(a) The county commission shall establish the qualifications of the county manager. The Jefferson County Personnel Board, at the direction of the county commission, may assist in establishing the qualifications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the county manager shall possess a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, a Master’s Degree in Business Administration, or a Juris Doctorate degree from an accredited United States college or university or, in the alternative, a minimum of 10 years aggregate experience as the chief operating officer or chief executive officer of a public or private organization. The position of county manager shall be full-time in the service of Jefferson County.

(b) The annual salary of the county manager shall be set by the county commission at an amount at least equal to the median salary for a county manager of similar-sized counties in the southeastern United States.

(c) The county manager may not be a candidate for election and may engage in political activity on behalf of a candidate for election in any election within Jefferson County only as permitted in Section 17-1-4.

(d) The county manager, before entering the discharge of his or her duties, shall execute a nonrecourse bond with a solvent surety company licensed to do business in the county in an amount to be approved by the county commissioners, but no less than fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) payable to the county, conditioned on the faithful performance of his or her duties. The bond shall be secure against corruption, malfeasance, misappropriation, or unlawful expenditures. The cost of the bond shall be paid by the county. The bond shall be delivered to the county commission within five days of the county manager’s assuming his or her duties and, upon receipt, shall be filed by the commission clerk with the Probate Court of Jefferson County.

(e) The county commission may pay travel expenses related to the recruitment of a county manager and pay relocation expenses.

(f) The county manager may participate in any of the county’s benefit plans offered to full-time county employees.