Cobb County Manager Jackie McMorris outlines role, staffing priorities and leadership approach

Dr. Jackie McMorris, Cobb County manager, told Commissioner Eric Allen that the county manager serves as the functional chief executive responsible for implementing board policy and running day-to-day county operations.

McMorris said the manager’s office has eight direct reports and oversees 34 departments, covering functions from public safety and transportation to water services and libraries. "Functionally, the county manager's role... serves as kind of the chief executive officer," she said, explaining how department leaders funnel operational decisions through the manager's office.

She emphasized that many department heads are licensed professionals: the DOT director is a licensed professional engineer and the head of the water system is an engineer. That technical expertise, McMorris said, supports the county's ability to deliver services reliably. "You can't do it alone," she said of county leadership. "These are truly subject matter experts in their own right."

Describing her leadership priorities, McMorris drew a contrast between management and leadership, saying she seeks to "transition from a mindset of just managing things to leading people" through coaching and supervisory development. She described an internal decision framework she uses — six Ps (policy, practice, processes, protocols, procedures and people impact) — and a corresponding emphasis on consistency when applying policies countywide.

On recruitment and retention, McMorris credited Cobb County’s culture and investments in employees, saying the county markets departmental strengths in job postings and highlights awards won by departments to attract candidates. She noted that strong performers are often recruited by other employers, which makes internal development and competitive positioning important.

McMorris described her own path into the role: a background in higher education and public speaking, work in Cherokee County and Fulton County, and a doctorate in adult education with a focus on transformational leadership. She said those experiences prepared her to manage a large, complex county organization.

The interview closed with McMorris encouraging listeners to consider careers in county government, saying employees often leave "more educated, more well-rounded, more engaged" than when they arrived. She also reiterated that protecting professional staff from political pressure is an important part of the county manager's job.

The episode offered a snapshot of how Cobb County’s professional staff is organized, the technical credentials relied on in key departments, and the manager’s emphasis on leadership development as a pathway to sustaining service delivery.