The Mercer Group, Inc.

The City of Aurora, Colorado is seeking an...

Internal Services Director

THE COMMUNITY

The City of Aurora, “Gateway to the Rockies”, was incorporated in 1907, and was initially four square miles of prairie, as one of the new suburbs sprouting up around Denver. Since its early history, Aurora has grown to a city of 154 square miles and a population of approximately 335,000 people. It is the third largest city in Colorado and continues to grow. It is one of the most diverse cities in the Aurora/Denver metro area with many great neighborhoods, proud citizens, friendly people, and multiple languages spoken from around the world. Its history is one of change, growth, diversity, and community.

Aurora is a progressive, full-service city providing traditional municipal services. Its significant employment sectors include healthcare and biosciences at the Anschutz Medical Campus (formerly Fitzsimons), aerospace and technology at Buckley Air Force Base, and logistics and warehousing. Its strategic location is in proximity to Denver International Airport, Interstate 70, E470 (a beltway toll road), and numerous railroad connections. Housing prices are affordable and the city has easy access to many downtown cultural activities and major league sports activities. A new light rail project through the community (Fast Tracks), to be completed in 2015, will create a significant positive impact on the community’s economic, demographic, and growth patterns well into the future.

Internal Services Director

CITY GOVERNMENT

The City operates under a Council/City Manager form of government. There are 11 elected City Council Members (Mayor, 6 Council Ward representatives, and 4 at large members). Aurora lies within 3 county jurisdictions (Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas Counties). There is an effort underway to evaluate the possibility of creating the City and County of Aurora, which will require approval from the state’s voters. The city’s financial position is strong.

Internal Services Director

Quick Aurora Facts

Population - 2011335,105Median Age33.2Median Household Income $56,273

Incorporated Square Miles 154 sq.mi.

Total Operating Budget - 2012$554 MMedian Home Value $193,893

Households131,040

School DistrictsAurora Public Schools/Cherry Creek Schools

Sales Tax: City / Counties / State / RTD Lodging / Cultural 3.75% / .25 – 1.0% / 2.9% / 1.0%8% / .1%

Top Private EmployersChildren’s Hospital 4,270; Raytheon 2,140; Kaiser Permanente 1,770; ADT Security Systems 1,600;Health One 1,460; Northrup Grumman 830; Staples 800; Lockheed Martin 760.

Top Public Employers Buckley AF Base 12,100; Anschutz Medical Campus 6,560; Aurora Public Schools 5,000; Univ. of Colo. Hospital 4,000; Cherry Creek Schools 3,850; City of Aurora 3,710.

Internal Services Director

CITY ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

The City is a traditional municipal organization, providing a full-range of municipal services. The staff is very experienced and the workforce is stable. Employees recognize the importance of working together and there exists a spirit of teamwork throughout the organization. The new City Manager and City Council are completing the “policy infrastructure” of vision, mission, Council goals, and organizational policy goals. This will provide a solid foundation to respond to current challenges and create positive change.

It is expected that a new Director will strengthen the role of all internal service managers (in a system that has historically been mostly decentralized). In this new era of efficiency and accountability, there will be new systems implemented based upon sound justification, resource availability, and alignment with policy goals.

CITY OF AURORA VISION

Aurora will be an innovative leader in the nation, delivering:

n Sustainable, vibrant, interconnected neighborhoods with a range of housing choices.n Responsible environmental stewardship.n Award winning public safety services.n Exceptional infrastructure and facilities.n Multi-modal transportation options.n Quality parks, recreation, open space, cultural, educational and community activities for our citizens.n Support for cultural diversity and efforts to assist assimilation into the community.n Support and protection of Buckley AFB as an active installationn Dynamic health, science and research opportunitiesn Economic diversity, growing a solid commercial revenue base and plentiful business opportunities.

