County Administrator

Comal County, Texas

Mackenzie Eason & Associates has been retained by Comal County to recruit its next County Administrator. Comal County is seeking an experienced County Administrator to help lead one of Texas’s fastest-growing counties through its next stage of growth and organizational development.

Located in the Texas Hill Country between San Antonio and Austin, Comal County has grown to approximately 209,000 residents while maintaining the community character, fiscal discipline, natural resources, and quality of life that have long distinguished the area. New Braunfels serves as the County seat, with additional communities and growth corridors around Canyon Lake, Bulverde, Spring Branch, Garden Ridge, Fair Oaks Ranch, U.S. 281, and Interstate 35.

Comal County has benefited from strong elected and professional leadership and has built a solid organizational foundation. Commissioners Court established the County Administrator position in 2024 and is now seeking an accomplished executive who can build on that foundation while helping the County look five, ten, and twenty years into the future. The County has also added an Assistant County Administrator and is expanding professional capacity in budgeting, grants, and project management.

For the right executive, this is an opportunity to make a lasting impact by helping Commissioners Court strengthen long-range planning, financial forecasting, capital strategy, organizational systems, project execution, and coordination across a complex county government.

The Position

Reporting directly to the five-member Commissioners Court, the County Administrator serves as Comal County’s chief operating and staff officer. The Administrator provides executive leadership to departments under Commissioners Court while working collaboratively across a decentralized county government that includes numerous independently elected officials. Success requires the ability to lead through credibility, relationships, persuasion, sound judgment, and professional expertise, not simply formal authority.

Comal County has nearly 1,000 full-time positions and manages a broad portfolio of operating, capital, transportation, public safety, court, health, and community responsibilities. The FY2027 proposed budget reflects approximately $213.8 million in expenditures, along with significant planned investments in jail expansion and land conservation.

Departments and functions under the County Administrator can include Engineering and Road & Bridge, Information Technology, Facilities, Emergency Management and Preparedness, Public Health, Environmental Health, Parks, Veterans Services, Public Information, Recycling, Indigent Health, and Commissioners Court coordination, among others.

Leadership Opportunity

The next County Administrator will help Commissioners Court:

Develop a long-term roadmap connecting population growth with future infrastructure, facilities, staffing, technology, public safety, court, and service needs.
Strengthen multi-year financial forecasting, scenario planning, capital modeling, and understanding of the long-term operating costs associated with major investments.
Guide significant capital and infrastructure decisions, including facilities, jail capacity, roads, bond strategy, and other major public investments.
Continue developing the County’s professional budgeting, grants, project-management, and administrative capacity.
Strengthen organizational systems, accountability, communication, project execution, and coordination while preserving practices that have served the County well.
Provide professional continuity as elected and appointed leadership changes over time.
Build productive relationships across independently elected offices, municipalities, regional organizations, water and natural-resource partners, state agencies, and other stakeholders.
Provide Commissioners Court with candid, objective, timely, and well-supported professional advice.

The County is seeking a leader who can introduce proven practices without assuming that another organization’s model should simply be replicated. The successful Administrator will listen first, understand the County’s culture and existing strengths, establish priorities, build trust, and implement practical improvements with appropriate organizational support.

Required Qualifications

Candidates must possess:

A bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business Administration, Management, Public Administration, or a field directly related to the responsibilities of the position.
A minimum of ten years of progressively responsible professional management experience in a position of comparable scope and responsibility.
Executive-level experience involving finance, planning, budgeting, and public-sector management or administration.
Demonstrated experience advising or working directly with elected officials or a governing body.
Strong knowledge of public administration, organizational management, government finance, strategic planning, and internal controls.
Demonstrated ability to analyze complex financial, operational, business, and administrative issues and recommend practical solutions.
Strong written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.

Preferred Background

Comal County will give particular consideration to candidates with significant county government experience, including service as a County Administrator, County Manager, Deputy/Assistant County Administrator, or comparable senior county executive.

Other highly valued experience includes:

Leadership in a county or public organization of similar or greater scale and complexity.
Managing rapid population growth and significant capital or infrastructure programs.
CIP development, bond programs, debt planning, facilities, roads, public safety, or other major governmental investments.
Developing and implementing long-range strategic and financial plans.
Building or leading professional budget, grants, project-management, or administrative functions.
Knowledge of Texas county government, statutory structures, budgeting, and legislative issues.

The strongest candidates will combine financial and operational acumen with exceptional relationship-building skills. They must be comfortable working with multiple elected officials, leading through influence when formal authority is limited, providing candid professional recommendations, building consensus when appropriate, and respectfully standing firm when necessary.

Compensation & Benefits

The position is classified within Comal County’s E20 compensation range for FY2027:

Minimum: $183,674.96
Midpoint: $220,409.96
Maximum: $257,144.95

Final compensation will depend on qualifications, experience, and negotiations with Commissioners Court. Relocation assistance may be negotiated and authorized by Commissioners Court.

Comal County offers a comprehensive benefits package including County-paid employee medical coverage, dental and vision options, paid leave, life and disability coverage, a 457 deferred compensation plan, and participation in the Texas County & District Retirement System (TCDRS). Employees contribute to TCDRS with the County providing a 2-to-1 retirement match, making the retirement program a significant component of the total compensation package.

Employment Terms

The County Administrator is an appointed, at-will position. Compensation and other terms of employment are established by Commissioners Court. Any employment agreement, guaranteed term, severance provision, allowance, or other negotiated benefit is subject to specific approval by Commissioners Court.

Comal County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in its employment practices based on age, race, religion, sex, color, national origin, or disability.

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