About the Village
Nestled in the scenic Sandhills of southern Moore County, Whispering Pines is a tranquil residential and recreational community known for its beautiful nature setting and exceptional quality of life. Proudly recognized as a Bird Sanctuary and Tree City USA, the Village is celebrated for its natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere.
Covering approximately 4.4 square miles, the Village includes eight Village-owned lakes/dams and two privately owned public golf clubs with three 18-hole golf courses. Just 10 minutes from the world-renowned Pinehurst Resort - host of the 2024 Men's US Open Golf Championship - and within 30 minutes of Fort Bragg, Whispering Pines sits at the heart of one of North Carolina's most vibrant and growing regions.
The Position
The Village of Whispering Pines seeks a strong, confident, and principled leader with experience leading a municipal government efficiently and effectively while inspiring staff and building trust across the organization and community. The ideal candidate demonstrates the highest standards of ethical conduct in all public, professional, and personal relationships, and brings a track record of grounding decisions in sound policy and best practices.
• Leadership & Administration: Administers municipal operations efficiently and effectively, inspiring and motivating staff while cultivating a high-performance culture united by shared goals and organizational initiatives. Provides steady, principled leadership during periods of transition or change. Carries projects to successful completion while maintaining strong emotional intelligence and conflict-resolution abilities.
• Policy & Council Relations: Reports directly to the council. Responsible for presenting policy proposals, offering clear facts and technical advice on policy options for Village Council. Communicates clearly and openly with council members and collaborates to set policies, goals, and objectives and stay informed of emerging issues.
• Communications & Strategy: Proficient in preparing clear written materials and presenting confidently in public settings, with the ability to effectively manage communications across multiple platforms, including social media, to keep community stakeholders engaged and informed.
• Intergovernmental & Community Relations: Builds and maintains effective relationships with County, State, and Federal governments, community members, and partner organizations, navigating sensitive intergovernmental dynamics and community concerns with diplomacy and responsiveness. Experienced working constructively with individuals bringing deep expertise and strong viewpoints.
• Ethics & Organizational Trust: Demonstrates the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity, with a steadfast commitment to fair, consistent, and transparent processes. Approaches conflict resolution in a calm, thoughtful, and principled manners, and communicates decisions clearly and effectively, building public understanding and confidence in the Village.
Qualifications, Skills, and Competencies
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Able to build authentic rapport with staff, residents, and elected officials; maintain effective working relationships across the organization; navigate complex interpersonal dynamics with professionalism and empathy; and resolve disputes and complaints from citizens with skill and fairness.
Financial Management and Budgeting: Demonstrated skill in preparing, administering, and analyzing municipal budgets. Brings knowledge of municipal finance principles, familiarity with diverse funding sources including grants and intergovernmental programs, capital planning, project management, infrastructure oversight, and the ability to ensure fiscal accountability and transparency. Experience with budgeting in a small municipality is a plus.
Personnel Management and Human Resources: The Village Manager will play a central role in human resources functions because the Village does not have a dedicated Human Resources professional on staff. The candidate should be well-versed in recruiting, hiring and supervising employees, conducting performance evaluations, developing personnel policies, and leading succession planning efforts. The ideal candidate has experience managing these responsibilities directly or with limited HR support.
Legal & Regulatory Knowledge: Thorough knowledge of North Carolina local government statutes and ordinances is essential, along with a working understanding of state and federal laws that may affect Village operations. The candidate must be able to implement and enforce applicable regulations across all aspects of municipal administration.
Land Use & Community Development: Working knowledge of land use planning, zoning, and development processes is desirable, including familiarity with local zoning, permits, and development review. Awareness of emerging issues facing small municipalities.
Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in public administration, business management, or related field
• Master’s degree is preferred
Experience:
• Five years or more in local government management
• Municipal finance experience strongly preferred (preparing, managing, and presenting municipal budgets)
• Grant administration is a plus
Certification:
• ICMA Credentialed Manager is a plus
Salary:
The anticipated hiring salary range is $95,000 - $140,000 with an excellent benefit package. Salary commensurate with experience. Residency within the village is preferred but not required. The Village Manager must reside within 30 minutes of Village Hall to ensure an effective connection with the community.

Benefits
• Medical, Dental, Vision; Short-term disability; Village provides at no cost and coverage is available for dependents at cost to employee
• Life insurance benefit of $25,000 to $50,000 (based on annual income) from NC State Retirement System)
• Required participation in NC State Retirement System (Village contributes State required % of base pay on employee’s behalf; employee contribution is set at a mandatory 6%)
• Paid Vacation & Sick Leave
• $450 Monthly Vehicle Allowance
• $50 Monthly Cell Phone Stipend
• Optional Benefits: Prudential 401(k) Retirement Plan; Voluntary 457(b) Retirement Plan

How to Apply:
Central Pines Regional Council is managing the Village Manager recruitment process on behalf of the Village of Whispering Pines. Interested candidates should send a letter of interest and resume to Alana Keegan, akeegan@centralpinesnc.gov with the subject “Whispering Pines Village Manager.” Position is open until filled. A first review of applications is planned for the week of May 4, 2026 and interviews with the Village Council are tentatively planned for the month of June 2026.
The Village of Whispering Pines is an Equal Opportunity Employer.