Town Manager
Town of Houlton, ME
Town Manager | Town of Houlton, Maine
The Town of Houlton is seeking a visionary and collaborative leader of unquestioned integrity-an effective manager who can build and empower a strong team, advance economic development, and move the community forward-to serve as its next Town Manager. Sound fiscal stewardship is essential, and the Town views it as the natural outcome of a manager who balances these leadership, operational, and development priorities well. Known as the "Shire Town" of Aroostook County, Houlton is a vital full-service community and regional commercial hub with a population of approximately 6,000 residents. Operating under a Town Council/Manager form of government, Houlton prides itself on offering exceptional services, including full-time police, fire, and ambulance departments, a top-tier community hospital, municipal utilities, and some of the lowest electric rates in New England.
Position Overview
- Form of Government: Town Council / Town Manager
- Municipal Employees: Approximately 60 full-time and seasonal staff
- Annual Budget: Approximately $16,200,000
- Compensation: Salary is competitive and negotiable based on experience and training. An excellent municipal benefits package is included.
Key Responsibilities
- Personnel & Labor Leadership: Direct, mentor, and support 60 municipal employees while managing labor relations and collective bargaining agreements.
- Economic Development: Drive local economic growth, support existing businesses, and attract new regional commercial investments.
- Community & Council Relations: Serve as the primary liaison to the Town Council, implementing policies with transparency and maintaining open lines of communication with residents.
- Grant Oversight: Supervise the Towns grant activities, supporting the community development director and grant writer as they identify, prepare, and administer state and federal grants for community infrastructure projects.
- Financial Stewardship: Deliver balanced budgets and sound long-term financial health as the product of strong management-overseeing municipal financial operations, budget preparation ($16.2M), internal controls, and capital planning.
Qualifications & Skills
- Integrity: An unwavering commitment to honesty, transparency, and ethical public service, earning and keeping the trust of the Council, staff, and residents.
- Leadership: Proven track record of strong leadership and the ability to manage diverse municipal departments.
- Communication: Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Experience: Prior municipal management experience is highly preferred, though candidates with equivalent executive-level leadership or comparable business experience are encouraged to apply.
- Education: A Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field is desired; a Master's degree (MPA/MBA) is a plus.
- Planning Knowledge: Familiarity with comprehensive planning, community zoning, and public works infrastructure is preferred.
- Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate will be willing to immerse themselves into the Northern Maine culture. The candidate should be committed to a long-term relationship with the Town.
- Salary and Benefits: The Town offers a very competitive negotiable salary of approximately $115,000 to $130,000 plus a generous benefit package.
Interested candidates are required to submit a cover letter.
Apply Here: https://www.click2apply.net/wXpbAGhDOKm75soVcDNBJ
PI286047478