Internal Services Director

CITY OF AURORA MISSION

Aurora: “More than your typical big city.”n We unify diverse communitiesn We are a leader in creative outcomesn We are an innovator in economic developmentn We partner with public and private research institutionsn We have water, land and other valuable resourcesn We provide the full-range of quality municipal servicesn We invite active citizen participation in our governmentn We will implement the City’s Vision

CITY OF AURORA 2012-13 Policy Agenda

Project1City and County of Aurora

2Fitzsimons Area Development including Fitzsimons Village Hotel

3Havana Corridor including Fan Fare Redevelopment

4Police/Fire Training Facility Funding

5Employee Pay and Benefits

6Westerly Creek Corridor Completion

7Colfax Corridor (including Day Care and Youth Facility)

8Structural Budget Deficit Plan

9Museum Expansion for Trolley

10Commercial Development Plan for I-70 North (including Porteos)

Internal Services Director

COMMUNITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL CHALLENGES

The growing population and growth pressures upon the community, along with a relatively flat revenue stream, have created a structural budget deficit. The fiscal environment in the city organization, therefore, may not be supportable for the long-term. There will be new ways of conducting city business, in order to maintain an effective and efficient organization. For example, there is an imperative to develop and implement a sustainable compensation plan that is honest, fair, and forthright in its self-assessment.

With the number of multi-family dwelling units in the community (about one-third of the housing stock) there exists a somewhat transient community that can be difficult to engage in community affairs.

Because the city is such a great place to work, “change management” is a challenge, due to the traditional organization culture and the longevity of many employees. The organization is experiencing new reporting systems, performance management systems and is changing the way of informing the key decision-makers. There is a need for consistency and internal equity in the development and application of internal policies.

Management is also moving toward a more customer service-oriented culture, with the implementation of a customer service initiative. Training will be required in order to implement effectively.

The city has worked hard to change its reputation and create a safe community; however, the recent events of the July 20 theatre shooting have challenged and affected many sectors of the community, as well as the organization itself. The healing process may take years.

Since there has been no pay increases in the last two years, there is an uneasiness of the employees, which in turn creates additional work for HR. There is also some expected turnover of key positions in the HR department, and staffing up to fill those positions, while maintaining a smooth transition, could present a challenge.

Internal Services Director

KEY FUNCTIONS OF THIS POSITION

The Director will work in a fast-paced environment of top-level senior management with excellent leadership capabilities.

Under the direction of the Deputy City Manager for Administration, this position plans, coordinates, administers and directs the operations of the Internal Services Department to include the divisions of Human Resources, Risk Management, Fleet Services and Purchasing Services (about 68 FTEs).

The Director establishes short and long-range departmental priorities, goals and objectives, short and long-range financial plans and strategies. Serves as human resources advisor to the City Manager, City Council, departments and boards and committees; manages city vehicle and equipment maintenance and repair operations; provides overall direction for the city’s procurement policies and processes; monitors legislative and judicial actions affecting employment, workers’ compensation, insurance and procurement legislation; participates in labor union negotiations; develops and negotiates contracts; administers all employee benefit programs; administers the City’s risk

management fund; mediates grievances; represents the City in a variety of organizations; makes presentations to large groups; develops City policies on human resources, risk management, purchasing and fleet operations; oversees the selection, hiring, training, evaluation, discipline and supervision of departmental employees; prepares and manages departmental budgets; prepares and makes policy recommendations to City Council.

Internal Services Director

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Working Style, Knowledge, Skills, Abilities andPersonal Characteristics

The Internal Services Director will be an energetic and experienced leader who possesses outstanding management, financial, supervisory and communication skills.

The Director will be outcome-oriented, a solid decision-maker, adept at building and maintaining strong and effective working relationships with the City Council, city departments, employees, and the community. The Director is expected to be involved in the community and develop contacts with leadership in the community.

The Director will demonstrate sound political judgment and will have a proven track record as a successful facilitator, mediator and consensus builder, who is able to motivate parties toward solutions and resolve conflicts in a constructive and supportive manner. Must be highly skilled at organizational leadership, strategic planning and creative problem solving.

Developing credibility, trust, and a reputation of fairness within the organization will be extremely important. Excellent listening skills are imperative.

The ideal candidate must be aware of the respective roles of each division, and be willing to assist the City Manager and leadership team in establishing sound policy objectives, delineating roles and responsibilities, and creating more centralized operating protocols that promote transparency and engender trust.

The new Director will embrace diversity, must possess unquestionable integrity, accountability, ethics, and personal responsibility. It is important that the candidate be approachable, genuine, and honest in dealing with all staff. It is expected the Director will develop positive relationships at all levels of the organization and in the

community by listening, demonstrating evenhandedness, straightforwardness and candor.

Must have proven ability to break down organizational barriers, and an empowering management style with a team focus, while welcoming differences of opinion. The Director will be able to effectively supervise and delegate significant projects and responsibilities to staff and be willing to hold individuals accountable for their performance. Must communicate high standards of expectation for performance and provide resolute leadership and guidance to the management team and workforce.

Must be flexible, possess common sense, have a sense of humor, and not take oneself too seriously. The Director will have an ability to deal with a variety of people, relating to them at the personal level, the organizational level and at the City Council level. A strong business acumen is desired. Must be a leader that people will follow, and also be willing to share the “pulpit”.

The new Director will learn and understand the environment within which the other departments work, and be encouraging to staff. Must show genuine concern for the departments and display a solid understanding of all functions being managed. Must be

willing to travel to the other offices at remote locations and take the time to visit and meet with the employees. It is expected that the successful candidate will be openly transparent in the accumulation and sharing of information. The Director will understand how to communicate with the management team effectively, respecting their personal styles and communication needs. Must be able to manage people to their strengths.

The Director will be outgoing, personable, articulate, and will be inclusive, diplomatic and adept at managing differences of opinion in the community and among the senior management. The new Director will be responsive, calm, and collected. Must also be forthright, punctual, the voice of reason, and have a strong work ethic.

The successful candidate will assist in rolling out the city’s vision, mission, and core values, ensuring they are aligned with the organizational goals and performance evaluation systems.

Internal Services Director

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Requires Bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, management, human resources, or a directly related field. Masters degree preferred.

The Director should have thorough working knowledge of human resources, risk management, purchasing, procurement, and fleet services.

Requires at least 5 years progressively responsible experience in managing an administrative services function to include human resources management in a large organization, including at least 3 years supervisory experience at a senior management level. Experience managing a procurement or fleet services operation is preferred. An equivalent combination of education, training and experience that demonstrates required knowledge, skills and abilities may be considered.

Comprehensive knowledge of principles, practices and operating

requirements of a human resources department; employment, compensation, employee benefits, risk management and loss control, training, safety, contract administration, and labor relations; applicable federal and state laws; and municipal management, budgeting, and planning. Knowledge of fleet management and/or procurement management processes and procedures is desirable.

Requires ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, citizens, and elected officials; handle sensitive situations with tact and diplomacy; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; develop and negotiate contracts; establish and fulfill goals and objects; direct and effectively supervise a large workforce; and establish and administer budgets.

There is a need to address some internal equity issues in the organization. It is expected the new Director will complete and implement a sustainable compensation program, consistent with new economic realities. In addition, this position will assist with the creation of a succession planning culture and organization. A new customer service initiative will require a significant training component, in order to effectively implement this initiative.

Strong systems, interpersonal, analytical and managerial skills required.

COMPENSATION PACKAGE

The hiring range for the Internal Services Director position is $105 to 145 K. The City offers a generous benefit package that includes, health, dental, vision, vacation and sick leaves, short and long-term disability, and retirement benefits.

Internal Services Director

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

To be considered for this position, please submit a cover letter, resume and salary history and send to:

Gary Suiter • Senior Vice PresidentThe Mercer Group, Inc.

164 Goose Lane • Carbondale, CO(970) 963-0752

Email: garysuiter@comcast.net

Electronic applications are preferred. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

The deadline for résumés is: September 24, 2012.

Following the filing date, résumés will be screened in relation to the criteria outlined in this brochure. Candidates with relevant qualifications will be given preliminary interviews with The Mercer Group. Those deemed qualified will be referred to the Deputy City Manager and City Manager for further consideration. Final interviews

will be offered to those candidates named as finalists, with reference and background checks conducted after receiving candidates’ permission. The final interview process

is expected to be held in October. Finalists’ records will be subject to disclosure.

The City of Aurora is an Equal Opportunity Employer

The Mercer Group, Inc.www.mercergroupinc.com