NCACC County Management Fellowship Program

In brief:

The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) and International City-County Management Association (ICMA) partner to offer the NCACC-ICMA County Management Fellowship Program, in which a small number of North Carolina county governments host recent MPA graduates in paid Fellowships that are designed to provide real project experience and fast career growth in a supportive environment.
Both the Fellow and the host county must commit to a minimum of one year in their respective roles, and agreements can be extended for a maximum of two years. Both the NCACC and ICMA provide cohort benefits for Fellows.
No two counties are the same, and work plans and experiences will vary depending on the host county and management team. The NCACC works to enlist host counties and candidates but does not make placements; all interview and offer decisions are with the host county government, and terms of employment are between county and candidate.
The NCACC is currently accepting applicants from recent MPA graduates for up to four placements that will begin in the June-July timeframe. Interested MPA students/recent graduates should submit a letter of interest and resume by the end of February. ICMA will share with the NCACC any NC-based finalists that have applied for its Local Government Management Fellowship. Occasional placements are made outside of fiscal year timeframe, and interested students/recent graduates are encouraged to inquire about the program at any time.

Links for County Managers

Printable flier for prospective host counties (PDF)
Memorandum of Understanding template (PDF) | Provisions by Party (PDF)
ICMA host county examples of work plans (PDF): Catawba | Durham

Online resources

ICMA Knowledge Network: Next Generation of Managers

About

The past decade has seen a wealth of county management knowledge and experience exit the workforce. Having a pipeline of tutored talent ready to take the reins from these veteran professionals is essential to maintaining North Carolina’s place as the top state for county government management.

The Association is committed to helping develop the next generation of county management stalwarts. Through the NCACC-ICMA County Management Fellowship Program, the NCACC seeks to place a handful of recent Master of Public Administration (MPA) program graduates who have interest in North Carolina county management careers into full-time, 1- or 2-year salaried fellowships with seasoned N.C. county managers.

The program is modeled after the Local Government Management Fellowship administered by the International City-County Management Association (ICMA), which partners with the NCACC on the County Management Fellowship Program.

Opportunities to serve as a host county

The Association is interested in speaking with potential host counties for placements that begin in the January 2017 timeframe and after. Counties selected to participate as hosts will receive NCACC assistance with salary and other potential incentives (handled on a negotiated, individual basis). The NCACC requires a minimum $35,000 salary and recommends employment benefits.

Any interested county will need to demonstrate a commitment to providing a rewarding career experience for the Fellow in the application process by indicating potential projects, activities and responsibilities for the Fellow. A Memorandum of Understanding and host application (linked above) that provides a detailed work plan are required.

How it works

For fellowships that follow a fiscal year, ICMA provides the NCACC with a pool of pre-screened, North Carolina-based applicants from its fellowship program, ensuring high-quality talent for participating counties. The Association will then share those applications with interested host counties, which can then choose which applicants to interview. The host county controls offers of employment, start and completion dates of the fellowship, and other employment details.

The Association also works directly with contacts at UNC system MPA programs to solicit for applicants for placements, including those that do not follow the fiscal year.

If you are a current MPA student or recent graduate and are interested in opportunities within the fellowship program, send a resume and letter of interest to Jason King, NCACC Director of Education and Conferences, at jason.king@ncacc.org or 919-715-0045.

Cohort benefits for Fellows

Fellows enjoy a network of mentoring and support through the relationship with the county manager and county employees, as well as a cohort experience with other NCACC fellows and ICMA fellows based in North Carolina. NCACC and ICMA fellows will be invited to participate in statewide and regional Association events, such as the Annual Conference, County Assembly Day and district meetings, to receive a larger networking experience as well as exposure to state government. The Association will also fund each of its fellows’ North Carolina City and County Management Association (NCCCMA) membership dues and seminar registration fees for the year.

Background

The NCACC Board of Directors approved the program in June 2012 to help counter a decline in the number of young professionals pursuing careers in the public sector.