Chief of Staff

The Town of Holly Springs is searching for a Chief of Staff to serve in the Town Manager's Office. The role’s core focus areas include organizational leadership, enterprise project management, operational excellence, and execution of strategic priorities. The role is responsible for coordinating departments, driving cross-functional initiatives, improving organizational performance, and ensuring accomplishment of the Town Manager's and Council priorities. Stated another way, the position is a “chief implementation officer”—ensuring strategic initiatives are delivered, organizational change is managed effectively, and internal service/support departments operate effectively to advance public-facing public service departments’ business goals within appropriate policy and legal frameworks.   

This position focuses on internal organizational excellence, while Assistant Town Managers lead operational departments, external public service delivery, and external stakeholder relationships. The Chief of Staff is a member of the Town Manager's Executive Leadership team.  

Reports to: Town Manager
Direct Reports:
•Finance Director 
•Budget, Innovation & Strategy Director 
•Human Resources Director 
•Chief Information Officer 

Position Description
The Chief of Staff serves as the Town Manager's principal advisor on organizational effectiveness, strategic plan execution, and enterprise operations. The position provides executive leadership for internal service departments while ensuring Town-wide strategic initiatives are successfully implemented through effective project management, organizational alignment, change management, and continuous process improvement.
The Chief of Staff serves as the integrator across departments – translating strategic priorities into measurable action, removing organizational barriers, improving operational performance, and fostering collaboration among departments.
The position oversees the Town's internal administrative services including Finance; Budget, Innovation & Strategy; Human Resources; and Information Technology while promoting innovation, operational excellence, and a high-performing organizational culture.
For a fast-growing municipality such as Holly Springs, the Chief of Staff leadership position focuses on organizational capacity, complementing operational leadership in public service delivery. As growth increases the complexity of finance, workforce planning, technology, and strategic execution, the Chief of Staff becomes the executive responsible for ensuring that internal systems evolve alongside public service demands.
The Chief of Staff ensures that major initiatives are executed effectively, enterprise functions remain aligned, and internal operations continuously improve. 

The work schedule is business hours with occasional evenings and weekends. The anticipated hiring range is $148,545.98-$177,000 depending on qualifications (Grade SLT 2). 

**Please note, this posting will have a max of 50 applicants and will close once capacity is reached.**Essential Responsibilities

Executive Leadership
•Serve as a strategic advisor to the Town Manager on organizational priorities. 
•Lead attainment of Town Council strategic initiatives. 
•Coordinate enterprise-wide initiatives involving multiple departments. 
•Monitor progress toward strategic plan objectives. 
•Ensure accountability for execution of organizational priorities. 
•Prepare executive analyses and recommendations for the Town Manager. 
•Council business agenda development 
Organizational Effectiveness
Lead efforts to improve organizational performance through:
•Business process improvement
•Lean government initiatives 
•Service delivery optimization 
•Organizational design 
•Operational assessments 
•Productivity improvement assessments 
•Application of AI within the organization and customer-facing engagements  
•Continuous improvement initiatives 
•Identify opportunities to eliminate duplication, reduce administrative burden, and improve customer service.
Strategic Initiative Management
Serve as executive sponsor for high-priority initiatives including:
•Strategic Plan development and execution 
•Organizational transformation projects 
•ERP implementation 
•Technology modernization and optimization 
•AI and digital transformation 
•Process redesign 
•Organizational restructuring 
•Cross-departmental initiatives 
•Develop implementation plans, establish milestones, monitor progress, and resolve organizational obstacles.
Change Management
Lead organizational change by:
•Developing change management strategies, including the application of models such as ADKAR  
•Building organizational readiness 
•Supporting leadership through transitions 
•Facilitating communication plans 
•Monitoring organizational adoption 
•Reinforcing desired behaviors 
•Measuring the impact of change management efforts 

Internal Services Leadership
Provide executive oversight for:
Finance
•Financial stewardship 
•Internal controls 
•Financial reporting 
•Long-range financial planning 
•Contracting/procurement process streamlining 

Budget, Innovation & Strategy
•Budget development 
•Budget analysis
•Strategic planning 
•Performance management 
•Organizational analytics 
•Innovation initiatives 
•Pursuit of grant opportunities 
•Long-range budget planning
•Departmental business planning 

Human Resources
•Talent strategy 
•Workforce planning 
•Leadership development 
•Employee engagement 
•Organizational culture 
•Succession planning 
•Recruitment
•Benefits management

Information Technology
•Digital transformation 
•Cybersecurity 
•Enterprise systems 
•Technology investments 
•AI strategy 
•Data governance 

Executive Project Management
Provide executive oversight of major organizational initiatives by:
•Establishing governance structures 
•Managing executive steering committees 
•Prioritizing organizational resources 
•Tracking execution progress 
•Resolving cross-department issues 
•Reporting results to executive leadership and Council 

Organizational Collaboration
Promote collaboration across departments through:
•Cross-departmental leadership teams 
•Cross-functional working groups 
•Shared services 
•Standardized business practices 
•Knowledge sharing 
•Enterprise decision-making 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Knowledge of:
•Local government administration 
•Municipal budgeting and finance 
•Strategic planning 
•Organizational development 
•Change management 
•Human resources management 
•Information technology governance 
•Performance management 
•Project management methodologies 
•Continuous improvement methodologies (e.g. Lean Six Sigma, Operational Excellence) 
•NC municipal government 
•Conflict resolution strategies 
Skill in:
•Executive leadership 
•Strategic thinking 
•Organizational analysis 
•Facilitating organizational change 
•Executive communication 
•Relationship building 
•Conflict resolution 
•Executive decision-making 
•Process improvement 
•Data analysis 
•Public presentations 
•Team development 
•Local government budgeting and financial management 

Ability to:
•Lead without direct authority 
•Influence executive leaders 
•Manage competing priorities 
•Build organizational consensus 
•Execute complex initiatives 
•Translate strategy into action 
•Navigate political environments 
•Foster innovation 
•Enhance organizational culture 
•Develop future leaders 
•Present effectively to various internal and external audiences 


Minimum Requirements
•Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university in Public Administration, Business Administration, Organizational Leadership, Public Policy, Finance, Management, or related field.
•10 years of progressively responsible leadership experience
•At least 3-5 years in executive or senior management 
•Experience leading multiple departments or enterprise initiatives 

Preferred Qualifications
•Master's degree (MPA, MBA, Organizational Leadership, Public Administration, or related field) strongly preferred.
•Experience in local government preferred, especially within North Carolina