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Home My WebLink About2015-04-22 PACKET 01.C. -'" � -'�, .�"� �,�� -�, - i , � � � �� ' . 1 , . � . ' . . %�5a , e rlti �� 1 � 11 a .F� � . �1� :.! f . f � _ - .,wc . � j G � f � .. � _ : ? , ,� �.. _ _ �� ,� i ' _ � `�,�-t :: ;- : a � �: _ � � 4 V'�� i � �� ' ' � � _ _ _ 'o�_ ._ _; 4,� - �� +c r t ' � _ � i . ^, �.-... -,,,,� , + - * �'�'�„ � �L ! � _ G�- t�� ' �, � rl' i� _.. ;� . � � I -� � � � , �'y';� r. . . .' �,� �. , , � l �� ^ � !"i � _'�`� _ �' J �' , � ,+ , �' � �e - - - :�` -_ ��,� ��._ .��;�,;�, -- k:a*e,.�"„�..r•a... �.,._�5., . . Proposal City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services March 4, 2015 j�, � V Waters & ComRany ,�\� � -xBCUti'V� RPrf.l "^'�nY A Sprinqsted Company Table of Contents LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL 1. EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS ....................................................1 Relevant Experience ....................................................................... 2 Qualifications................................................................................. 2 2. FORM OF GOVERNMENT .....................................................................2 3. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT, CITY COUNCIL AND STAFF............................................................................................... 3 4. APPROACH AND TIMELINE ..................................................................3 Process Timeline ............................................................................ 5 5. PROPOSED FEE .................................................................................6 6. REFERENCES ....................................................................................6 �� ] � I Waters & ComRany VV ��BCJfIV��t=rJ' ^ 1PIlY a Sprinqsted Company LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL March 5, 2015 Mayor and City Council City of Cottage Grove 12800 Ravine Parkway South Cottage Grove, Minnesota 55016 Re: Executive Recruitment Services Dear Mayor and members of the City Council, Thank you very much for the opportunity to submit a proposal to assist in conducting an executive recruitment for the position of City Administrator. Hiring a City Administrator is one of the most important decisions a City Council will make. In our role and partnership as executive recruitment consultants, Waters & Company Executive Recruitment, a Springsted Company (WCER) recently merged with Springsted to expand our executive recruitment capabilities. WCER is committed to working closely with all City officials and community members to conduct a thorough, well-executed recruitment that identifies qualified candidates with proven leadership and management experience that fit the needs of Cottage Grove. WCER has extensive experience conducting local government executive recruitments. Our model and business strategy is to provide you with a strong process while remaining flexible to adapt to the City's needs and desires. We approach each recruitment by establishing positive and effective communication and trust with everyone. We will work hard to understand the City's issues, challenges and future goals. We will use this information to recommend best practices, prepare professional materials and administer effective recruitment strategies. We understand our proposal is subject to review and discussion. Feel free to contact me at dunmacht@springsted.com or 651-223-3047 if you have any questions on our proposal and our services. Respectfully submitted, � _ �� David J. Unmacht Senior Vice President sml City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services �• • . � � . . � Waters & Company Executive Recruitment (WCER) recently merged with Springsted Incorporated, establishing one of the largest public sector executive recruitment and organizational management firms in the United States. Springsted Incorporated, the parent corporation, is a certified WBE. Three employee-owners lead the firms and their 70-member staff. Our headquarters are located in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with regional offices strategically located throughout the United States. Specifically, our regional offices include Dallas, Texas; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Cleveland, Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Richmond, Virginia; Denver, Colorado and Los Angeles, California. WCER has a team of seven primary recruitment consultants available to meet your executive recruitment needs. Our consultants bring an experienced, participatory and energetic perspective to each engagement; our unique approach and personal touch are reflected in our internal standard to provide outstanding services that exceed the City's expectations. Since 2010 our combined consultant team has conducted more than 350 executive recruitments. The WCER Recruitment Project Team will partner with the Mayor, City Council and designated staff as your technical advisor to ensure that the recruitment process for your next City Administrator is conducted in a thorough and professional manner. Our objective is to generate high-quality candidates and assist you with the screening and evaluation of these candidates. Office Location Waters & Company Executive Recruitment, a Springsted Company 380 Jackson St., Suite 300 Saint Paul, MN 55101 Office: 651-223-3000 Fax: 651-223-3002 Respectfully submitted, .� d'' � �� Rollie Waters, Executive Vice President Consultant j�, � I Waters & Company �� / .