CITY OF DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
This is an outstanding opportunity to become City Manager of an exceptional organization and to live in a very dynamic city that is truly on the move. With a current population of 218,179, Durham is the 93rd largest city in the United States and Forbes Magazine has ranked it as the seventh best city in the country for business and careers. The Durham City Council is seeking a highly qualified individual to join them in contributing to this progressive community for the future. The successful candidate should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Public or Business Administration or a related field. A Master of Public Administration degree or a Master’s degree in a related field is preferred. Evidence of continued professional development through active participation and leadership roles in professional organizations and activities is also a plus. An International City and County Management Association (ICMA) Credentialed Public Manager would also be a plus. The next City Manager of Durham should possess a minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience as a city manager, deputy or assistant city manager or related experience in a large, full-service urban community. The ideal candidate will be someone who is currently dealing directly with many of the issues being faced by the City of Durham.
Other desired attributes of the next City Manager include experience in economic development, infrastructure replacement and development, budgeting and financial management, public safety, municipal utilities and human resources development. The City Council is also seeking a dynamic individual with considerable visionary leadership skills, a proven communicator and a person who has successfully dealt with and has effective relationships with the news media. Further, the Council is seeking a person who embraces and appreciates diversity, someone who has developed and fostered effective relationships with their governing body and someone who has effectively developed and managed a large number of internal and external relationships. In addition, the Council seeks a person who will make a commitment to the future of Durham, a team builder and team player, an effective mentor to employees and someone who has developed quantifiable measures of performance and has successfully tracked actual performance against those measures.
The City Manager of the City of Durham is responsible to the City Council for the efficient administration of all the affairs of the City under his/her direction and control. The City Manager attends all meetings of the City Council, with the right to take part in the discussion, but not the right to vote. The City Manager recommends to the City Council from time to time such measures as he/she deems necessary and furnishes the City Council with the necessary information regarding any of the departments of the City under his/her direction and control. The City Manager has the power to appoint and remove all heads of departments and all subordinate officers and employees except the City Clerk and City Attorney. Residency within the City of Durham is required of the new City Manager within a reasonable time after appointment.
Whether you know Durham as the “City of Medicine” or the “Bull City” it’s easy to see why so many residents and businesses call Durham home. Located halfway between the Great Smoky Mountains and the beaches of the Atlantic, Durham is a community that is home to over 300 restaurants, more than 40 festivals, Duke and North Carolina Central universities, Durham Technical Community College, Durham Bulls Triple-A Baseball, art and science museums, and world-class medical facilities, just to name a few. With more than 5.2 million visitors annually, Durham is the top destination of arrivals at RDU International Airport. With the birth of the Research Triangle Park (RTP) in the 1950s, Durham began to take on a new look that has evolved the City into a global center for information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medicine. The City of Durham is known as the “City of Medicine,” with healthcare as a major industry including more than 300 medical practices with a combined payroll exceeding $1.5 billion annually. The City of Durham operates under a non-partisan council-manager form of government. Durham City Council is made up of seven members. Three members are elected from wards, three members are elected at-large and the Mayor is directly elected at-large. The terms of City Council members are four years and they are staggered. The term of the Mayor is two years. The City Council is the legislative and policy-making body for the City of Durham and is the final authority on most matters relating to the City. The Council is responsible for establishing general policies for the City; appointing the City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk and members of various boards and commissions; for enacting ordinances, resolutions and orders, reviewing and adopting the annual budget, and authorizing contracts on behalf of the City. The FY07-08 General Fund operating budget is $338.3 million. The City currently has 2,000 full time equivalent employees. The City of Durham possesses a AAA bond rating from all three major bond rating agencies, one of only 34 such designations in the United States. The current City Capital Improvement budget is $335,319,950. The City debt per capita: $962; debt to assessed value: 1.25%. For additional information, visit the City of Durham website at www.durhamnc.gov and www.Durhamcitymanagersearch.com.
The starting salary for the new City Manager of Durham will be market competitive depending upon the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate. The minimum starting salary will be $150,000 per annum. A comprehensive benefits package will also be provided. Reasonable relocation expenses will be paid by the City for the successful candidate.
For additional information on this outstanding opportunity, please contact James L. Mercer, President, The Mercer Group, Inc. at 770-551-0403; mercer@mindspring.com. Confidential resumes should be sent by close of business March 15, 2008, to James L. Mercer, President, The Mercer Group, Inc., 5579B Chamblee Dunwoody Road, #511, Atlanta, GA 30338. Voice: 770-551-0403; Fax: 770-399-9749. E-Mail: mercer@mindspring.com;
Website: www.mercergroupinc.com. The City of Durham is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The City of Durham does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, religion, ethnic origin or handicapped status.