HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-20-17 City Commission Packet Materials - A1. Discussion on Characteristics and Qualifications of City Manager Commission Memorandum
REPORT TO: Honorable Mayor and City Commission
FROM:Bethany Jorgenson, Human Resources Director
SUBJECT: Discussion on Desired Characteristics and Qualifications of the
City Manager
MEETING DATE: April 20, 2017
AGENDA ITEM TYPE: Action Item
RECOMMENDATION: Review City Manager requirements in the City Charter, the City
Manager class specification, and consider any other related position requirements. Discuss the
City Commission’s desired candidate profile.
BACKGROUND: In order to proceed with the recruitment of a new City Manager, we
need to determine the minimum qualifications and describe the knowledge, skills, and
abilities needed to perform the work. This information will be used in developing recruiting
materials and guiding elements of the candidate selection process.
Bozeman City Charter Article III, section 3.02
(https://www.municode.com/library/mt/bozeman/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTICH_A
RTIIICIMA_S3.04PODUMA) states “The city commission, by a majority vote of its total
membership, shall appoint a city manager for an indefinite term and fix the manager’s
compensation. The city manager shall be appointed solely on the basis of education and experience
in the accepted competencies and practices of local government management. The manager need
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not be a resident of the city or state at the time of appointment, but may reside outside the city
while in office only with the approval of the commission.”
The City uses class specifications to describe qualifications and responsibilities for positions.
The class specification for City Manager indicates the requirement for a Master’s degree in Public
Administration and extensive experience in management (preferably in the public sector) as well
as the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:
• Comprehensive knowledge of management, organization, and administrative theories, and
principles;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the organization, functions, and methods of operation of the
City’s legislative body, executive staff, and operational departments;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the laws, ordinances, and regulations underlying City
government, including State and City Codes, administrative regulations and IMCA Code
of Ethics;
• Comprehensive knowledge of City government finance and administration, including State
and National laws affecting the operations of the City;
• Ability to listen and understand the personnel and organizational needs of City department
and division heads, and other supervisory personnel;
• Ability to provide effective leadership, motivation, management, coordination,
supervision, and evaluation of others;
• Ability to effectively exercise interpersonal communications and persuasion;
• Ability to effectively promote team and organization building, goal development, and
project follow-through;
• Ability to plan, organize, and evaluate the work of others;
• Ability to instruct and motivate others to learn new practices and procedures to accomplish
work objectives;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the City
Commission, City officials, the Assistant City Manager, Division and Department heads
and other supervisory personnel, other City employees, government officials, and the
general public;
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• Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing, using technical
and non-technical language;
• Ability to understand and follow oral and/or written policies, procedures and instructions;
• Ability to prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and
recommendations;
• Ability to operate a personal computer using standard or customized software applications
appropriate to assigned tasks;
• Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to
written specifications and/or oral instructions;
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• Ability to perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed
under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines;
• Ability and willingness to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought
about by rapidly changing information and/or technology;
• Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.
• Consistently performs assignments in accordance with the City’s Core Values of Integrity,
Leadership, Service and Teamwork.
The full class specification is attached. Because it has not been revised since 2010, I recommend
that it be reviewed and changes be approved by the Commission at a future meeting. I have
indicated some needed changes in underline and strikeout form.
I have also included sample qualifications from similar position profiles for your review. These
are an example of what some communities are including in recent City Manager recruitment
materials. We are looking to develop a similar tool for our use.
UNRESOLVED ISSUES: None.
ALTERNATIVES: As suggested by the City Commission
FISCAL EFFECTS: This discussion has no immediate fiscal effects.
Report compiled on: April 13, 2017
Attached Documents: City Manager Class Specification
Sample City Manager Qualifications
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City Manager – 1150 Page | 1
Revision Summary
Revision Level Date Revised 3 03/2010
2 01/2004 1 01/2000
City of Bozeman, Montana
Class Specification
This is a class specification and not an individualized job description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but it is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list every duty for a given position in a classification.
Class Title City Manager Class Code Number 1150
General Statement of Duties
Directs the City’s organizational, leadership, management, budgetary, and administrative operations in accordance with policies and procedures set forth by the City Commission; performs directly related work as required.
Distinguishing Features of the Class
The principal function of an employee in this class is to lead the City’=s organizational and
administrative operations in accordance with established policies set forth by the City Commission,
including overseeing all long range forecasting and planning for the City. The work is performed under the direction of the City Commission, but extensive leeway is granted for the exercise of independent judgment and initiative. Supervision is exercised over the Assistant City Managers,
Department HeadsCity Attorney, and other program administrators and administrative support
personnel. The nature of the work performed requires that an employee in this class establish and maintain effective working relationships with the City Commission, other elected City officials,
Department and Division heads, supervisory personnel, employees, government officials, and the
general public. The principal duties of this class are performed in a general office environment.
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City Manager – 1150 Page | 2
Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)
• Serves as the Chief Administrative Officer for the City in executing prescribed ordinances,
resolutions, and regulations;
• Effectively communicates vision, mission, and values to the organization, and leads to those standards.
