CITY OF OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS
This truly is an outstanding opportunity to live and work in a high quality of life and dynamic city. Overland Park, Kansas is the second largest city in Kansas, after Wichita and is the second largest City in the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area, after Kansas City, Missouri. The City of Overland Park is seeking a highly qualified individual to become its new City Manager and to succeed the most recent City Manager who left voluntarily to take a similar position with another City after over 10 years of excellent service to the City of Overland Park.
Qualifications that have been identified by the Mayor and City Council and the City Manager Screening Committee include a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration or a related field with a Master’s degree in Public Administration or a related field preferred; continued professional development for both self and staff as evidenced by participation in professional association activities at the state and national levels and completion of seminars and workshops in the local government management field to stay abreast of changes in the field. An ICMA Credentialed City Manager would be a plus. Successful experience as a highly regarded professional leader and city manager, assistant or deputy city manager in a high service urban/suburban community in a metropolitan area, with characteristics and demographics similar to Overland Park is preferred.
The City’s Charter Ordinance provides that the City Manager is appointed by the Mayor and City Council, and is responsible for the administration of all of the affairs of the City, with authority over appointment/termination and related personnel actions of Senior Staff, Department Directors, and all employees of the City.
Residence in the City of Overland Park will be required of the successful candidate within a reasonable period of time following appointment.
Overland Park is an affluent and growing community within the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area. Overland Park is located in the northeastern part of Johnson County, the county with the largest population in the State of Kansas. The City has an estimated 2010 population of 175,943.
Additional information can be found at the City’s website: www.opkansas.org and at the Chamber of Commerce website: www.opks.org.
The City has the Mayor-Council-City Manager form of government. The City Manager is responsible for the implementation of Governing Body policy and the day-to-day operation of the City by its 844 full-time municipal employees.
The 2011 total adopted budget for the City of Overland Park is $218.2 million, a decrease of 7.4 percent from the previous year. The 2011 adopted operating budget for the City is $101.5 million, a decrease of 3.6 percent from the previous year. The City is known for its progressive government. Financial management is a strong emphasis. Moody’s Investors Service, Standard & Poor’s and Fitch Ratings have each given the City Triple-A bond ratings, making the City one of only a very small number of municipalities in the nation to receive top marks from all three agencies. The City is full service except for utilities.
The starting salary will be market competitive, depending upon the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate. The successful candidate will also receive an automobile allowance and a competitive fringe benefit program. Reasonable relocation expenses will also be provided to the successful candidate.
For additional information on this outstanding opportunity, please contact James L. Mercer, President/CEO, The Mercer Group, Inc. at 505-466-9500; jmercer@mercergroupinc.com.
Confidential resumes and application materials should be sent by close of business November 17, 2010, to James Mercer, The Mercer Group, Inc. 551 W. Cordova Road, #726, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Voice: 505-466-9500; Fax: 505-466-1274. E-Mail: jmercer@mercergroupinc.com; Website: www.mercergroupinc.com
In order to attract the highest quality applicants, the City is committed to preserving, to the extent allowed by law, the confidentiality of candidates.
A Screening Committee, chaired by the Mayor, will review applications submitted by the executive search firm. Following discussions of the Screening Committee, the Mayor will recommend a short list of candidates to be further evaluated by the search firm and interviewed by the Governing Body in Overland Park.
The City of Overland Park is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The City of Overland Park does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, political ideas or disability in employment or in the provision of services.