The Town of Indian Trail has started its search for its next permanent Town Manager.
At its May 12 meeting, the Town Council voted to contract with The Mercer Group, Inc. to conduct the Town Manager search. The Mercer Group is a nationwide firm that provides executive search and other consulting services to public and private sector clients.
The search officially kicked off on May 21 with Ellis Hankins, the Town’s representative from The Mercer Group, meeting with the Town Council members to approve the search timeline and job ad. In addition to meeting with the Town Council, Hankins met with Interim Town Manager Ray Allen and Town staff to discuss the desired experience and characteristics of a Town Manager. Residents wishing to share their feedback can contact Hankins at ellis.hankins@gmail.com.
According to the timeline, the pool of Town Manager candidates will be narrowed down to five to seven semifinalists by mid-July, with the Town Council conducting interviews on July 30. The second round of interviews will be held on Aug. 6 with the new Town Manager appointed by mid-August.
The general qualifications for the position are a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Public or Business Administration or another relevant field; a master’s degree is preferred. Candidates should have at least five years of progressively responsible leadership and management experience; experience as a local government manager, assistant manager or department head is preferred. Experience in North Carolina municipal government is a plus.
“The Town Council selected The Mercer Group to conduct the Town Manager search after careful consideration of several well-qualified search firm candidates,” said Mayor Michael Alvarez. “The Mercer Group was chosen because of their experience, success and fit for Indian Trail. Through this process, the goal is to be able to interview a well-rounded pool of candidates, from those who are young and fresh in their careers to seasoned Town Managers who have decades of experience. In a Town Manager, we want to find someone who is a professional, strong and well-qualified leader that can be approached by staff and residents, alike.”