• Oversees long range forecasting and planning for the City, including conferring with landowners, developers and business interests to forecast potential building and infrastructure needs, reviewing and revising long range facilities and master plans, forecasting and
designing implementation strategies for future work force and capital needs, forecasting
future economic conditions, and developing appropriate financial strategies and long range plans to ensure the health of the City;
• Provides effective public education and relations for the City, including participating in various civic, neighborhood, political, recreational, and social meetings, preparing and presenting public information presentations, meeting with citizens to resolve issues, planning
and preparing public information campaigns, and coordinating activities with Federal, State,
and City agencies, the University and Hospital, and the Economic Development Corporation;
• Provides organizational leadership to ensure effective and lawful business practices in
accordance with legislative direction, including providing quality training and organizational growth opportunities for a maturing and stable work force, and recommending and seeking policy direction from the Commission as required;
• Oversees the Risk Management function for the City to ensure all City processes are in compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations, including keeping abreast of all
statutory regulations affecting City operations, identifying potential liabilities and public
safety issues, and establishing work force policies to minimize the potential for physical and financial threats to the City, employees, and the general public;
• Conducts meetings and workshops to maximize communications and cooperation between City departments and divisions, and clarifies policies established by City officials;
• Analyzes and evaluates the effectiveness of City operations, services, programs, and reports findings and recommendations for improvements to elected City officials and the City Commission;
• Advises City officials regarding cooperative efforts with government units, public/private sector partnerships, privatization efforts, consolidation of services, and related issues;
• Directs, supervises, motivates, trains, and evaluates the work performance of City department headssubordinate staff;
• Plans, directs, leads and supervises the City’s organizational, management, administrative, and financial operations to ensure all operations are conducted in accordance with
established ethical standards;
• Confers with City elected officials and appointed Department and Division heads and other
Formatted: Indent: Left: 0", Hanging: 0.5", No bullets
or numbering
Commented [BJ1]: The City uses a distributed model for risk management, rather than a single manager.
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City Manager – 1150 Page | 3
supervisory personnel to discuss, identify, and assess their organizational, management, administration, budget and financial problems and needs, and performance effectiveness;
• Identifies costs, timing, and other key issues involved in meeting the City’=s determined
goals;
• Organizes special task forces and projects to address City problems and needs as directed and authorized;
• Develops recommendations for enhancing the City’s operations and services in collaboration
with the City Commission, City officials, and Department and Division heads;
• Recommends and oversees implementation of City policies, rules, and regulations;
• Develops the annual City financial plan and budget in accordance with established policies, including submitting annual operating and capital budgets and monitoring monthly
expenditures;
• Provides assistance to Department and Division heads in developing and presenting budgets;
• Develops short-range and mid-range operational and financial plans for the City;
• Provides assistance to City officials in developing programs and coordinating intergovernmental policies, programs, and operations;
• Plans, organizes, and directs capital improvement programs and works with Assistant City Managers and Department heads to analyze space, furniture, and equipment requirements for modernizing City functions and operations;
• Develops and revises a ten year strategic plan;
• Develops and revises a five year business plan;
• Attends meetings, conferences, and workshops as requested and authorized;
• Performs other duties consistent with the role and function of this classification. Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
• Comprehensive knowledge of management, organization, and administrative theories, and
principles;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the organization, functions, and methods of operation of the
City’s legislative body, executive staff, and operational departments;
• Comprehensive knowledge of the laws, ordinances, and regulations underlying City
government, including State and City Codes, administrative regulations and IMCA Code of Ethics;
• Comprehensive knowledge of City government finance and administration, including State and National laws affecting the operations of the City;
• Ability to listen and understand the personnel and organizational needs of City department and division heads, and other supervisory personnel;
• Ability to provide effective leadership, motivation, management, coordination, supervision, and evaluation of others;
• Ability to effectively exercise interpersonal communications and persuasion;
• Ability to effectively promote team and organization building, goal development, and project
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City Manager – 1150 Page | 4
follow-through;
• Ability to plan, organize, and evaluate the work of others;
• Ability to instruct and motivate others to learn new practices and procedures to accomplish
work objectives;
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with the City Commission,
City officials, the Assistant City Manager, Division and Department heads and other
supervisory personnel, other City employees, government officials, and the general public;
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing, using technical
and non-technical language;
• Ability to understand and follow oral and/or written policies, procedures and instructions;
• Ability to prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and
recommendations;
• Ability to operate a personal computer using standard or customized software applications
appropriate to assigned tasks;
• Ability to use logical and creative thought processes to develop solutions according to written specifications and/or oral instructions;
• Ability to perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines;
• Ability and willingness to quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology;
• Ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks.
• Consistently performs assignments in accordance with the City’s Core Values of Integrity, Leadership, Service and Teamwork. Acceptable Experience and Training
• Master’s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related
field; and
• Extensive (7-10 years) experience in management, preferably in the public sector at the local
level of any government; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills
and abilities necessary to perform the work. Required Special Qualifications
• Offers for employment conditional upon satisfactory completion of appropriate post
conditional offer process;
• Must complete a Financial Disclosure form as a condition of employment;
• Successful candidate must reside within the Bozeman City limits by no later than the date of his/her first performance evaluation which is anticipated to occur twelve (12) months from
the date of initial employment.
