Assistant County Administrator - Operations

Jackson County, Missouri•Kansas City, MO

About The Position

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing! We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business. Department: County Executive Grade: 370NM Salary: $158,038 - $172,000/year Job Duties: Provides strategic direction and executive oversight for the County’s public-facing operational functions—including Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and the Recorder of Deeds—ensuring that community assets, public infrastructure, statutory recording services, and external service operations effectively support the priorities of the County Executive, Legislature, and the organization as a whole. Leads the development and execution of enterprise-wide operational strategies, strengthens service delivery governance, and ensures compliance with County policies, statutory requirements, safety standards, environmental regulations, and performance expectations. Responsible for advancing safety and service excellence, fiscal stewardship, operational resilience, and continuous improvement across assigned departments. Drives modernization initiatives, promotes data-informed operational decision-making, and champions reliable, accessible, and customer-focused service delivery across Public Works, parks, facilities, and Recorder of Deeds operations. This position plays a critical role in shaping the County’s long-term operational capacity by building a unified operational framework that enhances efficiency, accountability, transparency, community access, and cross-departmental collaboration

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Engineering, Construction Management, Parks and Recreation Management, Urban Planning, or a closely related field; Masters degree preferred (MPA, MBA, MSEM, etc)
Ten years of progressively responsible leadership experience in public works, infrastructure management, capital project delivery, parks and recreation operations, facilities management, construction management, or within a complex organization with comparable operational scale and regulatory requirements
Eight years of senior-level or executive management experience overseeing multiple operational divisions or service programs, preferably involving large-scale infrastructure, field-service operations, community-facing services, or statutory administrative functions in government or a similarly complex private-sector environment
Demonstrated experience directing capital improvement programs, infrastructure maintenance operations, or major public-facing service delivery systems, with proven ability to ensure operational efficiency, safety, regulatory compliance, and service quality
Experience managing diverse operational workforces, including field crews, technical professionals, supervisors, and administrative staff, with a strong record of workforce leadership, organizational development, and employee engagement
Proven ability to interpret and apply statutory and regulatory requirements, including those related to land records, document recording, contracting, procurement, environmental regulations, and public infrastructure standards
Demonstrated success in budget development and management for large, multi-fund operational departments, including capital budgets, special revenue funds, enterprise operations, and grants
Ability to work effectively in a politically sensitive environment, collaborating with elected officials, community stakeholders, advisory boards, and other governmental entities while maintaining professionalism, transparency, and operational integrity
Must submit/pass pre-employment background check/drug screen

Nice To Haves

Strong leadership capability to build a culture of customer service, safety, efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement across departments with varied operational missions
Executive-level experience in a county or municipal government of comparable size or complexity, preferably overseeing public works, parks, infrastructure systems, or statutory administrative offices such as land records, permitting, or licensing
Experience leading large-scale infrastructure and facility operations, including roadways, bridges, stormwater, fleet, utilities, parks, trails, properties, event facilities, cemeteries, or recreational assets
Experience overseeing parks and recreation programming, natural resource management, facility operations, outdoor recreation services, and community engagement initiatives
Knowledge of land records administration, indexing standards, document imaging systems, property transfer recording, and statutory processes relevant to Recorder of Deeds operations
Demonstrated success implementing operational modernization, including technology upgrades, asset management systems, performance measurement, process improvement, or data-driven operational planning
Experience working within or alongside unionized environments, with understanding of collective bargaining frameworks, workforce rules, and labor relations

Responsibilities

Provides strategic direction and executive oversight for the County’s public-facing operational functions—including Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and the Recorder of Deeds
Leads the development and execution of enterprise-wide operational strategies
Strengthens service delivery governance
Ensures compliance with County policies, statutory requirements, safety standards, environmental regulations, and performance expectations
Responsible for advancing safety and service excellence, fiscal stewardship, operational resilience, and continuous improvement across assigned departments
Drives modernization initiatives
Promotes data-informed operational decision-making
Champions reliable, accessible, and customer-focused service delivery across Public Works, parks, facilities, and Recorder of Deeds operations
Building a unified operational framework that enhances efficiency, accountability, transparency, community access, and cross-departmental collaboration