Deputy Town Manager

Overview

The Town of Clayton is seeking applicants for a Deputy Town Manager in the Administration Department. The Town of Clayton employs more than 340 full-time staff in areas including police, fire, and electric utilities, with additional PT positions in Parks & Rec, Library, and Cultural Arts. The town is frequently cited as the fastest growing in Johnston County and offers a vision of growth that supports a high quality of life, a dynamic downtown, and opportunities for living, creating, shopping, and dining.

Deputy Town Manager – Planning, Engineering, Building Inspections, and Development Services

This position provides executive leadership and strategic oversight for the Town’s Planning, Engineering, Building Inspections, and Development Services functions, guiding growth to strengthen neighborhoods, advance infrastructure, and support a high quality of life. Working with the Town Manager, the Deputy Town Manager ensures coordinated, efficient, and customer-focused service delivery across departments critical to the Town’s success. The Deputy Town Manager is a member of the executive leadership team and helps shape organizational direction, fosters collaboration, and promotes a culture of innovation, accountability, and excellence.

The role requires a deep understanding of development review, infrastructure planning, regulatory processes, and municipal operations, with the ability to balance growth, community expectations, and long-term sustainability.

The Deputy Town Manager oversees the full development lifecycle—from early planning and engineering review through permitting, inspections, and project completion—ensuring processes are streamlined, transparent, and compliant with codes, plans, and policies. The role engages with developers, consultants, elected officials, community stakeholders, and staff to resolve complex issues, advance projects, and support positive development outcomes. Work is performed under the administrative direction of the Town Manager and is evaluated through achievement of organizational goals, departmental effectiveness, successful delivery of capital and development projects, and demonstrated leadership across assigned departments.

• Providing executive oversight and direction for Planning, Engineering, Building Inspections, and Development Services, ensuring alignment with the Town’s strategic priorities and growth objectives.
• Collaborating closely with the Town Manager to deliver high-quality Town services and advance organizational initiatives.
• Leading and supporting the development review and permitting processes to promote efficiency, consistency, and exceptional customer service.
• Managing assigned departments, programs, and projects; developing policies and procedures; and evaluating data, trends, and best practices.
• Guiding capital planning and implementation efforts related to infrastructure, development, and community investments.
• Representing the Town in meetings with developers, regional partners, governmental agencies, businesses, and community groups.
• Participating collaboratively in the development and administration of operating and capital budgets, ensuring resources support service delivery and strategic outcomes.
• Assisting with executive team coordination, agenda development, goal-setting, and Town Council work sessions.
• Supporting the Town Manager in a wide range of administrative, operational, and strategic capacities as needed.
• This position is well suited for a collaborative, forward-thinking leader who thrives in a fast-growing environment, values continuous improvement, and embraces innovation and technology to enhance service delivery and development outcomes.

• Town policies and procedures.
• Principles, practices, and procedures of public administration.
• Goal setting, program development, implementation and evaluation, and the management of employees through multiple levels of management.
• Principles and practices of developing teams, motivating employees, and managing in a team environment.
• Principles and practices of budget development and administration.
• Applicable legal guidelines and standards affecting…