County Administrator

County Administrator

Salary

$260,000.00 - $320,000.00 Annually

Location

Boulder County, CO

Job Type

Full-time

Job Number

6866(XA1)

Department

County Administrator

Opening Date

09/01/2026

Closing Date

9/30/2026 11:59 PM Mountain

FLSA

Exempt

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Description

County Administrator

County of Boulder, Colorado

Annual Salary: $260,000-$320,000 DOE/DOQ.

View the full Position Profile

View the full Position Profile (accessible version)

Position Summary

This position, working at the pleasure of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), serves as the main administrative officer for the county and liaison between the Board of County Commissioners and the county department directors. The County Administrator is responsible for implementing BOCCs policy directions to county staff and coordinating the flow of information and advice to the Board. The purpose of the role is to manage and coordinate county resources to accomplish the objectives of the BOCC.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Meets regularly with the BOCC.
• Exercises responsibility for communicating and implementing BOCC policy direction and strategic priorities.
• Manages all operational and administrative matters within Board policies and in accordance with the county personnel and policy manual, including resolving questions arising from policy interpretation.
• Coordinates updates to the personnel and policy manual, including implementation with Elected Officials.
• Manages the day-to-day administration of the county organization.
• Prepares agendas and supporting materials for BOCC business meetings and public hearings.
• Oversees county facilities with the support of department staff.
• Manages county personnel within departments assigned by the BOCC with the support of the Human Resources Department.
• With direction from the BOCC, evaluates and documents the performance of the Deputy County Administrator and Department Directors, including overseeing recruitment, hiring, and termination activities.
• Conducts organizational assessments to align resources with BOCC direction, policy objectives, and good governance best practices.
• Collaborates with Elected Officials, Department Heads, and the County Chief Financial Officer to develop an annual recommended budget for BOCC consideration.
• Coordinates with the elected Sheriff to lead disaster response efforts, manages the transition to disaster recovery, and leads recovery operations.
• Develops and coordinates Continuity of Operations and Emergency Plans across the county organization.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the BOCC.
• Performs related duties as required.
• Serves in reassigned roles during emergency situations, as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

PLEASE NOTE: When completing your application describe all relevant education and experience, as applications are assessed based on the required qualifications listed. Resumes and other attachments are not accepted in lieu of completed applications and will not be reviewed in the initial screening process. Any personally identifiable information (PII) such as name and address will be redacted from applications that meet the minimum screening requirements and are forwarded to the hiring manager. If the hiring manager selects you to advance in the hiring process, your attachments will then be shared with the hiring team.

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Business, or related field. Masters preferred.

Experience: Ten years of progressively responsible supervisory experience including five or more years of recent experience as an executive in local government or director of a local governmental department with substantial responsibilities, budgetary oversight, or staff. Demonstrated knowledge of Colorado governmental structures, systems, statutes, and practices. Additional related education may count towards required experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Extensive knowledge of management principles, organizational skills, and the ability to apply these to public administration.

Residency Requirement: The selected candidate must establish Colorado residency by their first day of employment and maintain residence within the Boulder County region for the duration of their employment.

Special Requirement: This position is designated as an emergency response worker and requires the incumbent to be available outside of regular business hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays, as operational and emergency needs arise.

Other Requirements

Position is contingent on successful completion of the following checks:

• Background with Fingerprints
• Motor Vehicle Record (MVR)
• Financial Background

Questions:

• Please contact Boulder County Human Resources Director, Christine Scarlett, with any inquiries about this position at cscarlett@bouldercounty.gov
• Please contact ADA Coordinator, Alexis Ozimek, for any disability accommodation, ADA@bouldercounty.gov

Boulder County is a workplace dedicated to supporting individuals and families of all types and to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and respectful environment for all employees. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants and employees on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

As well as offering competitive pay and a caring work environment, Boulder County offers employees an array of benefits. For all FTE and Term employees, we provide:

• Outstanding options of comprehensive health plans that include vision and dental coverage. Information can be found HERE.

• Additional Benefits include

• Family-forming benefits- infertility treatment, adoption and surrogacy reimbursements

• 12 weeks Paid Caregiver leave

• Breast feeding friendly-work environment

• Infants-at-work policy

• Access to LifeMart and Benefits Hub discount hub, including discounts on childcare centers, event tickets, travel and more!

• Access to a nationally-recognized wellness program

• Employee Assistance Program

• PERA 401k

• Social Security retirement plans

• Additional Life and Disability Insurance

• Critical Illness and Accidental Insurance

• County-paid tuition assistance

• Eligible for PSLF- Public Service Loan Forgiveness

• Free EcoPass

• Hospital Indemnity

• ID Theft Protection

• Pet Insurance

• 8 Hours of Paid Public Service Leave

• Generous paid time off

• Holidays

• New Years Day

• Martin Luther Kings Birthday January

• Presidents Day

• Memorial Day

• Juneteenth

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Indigenous Peoples Day

• General Election Day November (first Tuesday after the first Monday, even years)

• Veterans Day

• Thanksgiving Day November

• Friday after Thanksgiving*

• Christmas Eve- ½ day (full day off depends on day of the week)

• Christmas Day

• New Year's Eve- ½ day (full day off depends on day of the week)

• Vacation

• 80-hour bank of vacation at the time of hire

• Eight hours of vacation per month for the first year of continuous service, then accrue twelve hours of vacation per month after the first year of continuous service.

• Medical

• Eight hours of medical leave for each month employed.

• PERA- The County and all employees pay into both Social Security and PERA

• Employer contribution to Social Security: 7.65% of salary

• Employer contribution to PERA (Local Government Division- most county employees: 15.80%

• The District Attorney's Office observe Francis Xavier Cabrini Day on the first Monday in October and omit the Friday after Thanksgiving

Vacation and Medical leave are based off of full time FTE accruals. Part-time FTE/term employees accrue leave based on the percentage of time they work.

01

Please share how you meet the minimum qualifications of a Bachelor's Degree in Public Administration, Business, or related field and ten years of progressively responsible supervisory experience including five or more years of recent experience as an executive in local government or director of a local governmental department with substantial responsibilities, budgetary oversight, or staff. Demonstrated knowledge of Colorado governmental structures, systems, statutes, and practices. Additional related education may count towards required experience.

02

Describe a major organizational change you led or supported-such as structural shifts, service scope changes, or consolidation-during a period of limited resources or instability. How did you set priorities, adapt to shifting leadership? What were the outcomes?

03

Describe a time when you clearly communicated priorities and expectations, translated a big idea into practical execution, and helped clarify roles or direction during organizational confusion. In your response, include how you served as an effective bridge between leadership layers or between the Board and departments, and the impact of your communication on alignment and outcomes.

04

Please provide a concise, formal summary of your supervisory and executive leadership experience, including the breadth of budgetary and staff oversight you have held. In your response, briefly describe any experience you have working within county government structures or operations, and explain how your background has prepared you to lead a complex public-sector organization.

05

Please describe a situation in which you had to interpret and respond to significant shifts in the organizational or political environment, such as changes in priorities, revenues, costs, or jurisdictional relationships. What actions did you take, and what were the results?

06

The job description emphasizes the importance of centering racial equity and supporting this work throughout the county. Please describe your understanding of what this means in practice, and provide a specific example of how you have incorporated racial equity in your previous work.

Required Question

Employer Boulder County

Address 2025 14th Street

Boulder, Colorado, 80302

Phone 303-441-3525

Website http://www.bouldercounty.org