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Candidate Profile for Discussion and Feedback City of Austin City Manager Private and Confidential Candidate Profile for Discussion and Feedback July 12, 2017 Ref: City ManagerCity of Austin 1 of 4 Our Client The City of Austin is the state capital of Texas and is the fastest growing metro city of its size. With a population of more than 947,000, the City of Austin is the fourth largest city in Texas and the eleventh largest city in the United States. Home to a substantial regional concentration of headquarters/regional offices for Fortune 500 (Amazon.com, Google, 3M, and Whole Foods to name a few), the University of Texas at Austin, a vibrant music scene, eclectic mix of award-winning restaurants, and over 250 parks, Austin is consistently ranked as the number one “Most Popular Place to Live.” Since 2011, Austin has received more than 50 local and national rankings in categories such as economic growth, environmental leadership, education, quality of life, and real estate. Most recently, Austin was named by Forbes as a Top 10 Employer for 2017 and the highest-ranking employer in the government services sector. As a result of its tremendous success, Austin has experienced a number of challenges that the next City Manager will need to address. In particular, the rapid growth of the city has taxed housing, transportation, infrastructure, affordability, and equity, in ways that a new innovative approach will seek to solve. For more information about the 2017 State of Austin City, please visit http://www.mayoradler.com/2017-state-of-the-city-address-the-spirit-of-austin/ Governance Structure The City of Austin has a Council-Manager form of government whereby the elected City Council sets policy objectives and the City Manager ensures they are carried out and administered effectively. They City Manager also serves as a trusted advisor to the Mayor and City Council. Under the November 6, 2012, voter-approved charter amendment, Council Members are no longer elected citywide. During the 2014 election, the Mayor was elected citywide, and the other 10 Council Members were elected by residents from geographic districts. Responsibilities The Mayor and City Council seek to recruit a new City Manager for the City of Austin. This individual must have the skills and experience to lead Austin by combining vision, efficient strategy, and operational excellence together in an open, communicative style. Reporting to the Mayor and City Council, s/he will serve the citizens of Austin by providing executive leadership and representation on all matters concerning their city government. This individual will represent and stand accountable for the leadership and management of the daily operations of the Austin government and will serve as a trusted advisor to the Mayor and City Council. Candidate Profile for Discussion and Feedback July 12, 2017 Ref: City ManagerCity of Austin 2 of 4 The City Manager will be responsible for a $3.8B budget, more than 40 departments and offices (including the Police Department, Fire Department, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport), and 13,500 employees. Direct reports include five assistant City Managers, Chief of Staff, and Chief Financial Officer. Additionally, the heads of the following entities report directly to the City Manager: Austin Energy, Law Department, Equity Office, and the Office of Police Monitor. Please visit http://www.austintexas.gov/service/city-organizational-and-department-chart to review the City’s organization chart. The City Manager is also in charge of preparing an annual budget for City Council’s consideration. Please visit https://austintexas.gov/financeonline/finance/financial_docs.cfm?ws=1&pg=1 to learn more about the annual budget process. Relevant Experience The successful candidate may have relevant experience from a variety of entities such as: Public Service at the Federal, State, and Municipal levels Public or Private Company Non-profit Organizations Higher Education Healthcare Utilities Transportation Ideally, the next City Manager will have experience in more than one sector. In all cases, however, this individual must demonstrate a record of creating and executing best-in-class solutions to challenging issues such as those highlighted above. We are interested in candidates who seek out and support the utilization of data analytics to aid critical decisions while at the same time can demonstrate deep empathy for other issues at hand. While the size and scope of previous experience (department size, reporting structure, budget, etc.) will not be the ultimate deciding factor, relevant experience must relate appropriately to the size and complexity of Austin. Additional relevant experience should include past interactions with Federal and State organizations. Given the governance structure of the Austin, we are also seeking candidates with experience working/partnering with a Governing Board (public and/or private sector). A sense of humor is a plus. A Bachelor’s degree in business, public administration, government, economics, social science, planning, or a related field is required. A Master’s degree or other advanced, graduate-level credentials are strongly preferred. Candidate Profile for Discussion and Feedback July 12, 2017 Ref: City ManagerCity of Austin 3 of 4 Key Competencies The next City Manager must be a leader who embodies the spirit of public service, embraces inclusiveness, and displays deep compassion for those in need. The successful candidate will understand the importance of making Austin a livable city for current and future residents by focusing on the issues previously outlined and new ones as they arise. This individual must foster a culture of innovation and open communication while convening, leading, and collaborating with council, neighborhood communities, local organizations, businesses, and residents from across the city to achieve excellence. S/he must have demonstrated examples of leading and supporting transformative initiatives in a highly complex environment. Above all, the next City Manager must be able to build a culture of trust. In terms of the performance and competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following: Strategic and Visionary Leadership The ability and confidence to articulate an inspiring vision for Austin and to execute policies strategically. The ability to advise the Mayor and City Council regarding both positive and negative policy implications by having the inclination to seek, analyse, and present data from a variety of sources to support multiple viewpoints and to align residents with the City’s overall strategy. A collaborative problem solver who takes an entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the city and push the boundaries within Austin. Willingness to balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change Austin is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful. Executing for Results The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the city to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results. Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainly; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations. A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who takes smart risks. A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in his/her approach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for Austin; demonstrates strong negotiation skills. Successful track record of managing an entity similar to Austin in terms of comparable size, complexity, and culture, with clear strategic results; has strong business and financial skills; executes policies efficiently and effectively by championing best-in-class operation practices and a culture of operational excellence. Leading Teams The ability to attract and recruit top talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others. The ability to persevere in the fact of challenges, and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers. Candidate Profile for Discussion and Feedback July 12, 2017 Ref: City ManagerCity of Austin 4 of 4 A leader who is self-reflective and aware of his/her own limitations; leads by example and drives the city’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement. Relationships and Influence Naturally connects with, builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively. An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in his/her beliefs, and active drive; understands the importance of finding common ground. Encourages others to share the spotlight and visibly celebrates and supports the success of the team. Has humility to ask questions, the courage to seek guidance, and the wisdom to value the diversity of thought. Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyond his/her own personality and engages others to the greater purpose for Austin as a whole. Application Process Interested applicants may send an email with a current resume and cover letter to Russell Reynolds Associates at citymanager@russellreynolds.com. Additional Information about Austin For more information about the City of Austin, please visit http://www.austintexas.gov To learn more about Employee Benefits, please visit http://www.austintexas.gov/department/active-employee-benefits 1703-093NA Contact Stephen D. Newton Russell Reynolds Associates 609 Main Street, Suite 3500 Houston, TX 77002-3106 Tel: +1-346-320-5949 citymanager@russellreynolds.com Erin CarbreyRussell Reynolds Associates 609 Main Street, Suite 3500 Houston, TX 77002-3106 Tel: +1-346-320-5949 citymanager@russellreynolds.com