lake Michigan beaches, there are 36 miles of inland lake shorelines, 307 miles of rivers and streams, two bustling state parks, and over 7,000 acres of county parks and open space lands for residents and visitors to enjoy.
With its rich farming heritage and agricultural industry, Ottawa County ranks third in the state in agricultural sales, producing an incredibly diverse range of agriculture products. The County leads all other Michigan counties in the production of turkeys, ornamental nursery crops, blueberries, and perennials. Agriculture and food processing is one of the three sectors that comprise the economic base in Ottawa County’s economy, with over 60 food and beverage manufacturing establishments in Ottawa County.
Durable goods manufacturing is the second of the three sectors, with a 2020 total gross regional product of $5.9 billion, 43% of the Gross Regional Product (GRP). There are 400+ manufacturing companies in electronics, furniture, machinery metal, and transportation, with sizes ranging from one & two-person shops to nationally known Fortune 500 corporations.
There are two institutions of higher education based in Ottawa County: Grand Valley State University (GVSU) and Hope College. GVSU is the third largest employer in the County. There are four other institutions of higher education that have satellite campuses in the County: Baker College, Davenport University, Grand Rapids Community College, and Muskegon Community College.
Ottawa County’s state equalized value is $23.9 billion. (In the past year, county-wide Assessed Values increased 14.39% and Taxable Values increased by 9.23%.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Reporting to the Board of Commissioners, the County Administrator serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the County of Ottawa and is responsible for the management of all County operations, programs, and activities. The County Administrator is responsible for the preparation and management of the County’s budget and performs strategic and organizational planning and policy guidance. Performs executive management level leadership in directing the overall management of the County government to provide mandated services to the citizens of Ottawa County. Upholds the United States Constitution to preserve and protect the individual rights of the citizens.
This is a full-time, benefited position working at the Fillmore Complex in West Olive, Michigan.
Essential Job Functions
· The County Administrator shall be responsible for the day-to-day administration and operations of the County of Ottawa, Michigan.
· The County Administrator shall coordinate the various activities of the County and unify the management of its affairs.
· The County Administrator shall supervise the operations and performance of all County departments and department heads, except corporate counsel and elected officials and their officers, and, with the approval of the Board, appoint and remove all heads of departments, other than elected officials.
· The County Administrator shall attend and/or have department heads attend all regularly scheduled Board meetings and, at the direction of the Board, special Board meetings.
· The County Administrator shall supervise the preparations and filling, or submission, of all reports required of the County by law.
· The County Administrator shall be responsible for developing a continuing strategic plan for the County and presenting it to the Board for input and approval.
· The County Administrator shall be responsible for the following fiscal services for the County of Ottawa: Accounting, Accounts Payable, Budgeting, Payroll and Receivables, except to the extent that portions of those responsibilities are assigned, by statute, to other offices or entities.
· The County Administrator serves as an official representative on a variety of boards.
· The County Administrator is responsible for the development of labor agreements and relations.
· The County Administrator analyzes and recommends improvements to existing services and operating systems of the County.
· The County Administrator shall perform such other duties as the Board may assign.
Required Education, Training and Experience
Bachelor's degree from an accredited university is required, combined with experience in county government, executive leadership, management, or other relevant experience. Willing to respond to emergency situations during normal working and off-duty hours. These qualifications are guidelines as other combination of education, experience, skills, and abilities may be considered.
Additional Requirements and Information
The County Administrator position requires the ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing related to county functions.
The County Administrator position requires the ability to establish and maintain working relationships with staff, elected officials, outside representatives, and the general public.
The County Administrator position requires the ability to formulate, recommend, review, and implement budget, policy, and procedure.
The County Administrator position requires understanding of the Declaration of Independence, United States Constitution, and civics.
Physical Requirements:
The candidate must be able to perform essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodation, including, but not limited to, visual and/or audiological appliances and devices to increase mobility. Must be able to travel throughout the community as needed.
Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a normal office environment and various sites throughout the community.
Disclaimer:
This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
Please be advised that Ottawa County is a local unit of government, which is subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Pursuant to FOIA, any application materials that you submit (but not personally identifiable information and any information exempt from disclosure under statute) may be released in response to a FOIA request.
Application deadline is November 15, 2024.
For questions or comments, please reach out to Justin Csernai at jcsernai@wtalentsolutions.com.
