GovHRUSA
McHenry, IL (27,135). The City of McHenry is seeking a collaborative, personable, energetic, and resourceful leader to replace the current City Administrator who is retiring after 13 years in the position.
McHenry is a picturesque and historic community located at the “Heart of the Fox River” in northeast Illinois about 50 miles north and west of Chicago. The beautiful Fox River is a focal point of McHenry and is a significant contributor to the high quality of life that its residents enjoy. The river not only provides a plethora of recreational opportunities for its residents and visitors, but the City’s charming downtown with the spectacular McHenry Riverwalk has become a very popular destination for locals and visitors alike. The Riverwalk, created by the City of McHenry, has sparked a Renaissance in this historic river town by connecting shopping, dining, recreation, and entertainment to the Fox River. An exciting new addition to the Riverwalk, the McHenry Riverwalk Shoppes, a retail incubator project, opened this month.
The City of McHenry is proud of its 38 beautiful public parks, encompassing some 650 acres, which are loaded with amenities to satisfy nearly every recreational preference. Among other recreation offerings in McHenry is the 4,500 square foot McHenry Recreation and Fitness Center, the Merkel Aquatics Center, Peterson Park Beach, and the Ryan Buss Zone Skate Park to name just a few.
McHenry’s beautiful neighborhoods, historic structures, along with its small–town charm and friendliness can belie the community’s robust and thriving local economy. With a highly skilled regional work force, abundant open land, and a supportive business climate, McHenry is ripe with outstanding development opportunities.
Public education is without question the bedrock of any community. McHenry is extremely well-served by two excellent public education districts. District 15 provides Pre-K through 8th grade educational services to the community across six elementary schools and two middle schools. The District serves approximately 4,100 students. District 15 routinely receives state and national recognition in the areas of curriculum, innovation and technology, staff development, principal leadership, best practices in literacy, and fiscal responsibility. McHenry Community High School District 156 serves 9th through 12th grade students with educational services via two high school campuses… McHenry East High School and McHenry West High School. The District features 33 AP and dual credit programs, a 70,000 square foot state-of-the-art Center for Science and Industrial Technology, and 80+ athletic teams and extra-curricular programs.
The City of McHenry operates under the Council-Administrator form of government that combines the political leadership of an elected City Council with the professional administrative and managerial experience of an appointed City Administrator. The elected body consists of the Mayor, who is elected at-large to a four-year term, and seven (7) City Council Members elected by wards to four-year overlapping terms. The Mayor only votes in the event of a tie. The City Administrator is appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of the City Council.
The City of McHenry has an annual operating and capital budget of $57.7 million. The General Fund operating budget totals $29.3 million. The City’s overall financial condition is very strong. The City has 157 full-time employees distributed among the following eight (8) operating departments: Administration, Community Development, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources, Parks & Recreation, Police, and Public Works. The City of McHenry maintains a positive, holistic workplace culture, including support for a healthy work-life balance and for inclusion and opportunity.
All department heads are supervised and directed by the City Administrator. The City Administrator is also responsible for all day-to-day activities of the organization including the preparation and administration of the annual operating and capital budget. The Administrator is also responsible for making professional recommendations on all policy matters that come before the City Council.
Applicants for the position of City Administrator should have a minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible managerial experience, preferably as a city administrator/manager or an assistant city administrator/manager. A master’s degree in public administration or some other related field of study is preferred.
The ideal candidate will possess the following professional skills and leadership attributes:
- A working knowledge of all aspects of local government with particularly strong experience in the following areas…financial management & budgeting, communication, economic development, project management, growth management, city council relations, and strategic planning.
- Is a collaborative leader that can create a strong team culture among city staff.
- Demonstrates outstanding people skills and is regarded by all as friendly, approachable, engaged, and genuine.
- Is an innovative, enthusiastic, and resourceful leader who is always searching for new methods and practices to benefit the community.
- Is an outstanding overall communicator and places a high priority on transparency and can effectively adjust his or her communication style and message to fit the audience.
- Listens carefully and genuinely considers the points of view of others.
The starting annual salary for the position is $190,000 to $210,000 DOQ/E. Residency within the City of McHenry is encouraged but not required. In addition to the salary, the City of McHenry will provide a comprehensive package of outstanding fringe benefits. Relocation assistance will be negotiated with the successful candidate.
To apply for this position, please submit a resume, cover letter, and contact information for five (5) work related references to the attention of Mark R. Peterson, Vice President of GovHR USA, online by September 5, 2023, at 5:00 pm. Application materials must be submitted on-line. Please direct all inquiries about the position to Mr. Peterson at (309) 825-5091.
The City of McHenry is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Application Deadline: September 5, 2023
Posted: 2023-08-07
