Schoharie County – County Administrator

About Schoharie County

Located in the Mohawk Valley in central New York, Schoharie County boasts scenic landscapes, thriving agriculture and tourism industries, and strategic access to New York’s Capital Region.

Schoharie County’s storied history dates back to the times of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Mohawk nation who called the area home. The Iroquois Museum in Cobleskill showcases Schoharie County’s Iroquois history and houses the largest collection of Iroquois art in the entire United States. Other notable historical sites include the Old Stone Fort Museum in the Village of Schoharie, which explores three centuries of history in rural New York from the time of the first Dutch and German settlers in the 1700s, the Schoharie Valley Railroad Museum, historic covered bridges, and the 19th century Lansing Manor. The County also houses a rare collection of Devonian era fossils and the fossilized remains of an ancient, petrified forest in the Town of Gilboa as well as natural attractions like the Howe Caverns in Cobleskill, the second most-visited natural attraction in New York State.

Schoharie County’s natural beauty allows residents and visitors to enjoy outdoor recreational activities like hiking, fishing, swimming, and bird watching. Scenic parks and hiking trails are located throughout Schoharie County. A multitude of historic sites and natural attractions have made the region a popular tourism destination (visitors spent $106 million in Schoharie County in 2023) and the County’s main industry, agriculture, offers tourists and locals access to farm-fresh produce and farm products. Called “the breadbasket of the American Revolution” for the ample farms that once fed the Revolutionary troops, Schoharie County has over 500 farms and agribusinesses with products collectively valued at $63,479,000. Over 90% of the County is dedicated to either farm or forest use. Family farms and agribusinesses, including wineries and breweries, support other local businesses like restaurants and tourist-serving businesses (retail businesses, bars, lodging).

Residents of Schoharie County get to experience the scenic beauty and quiet lifestyle of rural central New York but still have access to big-city amenities and opportunities. New York City and Boston are a three-hour drive and Schoharie County is part of the New York Capital Region. The State capital, Albany, is about an hour’s drive from Schoharie County.

Quick Facts

County Population: 30,105
County Seat: Village of Schoharie
Establishment Date: 1795
6 Villages
16 Towns
Government
$99.4 MM Annual Budget
22 County Departments
County Governing Body: Board of Supervisors
16 Board Members, one elected from each town
Led by the Chairman of the Board

About the Role

Schoharie County is searching for its next County Administrator, who will serve as the County’s chief operating officer and administrative head for the County government. Their primary role is to execute the policies and directions of the 16-member Board of Supervisors, which governs Schoharie County. The County Administrator reports directly to the Board of Supervisors.

The County Administrator also provides general supervision for all non-elected County department heads and works with those department heads to carry out the directives of the Board of Supervisors. They also supervise the five other employees in the County Administrator’s Office: Deputy County Administrator (currently vacant), Confidential Assistant to the County Administrator, Director of Planning and Community Development Services, Economic Development Specialist, and Development Specialist for Agricultural Business.

Our next County Administrator has the opportunity to bolster the County’s relationships with key outside stakeholders like SUNY Cobleskill, Schoharie County IDA, Schoharie Economic Enterprise Corporation, Destination Marketing, the County’s state and federal delegation, Mohawk Valley Economic Development, and other regional partners who are important to maintaining and growing the County’s economy. They will also be vital to increasing collaboration and cooperation between County departments. The next County Administrator is tasked with assisting the County on a number of big projects including: updating long-standing procedures, revitalizing the County website for collaboration amongst community and business members, expanding economic development initiatives, assuring continued financial and budget stability, and achieving 100% fiber buildout for residents.

Responsibilities

Advising the Board of Supervisors: The County Administrator advises the County Board of Supervisors, executes the Board’s directives, makes recommendations to the Board on proposals that come before the Board, and proposes recommendations on improving County government efficiency.

Attend all meetings of the Board of Supervisors as well as Board committee meetings.
When directed, undertake administrative and management studies of governmental operations and submit reports and recommendations to the Board based on findings.
In hiring, work with the Board and Board’s Personnel Committee on selecting new department heads; final hiring decisions are made by the Board.

Developing, Evaluating, and Executing Policies and Procedures: The County Administrator is responsible for implementing the Board of Supervisors' policies, procedures, and other directives.

