Okaloosa County BOCC — November 4, 2012 — The Mercer Group — reading text

the level of experience and training needed. As indicated earlier, Mr. Higginbotham’s 30 years of local government experience, 23 of which are in Florida, make him uniquely qualified to lead this search for the new Okaloosa County Administrator; he knows and understands the local needs. The Mercer Group, Inc. for Okaloosa County, Florida Page 9 SPFFFEFEFEFETFTFFFFTFFFFFFFFEFFSFSHFFTFESFSSIIAIsIsssssssss Based on those meetings, we will prepare a draft position profile and review it with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners and its staff in order to arrive at a general agreement regarding the specifications for-the position. The final position profile will include information about Okaloosa County, the Board of County Commissioners and its staff, the community, major issues to be faced, the position,-and the selection criteria established. 2. Recruitment Process Because we have recently completed similar searches, we will first review our database to determine those candidates whom we may already know and/or already have on file who may meet the County's specifications. Although this process is valuable, we will rely most heavily on our own contacts in the county management field and on our own experience. Through "networking", we will conduct a nation- wide search for the best qualified candidates and invite them to apply for the position. We will provide the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners with several advertising alternatives and their associated benefits. Based on our discussions with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners we will place ads in professional journals, online at appropriate websites that specialize in and attract high quality county management attention, and in various minority and women’s publications to encourage applicants to apply. 3. Resume Review We will review and analyze each applicant's background and experience against the position description criteria. We will acknowledge all resumes received and Keep candidates informed of their.status. 4. Candidate Screening Criteria for the preliminary screening will be contained in the approved "Recruitment Profile". They may include such items as education, technical knowledge, experience, accomplishments, management style, personal traits, etc. Screening of candidates against those criteria will be based on data contained in the resumes and other data provided by the candidates and on our knowledge of the organizations in which they work. At this stage, each must meet the minimum qualifications specified in the Recruitment Profile. We will be responsible for screening the applications received. This initial screening will be conducted by telephone and/or interactive video with the prospective candidate. We will conduct interviews with references who may know the candidate's background and expertise by telephone. Where feasible, we will also conduct personal interviews with top candidates. Once the initial screening is completed, we will select the prospective candidates who most closely match the criteria established by the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners. The output of this step in the process will be a matrix display of the top candidates showing how each rates against the selection criteria established by the Okaloosa County Board of County ‘Commissioners. This matrix will be reviewed with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners in group meetings and guidance obtained prior to proceeding. One contingency here is that the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners may not approve of any of the NE A EE EP PES 2 PO? TE ES The Mercer Group, Inc. for Okaloosa County, Florida _ Page 10 FPF PTFTTFFFFFFFFFFFHFGFGIASAFGFSSSASSssssssssssdsdsdsdsdsdsaaa candidates. If that should occur, we would, of course, keep searching until Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners’ needs are clearly met. After review by the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, we will personally interview each candidate using various interview techniques. We will closely examine their experience, qualifications and achievements in view of the selection criteria and our professional expertise in evaluating the quality of such qualifications and achievements. We also request that all candidates provide us, in writing, substantial information about their accomplishments and their management style and philosophy. This information will be verified and, at the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners’