Department-Head Grade Ladder
A separate grade ladder, by design — per RFP §SUMMARY
The RFP §SUMMARY is direct: "Separate grades are required for Department Heads." We treat this not as an afterthought but as a primary deliverable. The ladder below is tiered against SC peer-county data and recognizes the responsibility breadth, span of control, and constitutional / appointed status differences across Greenwood's department-head roles.
Dept-Head positions
12
Tier levels
6
Range floor → ceiling
$55K – $195K
| Tier | Role | Anchor range | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 (Executive) | County Manager | $165,000 – 195,000 | Top-of-organization. Anchored against Anderson / Spartanburg / Aiken County Manager top-step (regional anchors). |
| Tier 2 (Executive) | Deputy County Manager | $115,000 – 140,000 | Single deputy-tier role; not present in every comparator. Anchored against Lancaster / Anderson Deputy ranges. |
| Tier 3 (Director) | Sheriff (constitutional) | $95,000 – 125,000 | Statutorily set in some SC counties; market band reflects the discretion Greenwood retains. |
| Tier 4 (Director) | Finance Director / IT Director / Public Works Director / EMS Director | $85,000 – 110,000 | Senior departmental leaders with multi-million-dollar budget authority. |
| Tier 5 (Director) | HR Director / Library Director / Parks & Rec Director / Building Codes Director | $72,000 – 96,000 | Departmental directors with smaller spans of control or smaller budget authority. |
| Tier 6 (Constitutional / At-Large) | Coroner / Voter Registration Director | $55,000 – 78,000 | Constitutional officers and elected/appointed roles. Market floor reflects part-time-equivalent expectations in some peer counties. |
County Manager — Greenwood vs. SC peer counties
How we anchor the top of the ladder
Dept Head
County Manager
Illustrative top-of-range
$165,000
Pension class: SCRS · 18.41% employer
Dept Head
Deputy County Manager
Illustrative top-of-range
$128,000
Pension class: SCRS · 18.41% employer
Dept Head
Finance Director
Illustrative top-of-range
$105,000
Pension class: SCRS · 18.41% employer
Dept Head
HR Director
Illustrative top-of-range
$92,000
Pension class: SCRS · 18.41% employer
Dept Head
Sheriff
Illustrative top-of-range
$110,000
Pension class: PORS · 21.56% employer
Dept Head
EMS Director
Illustrative top-of-range
$92,000
Pension class: PORS · 21.56% employer
Why Greenwood needs a separate ladder
Most general-workforce grade structures top out at the most senior individual contributor level (~$95K – $110K in SC counties this size). Department Heads carry budget authority, council reporting, and constitutional / statutory responsibilities that don't fit on a single integrated ladder. A separate ladder lets the County recruit and retain executive talent without the compression that pasting them onto the general schedule would create.
Constitutional officer carve-outs
Sheriff, Coroner, and Auditor carry constitutional / statutory pay-setting nuances unique to SC counties. Some pay components are statutorily set; others are at County Council's discretion. We document where Council retains discretion vs. where the law constrains it, and our recommendations live within that boundary.