-xFC.i'i , a RECr,i - a Sprinqsted Company City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services. I II Relevant Experience Mr. Unmacht has lead recruitments for City Manager positions for the cities of West St. Paul, Bloomington and Burnsville; the City Administrator position for the cities of Bayport, Oakdale and Lakeville; and currently is conducting the executive recruitment for the City Manager positions in Coon Rapids and Brooklyn Park Mr. Unmacht also partnered with the Washington County Board in their internal search that led to the hiring of Molly O'Rourke as County Administrator. In addition, he has conducted dozens of recruitments for city and county administrators, department directors and other executive leadership positions. He is uniquely qualified due to his experience with mid to large Twin Cities metropolitan city governments to successfully partner with you in this search. Project Team Leader Mr. David Unmacht, Senior Vice President Direct Phone: (651) 223-3047 Email: dunmacht(a�sprin�sted.com Mr. David Unmacht is a consultant for Springsted's Organizational Management/ Human Resources group. He is an experienced local government professional who �� brings a passion and commitment to excellence in his service and relationships. � Mr. Unmacht brings more than 15 years of county administration experience, — having worked for Scott (County Administrator) and Dakota (Deputy County Administrator) counties, Minnesota. He has also worked as City Manager in Prior Lake and City Administrator in Belle Plaine, Minnesota. He works closely with municipal and county governments in many different fields including organizational and leadership development, organizational reviews, executive recruitments, facilitation services and strategic planning. He has a Master's in Public Administration from Drake University and a bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Political Science from Wartburg College. Mr. Unmacht was the recipient of the Minnesota Association of County Administrators (MACA) Joe Ries Excellence in County Management Award in 2000 and the Minnesota City/County Management Association (MCMA) Award for Management Excellence in 2006. Mr. Unmacht is also a Credentialed Manager with the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and a community faculty member with Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota. � � � • Cottage Grove is located in Washington County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The City of Cottage Grove operates under a Council-Administrator form of government. The elected Mayor and City Council are responsible for all policy decisions affecting the City. The implementation of Council policies and the general administration of City operations are the responsibility of the City Administrator. City administration is responsible for carrying out the policies adopted by the City Council and coordinating the operations of City government and all departments. The department supports the work of the City Council by managing council agendas and directing the flow of information and requests for action to the Council, oftentimes by performing research, writing reports and making recommendations. In addition, City administration provides general oversight, supervision and consultation to all other departments and consultants in the City. j� J � I Waters & Company �� / .-xFC.i'i , a RECr,i - a Sprinqsted Company City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services. � �1 ' . 1 �' 11 1 1 . Throughout the recruitment process there will be a regular flow of information and coordination between the City and WCER. The detailed roles of the consultant and City Council are highlighted in the process section below. To help facilitate the process, we recommend that the City appoint an internal coordinator that will serve as the main point of contact with Mr. Unmacht to help coordinate activities. The City's internal coordinator will assist in gathering information necessary to develop the position profile, coordinate city and community meetings (if this step is used), disseminate information to the Council, facilitate tours as may be scheduled for candidate interviews and other logistical requirements. We develop a strong and positive communication channel with the internal coordinator and communicate routinely and openly throughout the process. , �� . . � WCER's recruitment process is described below. We are happy to refine this process as needed to meet the City's goals and objectives. 1. Project Initiation and Working Relationship — WCER commits to meeting and exceeding the expectations of the City of Cottage Grove from the beginning to the end of the process. We will create strong lines of communication, be open to ideas and develop a strong partnership with the City Council, department leaders and community members. Our work with the City is open and transparent. We have a strong working knowledge of Minnesota laws that must be observed throughout the hiring process. We make sure that the City and candidates understand how these laws affect the hiring process. WCER meets with the City's representatives to define working relationships, determine preferred methods of communication and refine the project schedule. 2. Position Analysis and Profile Development — We will meet individually or collectively with the City Council members and, if desired, with key community stakeholders to broaden our understanding of the position's leadership and management requirements, current issues, strategic priorities and to identify expectations for the next City Administrator. We will meet with the Management Team to increase our understanding of the staff's perspective on the organizational needs and expectations. If desired, and in partnership with the City Council, we will conduct a community listening session to gather input from the community on the desired attributes of the next City Administrator. We have strong facilitation skills and experience which will support this important priority in the search process. Information obtained from these meetings, our review of the position description and other City documents will be used to prepare a position profile. The completed profile and job announcement will be approved by the City before recruitment begins. The position and community profile will be central to our recruitment as well as candidate outreach. 