BUSINESS ADMIN

Business Administrator

Position Overview

The Business Administrator is appointed by the Mayor and serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the municipality. This Full-Time position reports directly to a strong working Mayor and engages closely with a seven-member City Council.

In this role, the Business Administrator manages the day-to-day operations of a full-service City. The position directs operations of all City departments including the Department of Administration, Finance; Law, Public Works; Engineering and Project Management, Police; Fire; and Community Services. The Department of Administration's core functions include personnel/human resources, purchasing, planning & zoning, and construction code.

Key Success Competencies

Operational and Strategic Execution

• After developing a strategic vision, aligns long-term community growth and demographic trends with city services.
• Possess an in-depth knowledge of municipal financial management, overseeing complex municipal budgets, resource allocation, and fiscal accountability. Works closely with leadership to drive proactive capital planning and preventive maintenance schedules, ensuring the long-term viability of all city assets and infrastructure.
• Uses a multi-disciplinary approach to manage a number of simultaneous large, often different capital projects.
• Possess a crisis agility operational framework by responding decisively to public emergencies and organizational changes.
• Uses a business model that requires strict accountability for all employees to ensure that operational initiatives are managed and completed as expected.

Stakeholder Relations and Governance

• Navigates complex relationships between the city council, appointed boards, and diverse public groups, with an understanding of the local political environment.
• Unites competing community priorities into actionable public policy through consensus building.
• Serves as a trusted advisor and effectively translates legislative goals from elected officials into practical administrative action.

Culture and Community Engagement

• Possess a high level of Emotional Intelligence as seen by maintaining composure and welcoming public feedback under high pressure.
• Through ethical communication and transparency, fosters and builds public trust.
• Ensures diverse and underserved community voices shape local service delivery.

 Minimum Experience Requirements

Background Experience

Bachelor’s degree in public administration or a closely related field is required (Master’s Degree and/or MBA preferred), along with a minimum of seven years of experience as a city manager or business administrator in a city with similar operations.

Compatible executive management experience as a municipal department head or similar high-level managerial position with a demonstrated record of increasing responsibility may be substituted for city manager experience on a year-for-year basis.

A strong understanding of managing under New Jersey’s Faulkner Act Plan D form of government is mandatory.

The local ordinance requires the Business Administrator to reside in Ocean City; however, the residency requirement may be waived for good cause with the approval of the City Council.

Leadership Experience

The position requires the Business Administrator to have seasoned political acumen, transparent communication, and strategic resource stewardship. Key competencies include balancing stakeholder needs, bridging the gap between elected officials, city administration, and a vocal resident population while maintaining the highest level of professional integrity and ethical standards.

Candidates must demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge across all facets of municipal operations—including public safety, public works, financial management, economic development, recreation and associated facility management, and planning/zoning. Knowledge of labor relations and contract negotiations in a municipal setting is also required. A proven track record of competencies in all these operational disciplines is highly desired.

A background with demonstrated experience in collaborating with department heads to ensure strict accountability among team members while cultivating a positive, customer-service-oriented internal culture, is essential.

This leadership position requires the Business Administrator to understand the local tourism dependent economy and seasonal fluctuations that are inherent in this type of environment. Understanding the challenges, both operational and financial, that small business face in sustaining on-going business operations are critical for the candidate to grasp and use when directing the operational plan for the municipality.

Salary and Benefits

This Full-Time position offers a salary in a range of $200,000 to $250,000. A comprehensive benefits package including medical, prescription, dental, vision and Life Insurance, as well as paid time off are included. Participation in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is included. Voluntary participation in a Defined Contribution Retirement Program, 529 Plan, and Short-Term Disability plans are available.

About Ocean City

Ocean City is a barrier island seashore community with a year-round population of 12,000, a summer population of up to 175,000, and an annual draw of up to three million visitors. Known as “America’s Greatest Family Resort,” the city features eight miles of public beaches, a 2.5-mile boardwalk, a vibrant downtown shopping district, and a diverse mix of residential and commercial neighborhoods. Supported by a $125.4 million annual operating budget and a $74 million five-year capital improvement program, the city government operations are executed by 324 full-time employees, 200 part-time employees, and 700 seasonal staff.

The mission of the Ocean City municipal government is to provide the public services necessary to maintain a safe, clean, and enjoyable community, while establishing a regulatory framework that allows residents and visitors to pursue public and private ventures responsibly. The Business Administrator is responsible for partnering with the Mayor, Council, and department heads to ensure the most efficient and effective delivery of these essential services. In addition to the beach and boardwalk, the city is responsible for maintaining over 120 miles of roads and alleys, an extensive island-wide stormwater drainage and pumping system, and all police, fire, and public works facilities, a golf course, airport and a community center. The City also maintains all municipal grounds, playgrounds, and recreational facilities, along with landmark properties like the historic City Hall, the Music Pier, and a full-block Community Center.

Because the city is highly reliant on its tourism economy, the city government is tasked with working hand in hand with the local business community to support tourism, while simultaneously fulfilling its obligation to ensure the absolute best quality of life for its year-round population.

Apply online: ocnj.us/employment or send resumes to: Search Committee c/o Elizabeth M. Woods, Esq., Director of Human Resources, 861 Asbury Avenue, Ocean City, NJ 08226; or e-mail ewoods@ocnj.us. Resumes will be accepted through August 28, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

The City of Ocean City NJ is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer. We do not discriminate based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, religion, age, marital status, civil union status, domestic partnership status, affectional or sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information, sex, gender identity or expression, disability (including perceived disability, physical, mental, and/or intellectual disabilities, AIDS or HIV infection), pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, political affiliation (to the extent protected by law), atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, or because of the liability for service in the Armed Forces of the United States, veteran status, citizenship status, or any other group status protected by law, unless required by a bona fide occupational qualification.

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).