Title
CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT
Staff Contact: Jim Brown, Director, Human Resources and Risk Management
end
Purpose and Recommended Action
Recommendation
The purpose of this report is to have discussion and receive direction from council on the selection of a professional executive search firm for the recruitment of the City Manager.
Background
Recruitment and selection of a City Manager is of the utmost importance to the City Council, the city organization and the Glendale community. City staff is providing a list of eligible external professional executive search firms in order to select one firm for the recruitment of the City Manager. The Human Resources and Risk Management Department has done an analysis of the top executive search firms for the City Manager process. The analysis includes general scope of work, the cost associated with the recruitment, reference checks and timeframe within which the recruitment can be completed.
Scope of Work and Timeframe
Each firm follows its own process for recruitment; however, in general, the scope of work will include the following:
•Developing a Candidate Profile
•Advertising Campaign and Recruiting Brochure
•Recruiting Candidates
•Candidate Interviews and Evaluation
•Referencing Top Candidates
•Recommendation
•Final Interviews and Background Checks
•Contract Negotiations
Depending on the firm selected and their process, the City Manager recruitment could take anywhere from 90 to 120 days to successfully complete.
Analysis
Selection of External Recruiter
The Human Resources and Risk Management Department has conducted an analysis on executive search firms that specialize in City Manager recruitments and is recommending the following three firms for the City Council's consideration:
The Mercer Group (See Exhibit A):
Jim Mercer has over 25 years of experience as a recruiter, has conducted over 2,000 searches for executives in the public and private sectors, and has worked with Glendale in the past on the recruitment of an Assistant City Manager. Jim has also worked with other cities such as Goodyear, Arizona and Fountain Hills, Arizona for their City Manager recruitment and is well known in this industry. Mr. Mercer works out of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The professional fee to utilize the Mercer Group for this process is $16,500 and an additional $8,000 for expenses for a total cost of approximately *$24,500.
Slavin Management Consultants, Inc. (See Exhibit B):
Robert Slavin has completed more than 850 executive searches throughout his career, which include Corpus Christi, TX, Greenville, NC, Myrtle Beach, SC, and Peoria, IL. Robert Slavin is a former Assistant City Manager and Director of Human Resources for the City of Beverly Hills, California and has nearly 30 years of experience in executive recruitments. Mr. Slavin will be the primary consultant on this search and he will be assigning Paul Wenbert as the project manager. Paul had a career of 30 years in city management including time as a Deputy City Manager for the City of Mesa. Slavin Management Consultants, Inc. is based in the Atlanta, Georgia area and has a local representative in Arizona.
The professional fee to utilize Slavin Management Consultants, Inc. is $16,005 and additional expenses not to exceed $8,003 for a total cost of approximately *$24,008.
CPS HR Consulting (CPS HR) (See Exhibit C):
CPS HR has 30 years of experience in providing executive searches for organizations. They have successfully completed searches for executive positions in Chandler, AZ, Coconino County, AZ, Dallas, TX, Gilbert, AZ, and many others. Pam Derby will be the project manager assigned to the Glendale search. Ms. Derby has been with CPS HR since 2003 and has conducted a wide range of recruitments for county, city, special district and association executives including city attorney, executive director, general manager, and city manager. CPS HR is located in Sacramento, CA and has previously conducted searches for the City of Glendale
The professional fee to utilize CPS HR is $17,000 and additional expenses not to exceed $7,000 for a total cost of approximately *$24,000.
*Regardless of which firm is selected to conduct the recruitment, additional costs to the process will include candidate travel expenses as well as any additional costs for stakeholder engagement.
Budget and Financial Impacts
The cost of the recruitment for a new City Manager is not a budgeted item and will be funded by the City Manager's Office in a yet-to-be-determined account. The total fiscal impact will not exceed $34,000.