3. Identification and Recruitment of Qualified Candidates — In consultation with the City, we will develop a customized recruitment strategy for the City Administrator position that includes placing job ads with professional local government associations such as the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC), the Minnesota City/County Management Association (MCMA) and other organizations we identify with the City. We anticipate job postings to be placed on the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) website and other national recruitment sites. To increase the exposure of this position, we will strategically place the job posting with other Midwest and regional state municipal leagues, state-wide city/county management associations and public administration schools that are in regular contact with alumni regarding job opportunities. j�, � I Waters & Company V� rx�C�.i'iva �leCr,� -^ a Sprinqsted Company City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services. L�� Our recruitment outreach emphasizes personal contacts with prospective candidates. We also contact MCMA members, ICMA-credentialed managers and managers who demonstrate an ongoing commitment to professional leadership development. Finally, we draw upon our knowledge of qualified local government managers from our extensive connections with Minnesota and other upper-Midwest managers and administrators, as well as our database which allows us to sort by specific demographics critical to this position and from the professional network of our team. 4. Applicant Screening — Applicant screening is based on position requirements and hiring criteria established by the City in the position description and profile. Once we have identified the top candidates, we ask them to complete a screening questionnaire that addresses their work history and professional and personal qualities to assess their fit with the characteristics identified in the position profile. Along with substantive information provided in the answers to the questions, we evaluate the candidates' writing and comprehension skills. For those candidates invited to the interview, we ask them to complete a Management Style Analysis which determines if the candidate's behavioral traits, competencies critical to the position and work values match the needs of the City. We also conduct telephone screening interviews with the candidates invited to the interview in order to expand upon the candidate's background and experience, particularly in those areas important to the City. 5. List of Top Candidates — We meet with the City to present a short list of typically eight to ten candidates for consideration of personal interviews with the City Council. Each candidate report includes: 1) resume; 2) applicant comparison matrix; 3) preliminary information from an internet search; and 4) screening questionnaire. The Council selects the candidates who will be invited to interview. In a professional and respectful manner, WCER informs all applicants of their status in the recruitment process, in particular those that are not moving forward to the interview stage. 6. First and Second Round Interviews — We work with the City Council to design and coordinate the interview process. We find that each city is different, so before we organize an interview process, we discuss with the Council your expectations and desires. Based on City preferences, we develop a structured interview process that maximizes the input of all participants and coordinate the interview schedule with the candidates. The interview process is structured in a way that helps the City Council assess the candidates' ability to communicate, their approach to making decisions, their interpersonal skills and other preferred qualifications. We also provide a template to help the Council evaluate the candidates on an equitable basis and provide a feedback form to other participants in the interview process so the Council can consider these perspectives in its assessment of the candidates. We also assist the City in the interview process by developing sample questions and include a list of questions (inappropriate or illegal) that the City should avoid asking during the interviews. For initial interviews we recommend that the City identify a pool of five to eight candidates. Second interviews narrow the pool to the top two to four candidates. We will discuss with the City your desire to use a subcommittee or screening team for the first interview. Mr. Unmacht will be in attendance at the interviews to provide support as needed while the Council narrows the field of candidates who may be invited to a second interview. For the second interview we will design a different candidate engagement process. This includes the preparation of a presentation scenario on a relevant policy issue in the City. 7. Reference Checks — We contact references and provide a thorough reference outline for each candidate participating in the second round of interviews. It is our practice to contact at least three references per candidate: an elected official, someone who supervised the candidate and a direct report to the candidate. j�, � I Waters & Company V� rx�C�.i'iva �leCr,� -^ a Sprinqsted Company City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services. 