County Administrator

Job Summary

Position Title: County Administrator Department: County Administration Location: Culpeper County Administration, 302 North Main Street, Culpeper, VA 22701 Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt Salary Range: $180,000 - $230,000 annually, commensurate with experience and qualifications Reports To: Board of Supervisors Posting Date: March 4, 2026 Application Deadline: Open until filled Position Summary Culpeper County, Virginia, is seeking an experienced and visionary leader to serve as County Administrator, the chief administrative officer responsible for the overall management and operations of county government. This position reports directly to the seven-member Board of Supervisors and plays a pivotal role in implementing board policies, overseeing departmental functions, and ensuring efficient, transparent, and responsive public services. Following a significant multi-day network and systems outage in June 2025 that impacted critical services including E911, the County is in the midst of comprehensive technology modernization efforts across most systems to improve resilience, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency. The Administrator will lead these initiatives while serving as the County's representative on at least 10 boards, commissions, and committees. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in local government leadership, strategic planning, fiscal management, project management, and fostering community partnerships in a dynamic environment.

Job Functions

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct and supervise the day-to-day operations of all county departments and agencies under the Board's control, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and compliance with federal, state, and local laws.
• Prepare, administer, and present the annual operating and capital budgets; oversee fiscal management, revenue forecasting, and expenditure controls to maintain financial sustainability.
• Advise the Board of Supervisors on policy matters, long-range planning, economic development, and emerging issues; provide data-driven recommendations and facilitate informed decision-making.
• Manage and evaluate department heads and staff; promote professional development, performance accountability, and a collaborative organizational culture.
• Serve as the County's representative or liaison on several boards, commissions, and committees; foster intergovernmental and regional collaborations.
• Lead project management for major county initiatives, including infrastructure development, economic growth projects, and the ongoing modernization of technology systems to address vulnerabilities exposed by the June 2025 outage.
• Coordinate intergovernmental relations, including partnerships with state and federal agencies, regional organizations, and community stakeholders; represent the county in public forums and negotiations.
• Oversee the development and implementation of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), infrastructure projects, and technology modernization initiatives to support community growth and efficiency, with a focus on enhancing cybersecurity and system reliability post-2025 outage.
• Ensure effective risk management, procurement, grants administration, and enterprise resource planning; promote innovation and continuous improvement across operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Board of Supervisors to advance county governance and public service excellence.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, political science, or a related field; Master's degree (e.g., MPA or MBA) preferred.
• At least seven (7) to ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in local government administration, including leadership roles in fiscal management, operations, policy development, project management, and technology oversight.
• Strong knowledge of Virginia state laws, local government operations, budgeting processes, and parliamentary procedures.
• Proven expertise in strategic planning, organizational leadership, stakeholder engagement, and intergovernmental relations; demonstrated ability to manage complex projects, drive innovation, and lead systems modernization efforts.
• Excellent communication, analytical, and interpersonal skills; ability to present complex information clearly to diverse audiences.
• High level of integrity, discretion, and commitment to public service.
• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings for Board meetings and events.
• Preferred: Professional certifications such as ICMA Credentialed Manager (ICMA-CM), Certified Public Manager (CPM), Project Management Professional (PMP), or equivalent; experience in Virginia local government, including crisis response to IT outages and technology upgrades.

The above information in this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performance by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications as required of employees assigned to this job.

Culpeper County is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Culpeper County will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

COUNTY OF CULPEPER BENEFITS Full-time employees have access to a wide variety of benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, life insurance, optional life and disability insurance plans, flexible spending accounts, and a deferred compensation program. RETIREMENT As a condition of full-time employment, each individual is enrolled in a retirement plan with the Virginia Retirement System that provides a monthly benefit to all retirees for life. VRS Plans 1 and 2 and the VRS Enhanced Hazardous Duty plans are defined benefit plans. The VRS Hybrid plan consists of both a defined benefit plan and a defined contribution plan. All individuals are required to contribute 5% of their gross salary to their retirement account each month as a condition of employment. LIFE INSURANCE The County of Culpeper provides a basic life insurance plan for all eligible employees. The coverage amount is an employee's annual salary, rounded up to the next highest thousand, then multiplied by 2. The County pays 100% of the cost of this benefit. Additional coverage may be purchased. MEDICAL INSURANCE The County offers two (2) medical plans: an HMO & an HSA. DENTAL INSURANCE The County offers three comprehensive dental plans for employees and their eligible dependents. HOLIDAY/VACATION/SICK ACCRUALS The County follows the state calendar for paid holidays. Vacation and sick accrual depend on the agency, office, or department in which an individual is employed. PAY FOR PERFORMANCE The County currently utilizes a merit pay system to determine employee salary increases. This does not apply to Culpeper Human Services. SHORT TERM DISABILITY The County offers basic income protection in the event an employee is unable to perform the essential functions of his or her position. The County pays for this coverage for all VRS members. LONG TERM DISABILITY The County also offers additional income protection that will continue beyond the short term disability period until an employee is able to return to work or reaches retirement age. This coverage is provided for a nominal cost to employees covered under VRS Plans 1 and 2 and the VRS Enhanced Hazardous Duty plan. This coverage is provided at no cost to all employees covered under the VRS Hybrid plan. VOLUNTARY INSURANCE PROGRAM The County offers voluntary insurance programs through a variety of insurance carriers. These include: Accident Plan Cancer Plan Whole Life Insurance Critical Illness Plans FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNT The County offers a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) that allows employees to set aside up to $2,500 annually, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deductions, to pay for eligible medical, dental, or vision expenses. The IRS regulates this program and runs concurrently with the benefit plan year. DEPENDENT CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM The County offers a Dependent Care Assistance Program that allows employees to set aside up to $5,000 annually, on a pre-tax basis via payroll deductions, to pay eligible dependent care expenses. The IRS regulates this program and runs concurrently with the benefit plan year. Open enrollment is held annually. DEFERRED COMPENSATION The County offers a 457 as another alternative to set aside money for retirement. This employer uses E-Verify For more information please go to: