****REOPENED****
BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA
Broward County, located along the southeast coast of Florida, is a large growing and thriving area. Its land area of 423 square miles is home to nearly 1.7 million residents. There are 30 municipalities in Broward County, the largest of which is Ft. Lauderdale.
Virtually every amenity imaginable is available in Broward County. Complementing its 23 miles of world-famous beaches are an impressive array of cultural and arts, educational, entertainment, economic, transportation, health care, dining, and shopping opportunities. Magnificent beaches accommodate swimming, fishing, and a number of aquatic sports. Active and passive parks abound throughout the County. Its many attractions lead to an influx of over eight million tourists annually.
Spectator sports entertainment in Broward County runs the gamut, including Orioles’ spring training baseball, Florida Panthers hockey, Jai-Alai, horse racing, greyhound racing, rodeo, boating, and swimming. Nearby Miami-Dade County is home to the Miami Dolphins, Miami Heat, and Florida Marlins.
The County is replete with museums and arts venues. The Broward Center for the Performing Arts, a state-of-the-art complex located on the banks of the New River, is home to the finest Broadway productions, musicals, opera, and dance.
Easy and quick access along Interstate-95, which traverses the County, opens to Broward residents the additional amenities of Palm Beach County, to the north, and Miami-Dade County, to the south. The Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and Port Everglades open the area to national and international travel and commerce.
In addition to tourism, Broward County is home to a number of large, national corporations, such as Citrix, Spherion, Republic Services, Claire’s Stores, AutoNation, JM Family Enterprises, and AOL Latin America. Port Everglades ranks as the 12th busiest containerized cargo port in the nation and is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world.
Thirteen colleges and universities serve Broward County, including Florida Atlantic University, Nova Southeastern University, and Broward Community College. More than 36 hospitals house over 6,600 beds and 3,500 doctors. Hundreds of these doctors are world renown for everything from spinal cord surgery and research to plastic surgery.
Broward County has a very broad and rich multicultural fabric, with a prominent Hispanic/Caribbean influence. Cultural diversity is celebrated as a means of adding to the overall appeal of Broward County.
Broward County is governed by a Home Rule Charter that was approved by voters in a countywide referendum held in 1974. The Board of County Commissioners, which composes the legislative branch, sets overall policy by means of ordinances, resolutions and motions. There are nine County Commissioners, elected in single-member districts. The Commissioners annually elect from among themselves a Mayor and Vice Mayor.
Broward County’s executive powers of government are vested in the County Administrator, appointed by County Commissioners and who is responsible for carrying out all decisions and policies made by the Board. A Deputy County Administrator reports directly to the County Administrator. Four Assistants to the County Administrator report jointly to the County Administrator and the Deputy.
The organization is divided into seven major departments and nine agencies, with over 7,000 employees. The County’s main administrative offices are housed in the heart of downtown Ft. Lauderdale, in a thriving area on the cusp of revitalization.
The Assistant to the County Administrator – Affordable Housing is a newly-created position. Its creation is an outgrowth of the strong emphasis that the County Commission has placed on affordable housing in Broward County. The Assistant to the County Administrator – Affordable Housing will work under the general direction of the County Administrator and the Deputy County Administrator.
There is no “job description” for the position and no list of specific responsibilities. One of the major initial responsibilities of the incumbent will be to conceptualize how existing personnel and resources that relate to affordable housing can best be organized in order to most effectively impact upon the provision of affordable housing in Broward County. Additionally, the incumbent will establish rapport with and structure partnering relationships with the private sector, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies to expand and optimally use all resources available to promote affordable housing. Thus, where the position becomes placed within the organization, who the position reports to, and who reports to the position will rely, in part, upon the incumbent’s analysis of how the resources of the County can best be organized to maximize affordable housing opportunities.
It is anticipated that when the “restructured” approach to affordable housing is implemented, the incumbent will have considerable staff supervisory responsibilities and considerable fiscal responsibilities.
Broward County has experienced, and continues to experience, a high level of vitality, growth, and prosperity. This brings with it challenges related to transportation, infrastructure to support growth, and affordable housing issues. The County places a priority on economic and business development, with a particular focus on attracting high-tech and financial companies, as well as efforts to expand and integrate airport and seaport trade.
In the midst of progress and prosperity, Broward County, not unlike many areas throughout Florida and the U.S., faces a shortage of affordable housing to accommodate those at the lower end of income. The County Commission has recently made the matter of more aggressively approaching affordable housing one of its top priorities. One of its new challenge goals is to advance and enhance the County’s role beyond traditional programs in facilitating, sustaining, and incentivizing affordable, workforce housing.
The ideal candidate must bring a superior understanding of the many facets of affordable housing. In addition, he/she must have an understanding of various successful organizational models that have been successfully employed to make local agencies maximally responsive to the needs of affordable housing.
The ideal candidate must be able to relate to the complexities of a large multi-faceted organization and conceptualize how the approach to affordable housing can be structured so as to optimize human and financial resources in achieving lofty goals. Moreover, the ideal candidate must be able to partner and build consensus with the private sector and external agencies who have resources that can contribute to the accomplishment of affordable housing goals.
Education ¨ A Master’s Degree in a pertinent field is preferred.
Work Experience ¨ Ideally, the candidate will have at least ten years experience in executive leadership positions in large, complex agencies that address affordable housing. Breadth of experience, both across the many facets of affordable housing and across different agencies, is highly desirable.
Desired Attributes
● Knowledge of and experience with a broad range of affordable housing issues
● Experience in urban planning
● Experience with finance and in managing large budgets
● Experience in building construction
● Experience in project management
● Commitment to a team approach to management
● Outstanding written and oral communication skills
● Dynamic leadership orientation and skills
● Progressive and creative thinker
● Excellent problem-solving skills
● Excellent planning skills
● Experience with multicultural communities
● High level of achievement orientation
● Sound knowledge of management principles and practices
● Has a big picture orientation and a passion for achieving results
● A strong personality, but works well as a team player
● Possesses a high energy level and seeks challenges
● Relates effectively to diverse constituents
● Ability to work cooperatively with a number of internal departments
● Ability to interface effectively with other governmental agencies
● Ability to engage stakeholders in the private sector to expand
affordable housing opportunities
The salary range for the position is $82,601 to $135,464. It is anticipated that the starting salary will be in the upper part of the range, depending on qualifications. Fringe benefits are generous.
Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and salary history for initial screening as soon as possible to: Tom D. Freijo, Ph.D., Senior Vice President, The Mercer Group, Inc., tdf_wh@hotmail.com P.O. Box 9328, Winter Haven, Florida 33883. FAX: (863) 299-6737 TEL: (863) 299-3571. Broward County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Applicants should be aware that applications in Florida become a matter of public record upon receipt.