14€ 8. Background Check and Employment Offer — We conduct a thorough background records check of the finalists which includes state and national criminal and civil history, driver's license review, educational verification, a credit check and a review of social media activity. The timing is coordinated with the hiring decision and is typically completed prior to making an offer to a candidate. We will assist the City Council in developing an employment offer and negotiate the compensation package with the successful candidate. We will also develop a list of six month and one year performance expectations and transitional goals for the City Administrator. This will include information collected from City Council, staff and community member priorities and needs. We work with the incoming City Administrator and City Council as needed to support the transition. Process Timeline The following is a listing of the major steps within a timeline; the actual dates and schedule will be developed in partnership with the City. This outline assumes a starting date the week of March 16. Project Milestone Deliverables Proposed Date Notice to proceed . Council action Week of March 16 . Contact with the Council, department leaders Position review and analysis and community members Begin upon approval . Reviewjob description . Prepare profile Approval of the position profile �. Position and community profile gy April 6 and job announcement • Job announcement i I. Placement of job announcement Recruitment and candidate . Contact with prospective candidates April 6– May 4 outreach . Acceptance / acknowledgement of applications . Status reports to the City Applicant screening • Supplemental questionnaire May 5– May 18 . Begin candidate evaluation Candidate presentation / . Candidate resumes and questionnaires , selection of applicants to . Notification to applicants not advancing in the Week of May 18 interview selection process Interview design • Interview design, questions, schedule and candidate Week of May 18 assessme form � Candidate Evaluation . Telephone screening interviews Prior to first interview . Consultant attendance at interviews First and second interviews • Organized and structured interviews May 25 – June 19 . Community open house if desired . References; background reports Offer made / accepted • Employment offer and agreement On or before July 1 . Thank you letter to candidates not selected Projected start date • City Administrator starts August 3 . Action plan f or a successful transiti � First year check-ins �. Ongoing follow-ups (informal and formal) � February and August 2016 j� ] �' 1 Waters & Company V� � rx�C�.i'iva �ieCr,� -^ � a Sprinqsted Company City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services. 5� ' �� •t We can work with you to identify any services you seek in our process and we can support the services you want to perform. Our professional fee to provide all of the search services outlined in this proposal is $15,500. This fee will not change unless additional services are requested by the City. Out-of-pocket costs for this project include such things as position advertising, background checks for up to three finalists and administering survey instruments. There will be no consulting travel costs as Cottage Grove is adjacent to our main offices in St. Paul. For the City of Cottage Grove, out-of-pocket costs are estimated to be no more than $2,500. These expenses are billed at cost. This does not include any travel expenses necessary for candidate interviews. Total not to exceed cost for the City Administrator search is $18,000. Our guarantee is defined as: (1) a commitment to remain with the recruitment assignment until you have made an appointment for the fees and tasks quoted in this proposaL If you are unable to make a selection from the initial group of finalists, WCER will work to identify a supplemental group until you find a candidate to hire; (2) your executive recruitment is guaranteed for 24 months against termination or resignation. The replacement recruitment will be repeated with no additional professional fee, but only for project-related expenses; and (3) WCER will not directly solicit any candidates selected under this contract for any other position while the candidate is employed with your organization. � •. We are providing the following list of references for you to contact. These references will give you an excellent understanding of our executive search work. Please feel free to contact any one of these individuals. City of West St. Paul, Minnesota City of Lakeville, Minnesota City Manager City Administrator John Zanmiller, Former Mayor Cindi Joosten, Human Resources Manager 651-253-3910 952-985-4491 City of Bayport, Minnesota City of Oakdale, Minnesota City Administrator City Administrator Ms. Susan St. Ores, Mayor Ms. Suzanne Warren, Finance Director 651-275-4404 651-730-2714 City of Bloomington, Minnesota City of Burnsville, Minnesota City Manager City Manager Ms. Kay McAloney, Human Resources Director Ms. Jill Hansen, Human Resources Director 952-563-8710 952-895-4471 Washington County, Minnesota County Administrator Ms. Molly O'Rourke, County Administrator 651-430-6002 Supporting Materials The WCER team can provide other related materials for the City's consideration including sample profiles and other search documents for review and consideration if interested. If these are essential for consideration we can provide them at any time. j� ] � 1 Waters & Company V� � rx�C�.i'iva �leCr,� -^ a Sprinqsted Company City of Cottage Grove, Minnesota. Proposal to Provide Executive Recruitment Services. ��