An Executive Leadership Opportunity on North Carolina's Southeastern Coast

Pender County seeks an accomplished utility executive to lead the long-term growth of its water and wastewater enterprise. The next Utilities Director will shape how one of North Carolina's fastest-growing coastal counties plans, invests in, and delivers the critical infrastructure its residents and businesses depend on every day. This is a rare chance to step into a high-visibility executive role at a defining moment with major capital projects underway, strong political support for investment, and a service area expanding on nearly every front. The County is looking for a strategic partner, not simply a department head. The ideal Director will bring the judgment and executive presence to sit at the senior leadership table, the technical depth to earn the trust of operators and engineers, and the vision to translate growth pressures into a coherent, multi-decade plan. The ideal candidate will value candor, collaboration across departments, and a leader who can represent Pender County confidently while building the internal capacity and culture needed to sustain results well beyond any single capital project or budget cycle.

THE COMMUNITY

Located on North Carolina's southeastern coast between Wilmington and the Crystal Coast, Pender County spans more than 870 square miles of varied landscapes, from the barrier-island beach towns on Topsail Island and the rapidly developing Hampstead corridor, to the historic county seat of Burgaw, to the working farms, forests, and small communities of Atkinson, Rocky Point, Maple Hill, and Currie. Few counties in the state offer this combination of coastal access, rural character, and proximity to a major regional economy.

That combination is driving one of North Carolina's most significant population shifts. Pender's population is projected to reach 118,000 by 2050, with growth concentrated along the U.S. 17 corridor and spreading westward and inland. New residential development, commercial investment at the Pender Commerce Park, and expanding employment centers in the greater Wilmington region are reshaping demand on every public system, water and wastewater most of all.

For prospective employees, Pender County offers the rare combination of professional opportunity and quality of life. Staff enjoy access to beaches, waterways, and rural areas; a short drive to Wilmington's airport, port, universities, and cultural amenities; and strong public schools. Whether raising a family, pursuing outdoor recreation, or simply looking for a place that still feels like home at the end of the workday, Pender County delivers a quality of life that is increasingly hard to find in fast-growing regions of the Southeast.

THE ORGANIZATION

Pender County Utilities (PCU) serves more than 11,000 residents through a Cape Fear River surface water treatment plant, wells, connections with other utilities, and wastewater facilities serving the Pender Commerce Park and surrounding communities.

Current and near-term initiatives include:

A new Membrane Water Treatment Plant in Hampstead (permitting phase)
A multi-phase water extension along Highway 421 toward Sampson County
Sewer infrastructure improvements in Atkinson and Rocky Point
Regional partnerships with the Lower Cape Fear Water & Sewer Authority, Brunswick County, New Hanover County, and neighboring municipalities.
Recent recognition by the N.C. Division of Water Resources with the Area Wide Optimization Award

THE POSITION
Reporting to the County Manager, the Utilities Director is the senior executive responsible for the strategic direction, financial stewardship, and organizational leadership of the County's water and wastewater systems. The position holds full accountability for long-range planning, capital investment, rate and revenue management, regulatory compliance, and infrastructure expansion across a geographically diverse service area.
Core areas of focus include:
- Strategic leadership — master planning, capital programming, and growth management.
- Financial management — enterprise fund stewardship, rate studies, debt financing, and external funding.
- Operational oversight — executive oversight of treatment, distribution, collection, customer service, and regulatory compliance.
- Organizational leadership — workforce development, succession planning, and accountability culture.
- External relations — representing the utility before elected officials, regulators, regional partners, developers, and the public.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
Pender County seeks a strategic thinker and planner with a proven record of growing water and wastewater systems in high-growth, geographically diverse service areas. The successful candidate will bring:
- A history of expanding utility systems by adding capacity, extending service, and positioning infrastructure ahead of demand.
- Experience leading operations across multiple districts with varying needs and regulatory contexts.
- Financial sophistication in enterprise fund accounting, capital budgeting, rates, debt, and grants.
- A collaborative approach to regional planning, interlocal agreements, and intergovernmental partnerships.
- A track record of building organizational capacity through staff development and succession planning.
- Executive presence and approachable communication with operations staff, elected officials, regulators, and the public.
- Integrity and sound judgment in advising the County Manager and Board of Commissioners.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Civil or Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, or a closely related field; master's degree preferred.
Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in public water and wastewater utility management, including five (5) years in senior leadership or executive management.
Direct responsibility for strategic planning, capital improvement programming, financial management, and oversight of geographically distributed operations.
Experience managing utility systems in high-growth environments highly preferred.
Valid North Carolina driver's license, or ability to obtain one upon appointment.
N.C. water and/or wastewater operator certification preferred.
Professional Engineer (PE) licensure preferred, not required.

An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Pender County offers a competitive executive compensation package commensurate with qualifications and experience, including:

Health, dental, and vision insurance.
N.C. Local Governmental Employees' Retirement System (LGERS).
Supplemental 401(k) and 457(b) plans.
Generous paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.
Professional development support.

Confidential inquiries are welcomed.
This position is open until filled.This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires sitting and speaking or hearing and occasionally requires standing, walking, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, reaching with hands and arms, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires wet, humid conditions (non-weather), working near moving mechanical parts, exposure to fumes or airborne particles, exposure to toxic or caustic chemicals, exposure to outdoor weather conditions, exposure to the risk of electrical shock, exposure to vibration, wearing a self-contained breathing apparatus and exposure to bloodborne pathogens and may be required to wear specialized personal protective equipment; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).

Pender County Government

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