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Essential Physical Abilities
• Sufficient powers of speech, hearing, or other communication capabilities, with or without reasonable accommodation, to enable the employee to communicate effectively;
• Sufficient vision or other powers of observation, with or without reasonable accommodation, to enable the employee to review a wide variety of material in both electronic and hardcopy
form;
• Sufficient manual dexterity, with or without reasonable accommodation, to enable the
employee to operate a personal computer, telephone, and related equipment;
• Sufficient personal mobility and physical reflexes, with or without reasonable
accommodation, to enable the employee to efficiently function within an office environment
and have easy access to a variety of sites throughout the City.
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Sample City Manager Attributes and Qualifications
Sample 1
• A visionary leader who is able to think creatively and bring a futurist mentality. An individual
with a strong track record of success who is entrepreneurial and business minded. Progressive,
proactive, and has the ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with the Council, executive team, staff, business leaders, and community.
• Supports and partners with the Council in order to ensure successful decisions for the good of the community. Provides straight forward and well-researched recommendations.
• Has the ability to build the trust and confidence of the management team and staff. Takes a
collaborative approach throughout the organization. Supports leadership development, mentoring, and succession planning. Is respectful of the abilities of technical experts. Approachable,
accessible, and visible within the organization.
• An effective listener; diplomatic; respectful. Is dynamic and brings energy to the role. Firm in
their convictions; not afraid to take a stand when necessary. Constant, steady, consistent, yet
adaptable. Ethical in their behavior and above reproach.
• Most importantly, able to make a commitment to the City of _______ to always serve the best
interests and the health of the City.
Sample 2
ideal candidate for ______’s next City Manager will be a personable, optimistic, and experienced, local
government management professional. This person will be flexible and creative in leading a team-
oriented staff working toward common goals with the City Council and the community. He or she will
be an effective listener and communicator, at ease speaking with all audiences and using a variety of
tools to reach residents and businesses. The City Manager will be an approachable leader and
experienced at using creativity to build and maintain partnerships with government, private, and
nonprofit organizations. The City Manager will demonstrate a defined customer service philosophy that
will be reflected and implemented by staff. The ideal candidate should be open-minded and able to
positively receive constructive criticism. The City Manager will be a strong leader who can balance
conflicting interests and priorities, yet also be decisive and provide clear recommendations. He or she
will be a collaborative team leader, comfortable giving direction and empowering staff to ensure the
long-term success of the City consistent with Council’s goals. _______’s next City Manager will have
proven experience in the City’s top priorities of neighborhood stability, economic development, and
city “livability.” The ideal candidate will demonstrate prior success in attracting and encouraging
business growth and will possess strong skills in deploying creative and innovative funding tools and
incentives to stimulate economic development. He or she will be able to foster relationships and be
open to ideas from staff, residents, and elected officials which will help the City deliver high-quality
services within its financial constraints. The ideal candidate will be energetic, personally invested in
promoting ________, and active and visible in the community.
Sample 3
The City of _______ seeks an experienced and proactive City Manager to take this dynamic community
to the next level. The ideal candidate will be a logical, thoughtful leader with exceptional strategic
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planning skills who will help the City identify opportunities to move the community forward while
honoring its past. The City Manager will encourage a collaborative spirit throughout the
organization, building trusting relationships with staff, Council, and the community. The chosen candidate will be politically astute without being political, with unquestioned integrity and the
willingness to make difficult decisions when necessary.
The City Manager will foster organization-wide transparency, accountability and flexibility when needed.
A visionary who is not afraid of calculated risk-taking, the City’s next Manager will have the ability to envision the “big picture” while also considering how smaller details may impact outcomes. The City has experienced, skilled, and dedicated staff who are passionate about doing their jobs with excellence. The
City Manager should build a strong rapport with employees and must be able to delegate with clarity and authority. The successful candidate will be an optimistic team leader who appreciates the dedication and hard work of staff, and inspires them to reach their greatest potential. To be an effective leader of this
team, the new Manager will operate from a base of mutual respect, maintain an open, transparent communication style, and gather input in decisions.
The City Manager must work well with the City’s diverse population, encouraging community civility and building positive relationships with local businesses, and community organizations. The selected
individual will be required to be a full-time resident of ________ and should be willing to stay in the
position long-term.
Sample 3
Desired Professional and Personal Attributes The following are the desired professional and personal attributes for _________’s next City Manager. • Decisive, visionary leader with ability to work with all stakeholder groups to advance the community’s
agenda, especially related to economic development issues • Demonstrated track record of leadership role in economic development successes • Good financial management skills and a sense of fiscal discipline
• Strong intergovernmental relations skills with ability to work effectively with federal, state, county, and regional officials • Track record of using human relations and leadership skills to develop cohesive management teams
• Visibility within the City workforce to keep employees informed about organizational initiatives • Approachable and personable with a sense of humor
• Local government experience in rural communities a plus
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