Elections Division Manager - Stillwater - Washington County

Description

Elections Division Manager

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Elections Division Manager

Salary

$ $59.19 Hourly

Location

Stillwater, MN

Job Type

Full Time

Job Number

Department

Property Records and Taxpayer Services Dept

Division

Elections Division

Opening Date

01/21/2026

Closing Date

Continuous

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

JOB SPECIFICS

Priority will be given to applications received on or before February 10, 2026

Washington County is seeking a steady, collaborative, and resilient leader to serve as our Elections Division Manager.

This role is well-suited for an experienced people manager who brings calm leadership to complex, high-pressure environments. While experience in elections is desired, it is not required; leadership in government or non-profit organizations may be transferable to satisfy what is needed in this role. We are most interested in candidates who demonstrate sound judgment, emotional steadiness, patience, and the ability to lead teams through change, ambiguity, and public scrutiny.

The Elections Division Manager oversees all aspects of elections operations, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements while leading a team of full-time and temporary employees in the administration of federal, state, county, municipal, school district, and special elections. This position requires someone who can navigate long hours during peak election periods, respond professionally to misinformation or heightened public concern, and provide steady leadership as the team continues to strengthen its structure and operations.

This is an opportunity for a leader who can bring structure, clarity, and trust to a critical public service function, while growing in their knowledge of the technical aspects of elections administration with support from experienced staff and state and county partners.

DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE:

• At least two years in a management role including supervision of teams, with demonstrated ability to successfully lead teams through periods of change, set clear expectations and standards, hold employees accountable, and support employee development
• Demonstrated experience managing high-stress or emotionally charged situations in a public-facing, compliance-driven, or time-sensitive work setting, while maintaining professionalism, sound judgment, and a solutions-focused approach
• Experience administering complex, compliance-driven programs, such as elections, with responsibility for process oversight, statutory requirements, and operational logistics

SELECTION TECHNIQUE: Your training and experience will be rated based on the required application material submitted and the top scoring candidates will be forwarded to the hiring department for further consideration.

HOURS / DAYS: Typical business hours of operation are 8:00am-4:30pm Monday through Friday. Hours may vary. Required to work nights, weekends, and/or holidays as needed in order to meet deadlines, especially during election season. Work schedules (hours and days) and location are subject to change based on department needs.

ANTICIPATED HIRING RATE: $90, $123,115.20 Annually

E-Verify Participation: Washington County participates in the federal E-Verify program. This means that Washington County will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), with information from each new employee's Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. If the Government cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Washington County is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact DHS and/or the SSA before taking adverse action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers may not use E-Verify to pre-screen job applicants and may not limit or influence the choice of documents you present for use on the Form I-9.

E- Verify Participation Poster )

Right to work Poster

JOB SUMMARY

The Elections Manager is responsible for overseeing the planning, organization, and execution of all functions within the Elections Division, including direct supervision to assigned staff. This position plays a critical role in managing the administration of all elections within the county, managing every phase of the process—from initial planning and scope definition to successful execution and long-term strategic planning. This position also serves as a member of the Property Records and Taxpayer Services Department Leadership Team, contributing to strategic decision-making and departmental initiatives.

EMPLOYMENT CRITERIA

This position requires:

• Bachelor's degree in political science, public administration, public policy, or related field;
• And five years of experience in elections administration or a related field, with one of those years in a supervisory role;
• Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

CORE COMPETENCIES, JOB SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL JOB PERFORMANCE:

Core Competencies ) outline essential business and professional traits necessary to perform this job.

• Support and prioritize a welcoming and respectful workplace that fosters diversity and encourages contributions from all individuals.
• Provide inclusive and equitable service to all members of the community with dignity and respect.
• Demonstrate support for the County's diversity, equity, and inclusion program.
• Promotes a culture of continuous quality improvement in the workplace.
• Demonstrates knowledge of continuous quality improvement.
• Promotes the engagement of staff and use of data in continuous quality improvement.
• Communication skills to collaborate with municipal, school district, and state-level government.
• Demonstrate knowledge of election laws.
• Demonstrate skill in team building and group dynamics.
• Demonstrate ability to translate complex information into understandable messages.
• Ability to interface with elected officials, candidates, media, high-level campaign operatives, community activists, etc.
• Demonstrate ability to identify and respond to changing customer needs.
• Demonstrate strong presentation skills.