Work with the heads of County departments to ensure the Board’s policies and directives are carried out and develop policies and procedural recommendations for consideration by the Board.

Administering County Government Operations: The County Administrator is the chief operating officer and administrative lead for the County.

Approve and execute contracts for the County as directed by the Board of Supervisors.
Establish budgetary controls to promote efficient management of appropriated funds.

Supervising County Departments and Department Heads: The County Administrator supervises County department heads and agencies; department and agency heads report directly to the County Administrator (except for the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors).

Conduct annual job performance reviews of non-elected department heads and report back to the Board of Supervisors and relevant oversight committee.
Work with departments to develop an annual plan for effective and efficient County operation.
Hold meetings with department heads to communicate information and Board directives and ensure that each department is aware of information and developments that impact departments.
Help foster Department awareness of the County’s strategies and goals.

Operating as Director of Labor Relations: The County Administrator serves as the County’s Director of Labor Relations.

Lead, initiate, and administer the collective bargaining process in the County’s negotiations with organized employee organizations.

Building Relationships and Fostering Cooperation: The County Administrator serves as a liaison between the Board of Supervisors and various stakeholders, including:

Committees
Advisory committees established by the Board
Political subdivisions
State and federal agencies and their officials

As Needed: When requested by the Board of Supervisors, the County Administrator carries out special investigations of County departments and County operations.

Appoint office staff as authorized and approved by the Board.
The Board of Supervisors may confer other powers or tasks on the County Administrator.

Work Environment

The County Administrator works in a busy environment that involves balancing a supervisory role, administrative duties, and taking direction from the Board of Supervisors. They must be comfortable with listening, speaking, and coordinating with others and be able to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities at once. They should be comfortable attending frequent meetings.

This role also involves extensive travel and the County Administrator must be ready to meet the demands of frequent travel (e.g. sitting and driving for long periods of time, traveling around and outside the County, overnight travel, etc.)

Flexible Work Arrangements: This position is a full-time, in-person office role in Schoharie; limited remote work options are available. Local residency is required.

Experience and Qualifications

The next County Administrator must possess the minimum qualifications and skills:

Master’s Degree in Business Management OR Public Administration from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university.
AND 5 years full-time, paid experience in a public, business or industrial enterprise (at least 3 years of which MUST be in public administration)

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management OR Public Administration from a regionally accredited or New York State registered college or university.
AND 10 years full-time, paid experience in public, business or industrial enterprise (at least 5 years of which MUST be in public administration.

Additional Qualities

The County Administrator works and coordinates with the Board of Supervisors as well as County department heads; they must be a strong communicator (both verbally and in writing) with the ability to listen and speak with others; they must be able to communicate information and policy to various stakeholders. The ideal candidate for County Administrator should possess management, budgeting and leadership skills and experience.

The County Administrator must also:

possess a Valid Driver’s License
establish local residency within Schoharie County (within 120 days of hire). *The County is expected to change this to include contiguous counties via local law amendment.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this role starts at $150,000. The final salary determination is dependent on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

A full benefits package will be provided.

Benefits include:

Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
Health Insurance Buy-Out Program
Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) option
Flexible Spending Cafeteria Plan
Disability Insurance
Retirement Benefits in the NYS Retirement System
Annual leave

How to Apply

Application materials should be sent to the County Human Resources Department at civilservice@co.schoharie.ny.us.

Application materials must include:

Resume
Cover Letter
Writing Sample

This recruitment process is confidential and all contacts, inquiries and communications will be treated as such throughout the process. Pracademic Partners, an executive recruitment firm, is assisting the County on this search. Dr. Ian M. Coyle is leading the effort and can be reached at ian@pracademicpartners.com with any questions or nominations.

This position remains open until a final selection is made; candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Hiring Process

Initial interviews will include a virtual Zoom interview with the Personnel Committee; finalists interviews will be in-person with the Board of Supervisors. Semi-finalists will undergo a background check.

Schoharie County is an Equal Opportunity & EEO/Affirmative Action Employer committed to excellence through diversity. Employment offers are made on the basis of qualifications & without regard to race, sex, religion, national/ethnic origin, disability, age, veteran status, or sexual orientation.

Pracademic Partners

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