Nathaniel “Trey” Davis is the Greensboro city manager, the top appointed official running North Carolina’s third-largest city.1City of Greensboro, NC. City Manager’s Office2Greensboro, NC. Adopted Budgets3Greensboro, NC. People and Culture Davis answers to the nine-member City Council, which hired him and can replace him at any time.
Who Runs the Office Today
Davis took the manager’s job after Taiwo Jaiyeoba, who had come to Greensboro with a background in urban planning and transit-oriented development, resigned in 2024.
Four assistant city managers currently work under Davis:
- Larry Davis
- Andrea Harrell
- Nasha McCray
- Tiffany Oliva
Each assistant handles a cluster of departments, grouped roughly by public safety, infrastructure, community services, and internal operations, so no single person is trying to supervise every function at once.1City of Greensboro, NC. City Manager’s Office
What the City Manager Actually Does
The split between the elected council and the appointed manager is the heart of Greensboro’s government. The council sets policy and passes ordinances. The manager runs operations. Council members do not direct employees or run departments. The mayor’s role, under state law, is largely ceremonial along with authority to execute contracts and deeds; the mayor cannot hire, fire, or direct city staff on their own.
North Carolina General Statute 160A-148 lays out what the manager is required to do.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager A few duties matter more than the rest.
Hiring and Firing City Staff
The manager appoints, suspends, and removes nearly every city officer and employee who is not elected by voters. The city attorney is the main exception. All personnel decisions have to follow the rules and policies the council has adopted.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager That means the manager picks the heads of police, fire, water resources, transportation, and every other department. This single hiring authority is what gives the position its weight.
Running the Departments
The manager directs and supervises every department, office, and agency in city government, subject to the council’s general direction. The statute also obligates the manager to see that state laws, the city charter, and every ordinance and resolution the council passes are faithfully carried out.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager When the council changes a zoning rule or adds a stormwater fee, the manager’s office is what turns the vote into reality across departments.
Advising the Council
The manager attends every council meeting and is expected to recommend measures that would improve city operations.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager Council members are generalists. They lean on the manager and city staff for technical analysis on infrastructure financing, public safety staffing, and similar questions. State law treats this as a duty, not a courtesy.
Reporting to the Public
At the end of each fiscal year, the manager must prepare and publish a full report on city finances and administrative activities. The council can also demand reports on any department or operation at any time.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-148 – Powers and Duties of Manager The annual report is public, so residents can see where their tax dollars went.
The Budget
Preparing and submitting the annual budget and capital improvement program is one of the manager’s core statutory duties. For fiscal year 2025–26, the council adopted an $830.6 million budget.2Greensboro, NC. Adopted Budgets The recommended budget for fiscal year 2026–27 climbs to $913.2 million.5Greensboro, NC. Learn About the City Budget
The manager’s office drafts the spending plan, presents it to the council for review and adoption, and then watches expenditures through the year to keep departments within their authorized limits. Greensboro’s Budget and Evaluation Department works under the manager’s direction, tracking performance metrics and recommending adjustments. Once the council adopts the budget, the manager also controls procurement and makes sure contracts follow North Carolina bidding laws and the city’s own transparency standards.
These are consequential decisions. A budget this size funds police patrols, water treatment plant upgrades, park maintenance, and much else. Miscalculated revenue projections or runaway spending can bring the Local Government Commission into the picture.
How the Manager Is Hired and Removed
North Carolina General Statute 160A-147 gives the City Council exclusive authority to appoint the city manager, and requires that the choice be based solely on executive and administrative qualifications rather than political affiliation.6North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-147 – Appointment of City Manager; Dual Office Holding When a vacancy opens, the council typically runs a national search for candidates with graduate-level training in public administration and significant management experience.
The manager has no fixed term. The position serves “at the pleasure” of the council, which can end the relationship whenever it chooses.6North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 160A-147 – Appointment of City Manager; Dual Office Holding An employment agreement between the manager and the council usually spells out severance and notice terms. This at-will structure is the main accountability mechanism, keeping the manager responsive to council priorities.
When the manager is temporarily unavailable, state law lets the manager name a qualified stand-in by filing a letter with the city clerk, subject to council approval. If the office is actually vacant, the council itself designates an interim manager until a permanent hire is made.7North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina General Statutes Chapter 160A Article 7 – Section 160A-150
Role in Emergencies
When a disaster threatens Greensboro, the governing body has broad authority under North Carolina General Statute 166A-19.22 to declare a state of emergency, and that authority can be delegated by ordinance to the mayor.8North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code Chapter 166A – North Carolina Emergency Management Act Once declared, the emergency allows restrictions on movement, curfews, evacuation orders, road closures, and regulation of alcohol and gasoline sales.
The manager’s role here is operational. The council or mayor declares the emergency; the manager coordinates the actual response across police, fire, public works, and water. The manager’s centralized authority over every department is what makes a unified response possible during hurricanes, ice storms, and flooding events the city has faced.
Reaching the City Manager’s Office
The City Manager’s Office is in the Melvin Municipal Office Building at 300 West Washington Street in downtown Greensboro.9City of Greensboro, NC. City Hall – Melvin Municipal Office Building You can call 336-373-2002 or submit a question through the contact form on the city’s website.1City of Greensboro, NC. City Manager’s Office
Inquiries get routed to the appropriate department based on subject matter, so you may hear from a department head or staff member rather than the manager. For a service-specific issue like a water bill dispute, a pothole, or a code enforcement complaint, contacting the relevant department first usually gets a faster answer than going through the manager’s office.