ICMA Management Fellow

What You'll Be Doing

Wake County seeks a motivated, service-oriented ICMA Local Government Management Fellow to join the County Manager’s Office beginning in Summer 2026.

The fellowship lasts 12–24 months and offers broad exposure to county functions, high-impact strategic projects, and direct engagement with leadership teams. The Fellow will collaborate regularly with departments including Budget and Management Services, Communications, Human Resources, and Public Health, as well as other departments aligned with assigned projects.

The County emphasizes meaningful project work paired with ongoing professional development, mentorship, and leadership exposure. Wake County is among the country's fastest-growing communities and offers a unique blend of urban and rural environments, a diverse population, and a wide range of public service challenges and opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

Conduct research, surveys, program evaluations, and policy analysis to support countywide initiatives

Prepare written communications, such as reports, memos, presentations, and executive-level summaries

Assist with implementing and tracking progress toward Strategic Plan goals and priority initiatives

Participate in committees, meetings, and cross departmental workgroups

Organize and coordinate assignments with departments and external partners

Support project management tasks, including data collection, stakeholder engagement, and documentation

Strategic Plan-Aligned Projects

Examples of possible projects include

Community Health and Well Being Initiative 3.1 — Expand Access to Services

Support efforts to expand access to behavioral health, medical, dental, and vision services through facility co location and mobile delivery models.

Assist with research, planning, and stakeholder coordination.

Foundations of Service Initiative 2.2 — Workload and Capacity Evaluation

Help develop and implement processes that evaluate staff workload, improve efficiency, and enhance service delivery.

Compile data, benchmark practices, and assist in designing evaluation tools.

Foundations of Service Initiative 2.4 — Succession Planning

Contribute to building a countywide succession planning framework supporting leadership continuity and talent pipelines.

Assist in drafting policy components, assessment tools, and communication materials.

Foundations of Service Initiative 2.3 — Internal Communications Improvement

Support efforts to improve internal communication systems for consistency and operational effectiveness.

Conduct research on communication best practices and assist in gap analysis.

Foundations of Service Initiative 2.5 — Workplace Culture Enhancements

Support leadership development, supervisor skills training, and culture building program improvements.

Collect feedback, assist in curriculum planning, and evaluate program outcomes.

Foundations of Service Initiative 4.2 — Public Input Guidelines

Help develop practical guidance on community engagement methods for use by all County departments.

Research best practices, evaluate current approaches, and assist in drafting engagement standards.

Countywide Non Profit Capacity Workgroup

Contribute to strategy development for strengthening nonprofit capacity, including training, grants navigation, and technical assistance.

Conduct environmental scans, stakeholder interviews, and best practice research.

Professional Development

The Fellow will receive structured support including

Regular mentorship from the County Manager’s Office executives and directors

Leadership shadowing opportunities

Field visits and department immersion experiences

Participation in ICMA’s national Fellowship cohort

Attendance at the ICMA Annual Conference

Access to regional and state professional associations and training networks, including NC City/County Managers Association and NC Local Government Budget Association

How to Apply

Applications will be confidentially reviewed by our Executive Search team. To ensure your materials display correctly across systems, please save and submit all attachments as PDF files.

Please submit a complete application that includes

Subject line: Last Name, First Name

A comprehensive resume that includes all education, certifications, and work experience you wish to be considered for compensation and eligibility purposes

Keep the body of your email brief; the attachments are what we review

Submit your PDF attachments to ***email_hidden***; you will receive an automatic acknowledgment once your email is received

The Basics (Required Education and Experience)

Must be an ICMA Local Government Management Fellow

Bachelor's degree

Please include ALL prior work experience on your application and resume.

About This Position

Location: Justice Center Raleigh, NC 27601

Employment Type: Regular

Hiring Range: 55,197.00 - 70,853.00

Market Range: 55,197.00 - 86,510.00

Please include ALL prior work experience on your application and resume.

Posting Closing Date: 7:00 pm on 6/12/2026