Orange County, NC, widely recognized for its world-class academics, diverse and dynamic industries, and rural recreation, seeks a collaborative and service-driven leader to serve as the next General Manager of the Orange County ABC Control Board.
The Board desires a General Manager with considerable retail, bar/hospitality management experience who will:
- Enthusiastically establish and maintain an organizational culture of trust, high employee morale, and accountability; cultivate unity across the organization’s Board, its warehouse, stores, and administrative functions while successfully balancing operational and clientele needs.
- Actively foster open communication and meaningful engagement across the organization, building cohesive relationships with staff, customers, Board members, and the diverse communities Orange County ABC serves.
- Strategically support operational efficiency through budget evaluation and management, strengthen internal operations, utilize best-practices in increasing sales, and work to proactively ensure the organization’s long-term sustainability in a changing retail and regulatory environment.
- Positively reflect the mission, reputation and values of the Orange County ABC Control Board in day-to-day responsibilities, serving as a highly visible leader who demonstrates integrity, professionalism, accountability, and ethical judgment while building credibility with employees, customers, Board members, and community stakeholders.
The successful candidate is a demonstrated people-focused leader – well respected by employees and stakeholders and known for active-listening, expressing empathy, and being approachable, and empathetic. The next General Manager has significant product knowledge and understanding of mixed beverage operations, NC ABC legislative environment and constraints, risk management best practices, trends within the alcohol industry, and is an effective problem-solver who is flexible and adaptable under pressure.
This is not simply an operational management role—it is an opportunity to shape the future of a respected public enterprise and unite stakeholders around the Orange County ABC's mission of responsibly controlling the sale of spirituous liquor, returning profits to law enforcement, alcohol education, and the Orange County General Fund while providing excellent service in customer friendly, modern, and efficient stores.
About Orange County Government:
Orange County government is a highly collaborative and forward-thinking organization, governed by a seven-member Board of Commissioners. The commissioners are elected to four-year terms by district and at-large in partisan elections. The County’s mission is to serve as a visionary leader in providing governmental services valued by its community, beyond those required by law, in an equitable, sustainable, innovative, and efficient way. The County’s FY 25-26 budget of $435M ($312M General Fund) supports its nearly 1,200 FTEs across 27 departments.
Orange County’s Strategic Plan, adopted in 2024, rallies community leaders and members to ensure Environmental Protection and Climate Action, Healthy Community, Housing for All, Multi-modal Transportation, Public Education/Learning Community, and a Diverse and Vibrant Economy. The county’s vision—a community known as diverse, inclusive, and healthy, working together to strengthen the community and enhance the quality of life for all residents—is evidenced through the progress and development of this strategic plan.
About the ABC Board and Position:
The Orange County ABC Board is an independent local governmental entity responsible for the retail sale of distilled spirits throughout Orange County. Governed by a five-member Board of Directors, the organization operates nine retail stores and one warehouse serving the communities of Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Hillsborough, Mebane, and Durham. Guided by a mission to responsibly serve the community through controlled alcohol sales, exceptional customer service, and sound financial stewardship, Orange County ABC returns profits to support local law enforcement, alcohol education programs, and the County’s General Fund.
Reporting directly to the Board of Directors, the General Manager is responsible for the overall administration and management of Orange County ABC's operations, including retail sales, warehouse operations, financial management, inventory control, and strategic planning. The General Manager leads a team of 37 full-time and 18 part-time employees and oversees the organization’s $30M budget. View the organization’s recent performance audit report here. As the Board works to address budget shortfalls due to declining sales throughout the industry and legislative challenges, the next General Manager will play a key role in strengthening the organization's financial position. Evaluating and recommending changes to reduce organizational expenses while maintaining a skilled and valued workforce will be necessary for this position.
Orange County’s next ABC General Manager will ensure that the organization’s human resources, training, security, and safety protocols, processes and procedures align with state laws and regulations and best support the organization and its employees. Skilled in human resources management, the General Manager creatively and strategically recruits and retains employees in a competitive job market. The Orange County ABC General Manager is also tasked with lease management for the organization’s stores including but not limited to lease negotiation and administration, property management, renovations and new construction. This customer-service minded professional consistently demonstrates fairness and equity across diverse people groups – from customers, to staff, Board and other stakeholders.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Business Administration, Retail Management, Public Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a closely related field is preferred. An equivalent combination of education and progressively responsible experience may be considered.
- Five (5) or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience in retail, bar/hospitality management, business administration, operations management, or a similarly complex customer-focused environment, including experience supervising and developing staff.
- Knowledge of the North Carolina ABC System, alcoholic beverage laws and regulations, mixed beverage operations, or experience working in a highly regulated industry is strongly preferred.
- Must possess or have the ability to obtain and maintain a valid North Carolina Driver's License.
- Must successfully pass all required pre-employment screenings, including a comprehensive background investigation.
Please mention you found this employment opportunity on the CareersInGovernment.com job board.
Salary and Benefits: The salary range for this position is $110,000 - $130,000. Starting salary is dependent on experience and qualifications. Orange County provides a comprehensive benefits package including 100% employer paid health, dental, and life insurance, biannual leave time accrual, sick leave, 11 paid Holidays, participation in the N.C. Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, supplemental retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, longevity pay and more. View more about Orange County’s employee benefits here.Residency in Orange County is not required for this position; however it is strongly preferred given daily commute to the organization’s administrative office, stores and warehouse.
To apply, please visit https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Orange County ABC Control Board – General Manager title.
- All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the organization’s employment application portal or any other external website.
- Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application.
- Applicants should apply by July 24, 2026.
- The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to participate in virtual interviews and skill evaluations on August 18-19, 2026. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.
- Interviews with the hiring team will follow at a subsequent time.
- Direct inquiries to hiring@developmentalassociates.com.
Orange County ABC Control Board is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The recruitment and selection process is being managed by Developmental Associates, LLC. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/ and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.”
