The hiring range for this position is $190,000 - $220,000 depending on qualifications and experience. Information about the County’s benefits can be viewed at https://www.buncombecounty.org/governing/depts/human-resources/default.aspx#:~:text=Buncombe%20County%20has%20an%20average,the%20residents%20of%20Buncombe%20County. All Buncombe County employees must live within a 2-hour drive of their work location. The County Attorney is expected to work in-office at 200 College Street, Asheville, NC 28801.
Required Education:
Doctorate
Beautiful Blue Ridge Community of Buncombe County seeks County Attorney
The thriving, innovative, progressive, and inclusive community of Buncombe County, North Carolina, operating under a Board of Commissioners-Manager form of government is seeking a highly competent, diplomatic, and “out of the box” thinker to serve as its next County Attorney. With outstanding strategic leadership skills, the next County Attorney will have extensive experience providing legal counsel in county government and have the ability to partner with a highly engaged, energetic and passionate Board of Commissioners. The successful candidate will have a commitment to the future of Buncombe County, a willingness to navigate the opportunities and challenges, and to invest personally and professionally in the community.
The next County Attorney must be a well-respected and trusted leader who prioritizes establishing trust with stakeholders including department staff and County leadership. The successful Attorney is a natural at building and establishing relationships with others – a strong collaborator who will demonstrate the dignity and worth of all in their interactions with stakeholders including the leadership team, department staff, community, and Board of Commissioners.
This highly effective leader has a track record of success, values accountability and holds high expectations of self and others while recognizing that making the right and legal decisions, may not always be popular. With significant expertise, the County Attorney will purposefully work to protect and preserve the reputation of the County during a time of ongoing recovery from Hurricane Helene and the tensions of national, regional, state, and local politics that risks division among communities.
About the Community:
Buncombe County is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina with Asheville as its county seat. Buncombe County encompasses 646 square miles that contains the French Broad River; considered by some to be the third oldest river in the world, it flows from the south to north in Buncombe County. With a current population of over 276,000, Buncombe County is the seventh most populous county in North Carolina.
About the Organization:
The Buncombe County Commissioners are a seven-member board with the Chair and commissioners serving four-year terms. Buncombe County Government provides services across 38 departments ranging from air quality control to planning with support provided to the local Board of Education and School Superintendent. The County is proud of award-winning programs in the Communications, Public Health, Planning, Public Library, Planning, and Health and Human Services departments. The County has also been recognized by the NC City County Management Association for strategic planning and recognized by GFOA- for the Finance department’s reporting for 29 years, all of which demonstrate Buncombe County’s commitment to better serve our residents, prepare for the future and be a caring, inclusive, and transparent government.
The County is regarded as a fiscally responsible, stable, and well-managed government with sound budget and strong fund balance (net assets). For more than 20 years, Buncombe County has been awarded a Triple A bond rating, a designation attained by only 69 counties in the United States and only six of North Carolina’s 100 counties. Buncombe County has an overall budget of approximately $626 million with an operating budget of around $ $440 million. The County employs about 1600 FTE employees.
The County’s strategic focus areas of Educated & Capable Community, Environmental & Energy Stewardship, Resident Well-Being, and Vibrant Economy guide staff in their daily work. Executive leadership is structured around these goal areas and the County Manager is supported by three Assistant County Managers to carry out the Board’s strategic vision. The County has worked hard to increase transparency and to match the community vision of “Buncombe County is a caring community in harmony with its environment where citizens succeed, thrive, and realize their potential.” The Board has advocated for goals and an actionable strategic plan that includes a robust implementation and departmental dashboards. To learn more about the County, visit the County website.
About the Position:
The Buncombe County Board of County Commissioners is the legislative and policy-making body for Buncombe County and is the final authority on all County matters. The Board of County Commissioners: hires the County Manager, County Attorney, and County Clerk; appoints members of boards, committees and commissions; approves the annual budget; authorizes contracts on the County’s behalf; enacts ordinances and resolutions; and establishes general County policies. The County Attorney is appointed by the Commissioners to advise the Board, the County Manager and department heads on all legal matters related to the operation of County government. The County Attorney's office is responsible for ensuring that affairs and actions of Buncombe County are conducted in accordance with federal, state, and local laws. The County attorney provides Legal opinions on all laws, contracts, leases, deeds, and other legal documents.
The County Attorney oversees Legal Administration and Risk & Compliance teams. There are three (3) Attorneys and one Paralegal on the Legal Administration team while the Risk & Compliance team includes the Risk Manager and a Compliance Officer. There are five additional attorneys in the Health and Human Services Department of Social Work Division. The County Attorney will have proven success managing staff and will utilize best practices to help staff manage caseloads. This professional will be adept in balancing the administrative duties of the position, including being responsible for some caseloads, particularly contracts, while providing support to staff and meeting the needs of the Board and staff. The ideal candidate would have experience in affordable housing, law enforcement, risk management, OSHA compliance, and safety.
Minimum Qualifications:
Graduation from an accredited school of law.
License to practice law in North Carolina or licensure reciprocity, within 90 days of appointment.
8 years of experience as a practicing attorney performing high-level legal and trial work.
Experience with municipal legal provisions.
Experience in judicial procedure, rules of civil and criminal procedure, and rules of evidence.
Experience in management and supervision of licensed attorneys.
Experience in public employment law.
Preferred Qualifications:
10 years of progressive experience in Municipal or Public Law, Contract Law, Employment Law &/or Environmental Law.
7 years of supervisory experience
Experience as a County or City Attorney or with other public sector entities.
All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the City’s employment application portal or any other external website.
Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application.
Applicants should apply by April 3, 2025.
The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluations on May 1-2, 2025. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.
Interviews with the hiring team will follow at a subsequent time.
Buncombe County, NC, is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Developmental Associates, LLC manages the recruitment and selection process for this position. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/ and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.”