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Direct the operations of the Elections Division to ensure compliance with election laws, statutes, policies, and deadlines.
• Interpret and monitor legislative changes to evaluate their impact on county election processes and develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with new legislation and alignment with best practices.
• Manage and supervise staff, including hiring, training, completing performance evaluations on time, and resolving grievances or special issues.
• Ensure adherence to election integrity standards, including ballot proofing, absentee voting, and election night reporting.
• Oversee temporary employees and county staff volunteers during election cycles to ensure efficient workflow and statutory compliance.
• Negotiate and manage election administration contracts with local jurisdictions, including Joint Powers Agreements.
• Manage the Elections Division budget, including preparation, allocation of funds, cost analysis, and ensuring financial decisions align with statutory requirements while planning for current and future needs.
• Evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of election operations, implementing new technologies and systems as needed.
• Oversee campaign finance reporting and the collection of statements of economic interest from officials.
• Serve as the Election Division's media contact, including conducting historical research as necessary.
• Respond to complex and sensitive inquiries from staff and the public.
• Prepare and submit grant proposals and reports.
• Foster a workplace culture that respects and is sensitive to the diverse backgrounds of voters.
• Attend and participate in professional development opportunities, including conferences and association meetings.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Essential functions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, and 14.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Work is sedentary in nature performed within the Government Center or satellite offices and semi-sedentary in some areas of assignment requiring occasional site visits. Lifting requirement of 15-20 pounds on an occasional basis. Frequent wrist and finger manipulation due to high concentration of filing, compiling, calculating, or computer work. Equipment used may include, but is not limited to, computer, calculator, telephone, copy and fax machine. Additional physical/mental requirements that occur may not be listed above but are inherent in performing the position's essential functions. Must have own means of reliable transportation for business purposes. Individuals operating a motor vehicle for county business must possess a valid driver's license.

Work interruptions are frequent. There is some pressure associated with dealing with individuals who may be emotionally charged and with project or activity deadlines and details.

This job description is intended to describe the kinds of tasks and level of work difficulty being performed by people assigned to this classification. The list of responsibilities is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. The County retains the discretion to add or change the contents of this job description at any time. Not all employees in this classification perform all duties listed.

Washington County offers a comprehensive benefit package ) including paid time off, holidays, medical, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance.

For a more detailed overview of our Supervisors benefit package, click here ) .

01

This position requires a Bachelor's degree in political science, public administration, public policy, or related field and five years of experience in elections administration or a related field, with one of those years in a supervisory role Or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Please indicate below whether you possess these minimum qualifications:

• Yes
• No

02

If you indicated meeting the minimums by having an equivalent combination of education and experience, please briefly describe the combination and explain why you feel it is equivalent. (If you answered "No" to the above question, enter "NA" in the text box.)

03

Do you have at least two years in a management role including supervision of teams, with demonstrated ability to successfully lead teams through periods of change, set clear expectations and standards, hold employees accountable, and support employee development?

• Yes
• No

04

If you answered "Yes" to the above question, you must provide a brief summary of your experience and the name of the employer(s) where you gained that experience. (If you answered "No" to the above question, enter "NA" in the text box.)

05

Do you have experience managing high-stress or emotionally charged situations in a public-facing, compliance-driven, or time-sensitive work setting, while maintaining professionalism, sound judgment, and a solutions-focused approach?

• Yes
• No

06

If you answered "Yes" to the above question, you must provide a brief summary of your experience and the name of the employer(s) where you gained that experience. (If you answered "No" to the above question, enter "NA" in the text box.)

07

Do you have experience administering complex, compliance-driven programs, such as elections, with responsibility for process oversight, statutory requirements, and operational logistics?

• Yes
• No

08

If you answered "Yes" to the above question, you must provide a brief summary of your experience and the name of the employer(s) where you gained that experience. (If you answered "No" to the above question, enter "NA" in the text box.)

Required Question

Employer

Washington County (MN)

Address

nd Street North Stillwater, Minnesota, 55082

Phone

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