GovHRUSA
MORTON GROVE, ILLINOIS (25,297), located 16 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, is seeking qualified candidates interested in serving as its next Village Administrator. The present Village Administrator is retiring after 50 years of public service, the last 9 serving as the Village Administrator.
Morton Grove (5.1 square miles) is a diverse community that offers hometown charm. The Village is close to downtown Chicago, O’Hare Airport, Interstates 94 and 294, and is serviced by Metra trains and Pace buses. The Village has outstanding restaurants and shops, and a balance of residential, retail, and commercial properties that provide diverse offerings to its residents. Almost 20% of the Village encompasses the Cook County Forest Preserve allowing residents to take advantage of many biking and hiking trails, golf courses, and parks. Morton Grove is described as an “Incredibly Close” community of neighbors that enjoy living in Morton Grove and care about each other”. The Village provides high quality municipal services through Administration, Economic Development, Finance, Family and Senior Services, Building, Fire, Police and Public Works departments.
The Village Administrator is appointed by the Village President with the concurrence of the Village Board. Serving as the Village’s chief administrative officer, the position directs, supervises, and coordinates the administration of all departments, offices, and agencies of the Village including supervising the activities of department directors and ensuring all municipal services and programs are efficiently and effectively managed; prepares the annual operating and capital budget and establishes an effective working relationship with the Board of Trustees. Additionally, the Village has three unions: the FOP for Police, IAFF for Fire and Mechanics Local 701 for only 5 of the several Public Works employees. The Administrator is responsible for administering all collective bargaining agreements reached through the collective bargaining process.
Major duties involve long-term planning and integrated budget management and administration of the General Fund, Capital Fund, TIF districts; financial management and long-range financial planning; preparing the agenda, supporting materials, and recommendations for and attends all regular and special Board meetings; apprises the Board of current and projected financial conditions and future fiscal needs and makes recommendations for the expenditures of Village revenues and state and federal grant funds; prepares and submits an annual operating and capital expenditures budget and a comprehensive annual financial report of transactions and administrative activities; introduces proposed ordinances to the Board; recruits and establishes long-term business relationships through a targeted Economic Development program; develops long range services, programs, and improvement plans and creates mechanisms for their implementation; receives proposals, studies and approves plans for the organization or reorganization of the Village's governmental functions; and makes periodic and special reports to the Board concerning activities.
Education and Experience
- A master’s degree in a related discipline and eight (8) years of high-level executive and administrative experience in the field of government with a similar size public jurisdiction in which at least five (5) years have been spent in a diversified management or administrative capacity; or any equivalent combination of training and/or experience.
- Must be available to reside in Morton Grove within one year of appointment or shall reside within 15 miles of the Village.
- Must be available for a variety of working hours including 24-hour emergency recall.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office products and other database and web-based software platforms are essential.
- Must possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and a satisfactory driving record.
Qualified candidates will be expected to have:
- Be an approachable individual and not one who micro-manages staff. Be a decisive decision maker.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and be open to listening to other ideas and innovative approaches.
- Must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills through a collaborative leadership style with the Department Directors, which in turn builds trust within the organization.
- Offer creative solutions when problem solving. Be open to changing the approach to improve performance and efficiency.
- Be politically astute in dealings with the Village Board and other political entities the Village partners with.
- Be able to articulate their opinion on issues in the face of opposition using fact-based data.
- Recognize the critical role commercial development plays in generating sales tax revenues for the Village and will work with others to attract new businesses to the Village.
- Possess a sound understanding of the technical aspects of infrastructure improvements enabling successful completion of each.
- Possess the energy and vision to build effective relationships with residents and business owners.
- Balance team and individual responsibilities by giving and welcoming feedback which contributes to building a positive team spirit. Puts success of team above their own interests.
- Possess the ability to work collaboratively and empower staff by valuing their work and solutions for improvement.
- Be enthusiastic to join the Village of Morton Grove and serve as a role model to Village staff. Be civic minded and be a participant at Village community events.
- Have a record of continuing education and training to keep up to date with innovative management solutions and effective analysis methods.
- Have a proven track record of grant awards and management.
- Effective negotiation skills with the collective bargaining process allowing for effective contract administration.
The Village of Morton Grove offers a competitive benefits package. The starting salary range is $190,000 – $230,000 +/- DOQ and experience. Per Village Code, within twelve months after first being appointed, the Village administrator shall become a resident of the Village of Morton Grove or shall reside within 15 miles of the Village.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested candidates should apply online by Friday, April 5, 2024, with resume, cover letter and contact information for five (5) work-related references to the attention of Riccardo (Rick) Ginex, Vice President, GovHR USA/MGT; Tel: (847)380-3240, ext. 160.
The Village of Morton Grove is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Application Deadline: April 5, 2024
Posted: 2024-03-29
