This position is analogous to a city manager at the county-level.
The term "county manager," as opposed to CAO, implies more discretion and independent authority that is set forth in a charter or some other body of codified law, as opposed to duties being assigned on a varying basis to a single superior such as a county commissioner.
[4][5] Some of the basic roles, responsibilities, and powers of a county administrator/manager include: The responsibilities may vary depending upon charter provisions and other local or state laws, rules, and regulations.
Today the typical and preferred background and education for the beginning county manager is a Master of Public Administration (MPA) or other master's degree in public administration and at least several years’ experience as a department head in local government or as an assistant county manager.
Tenures tend to be less in smaller communities and higher in larger ones, and they tend to vary as well depending on the region of the country.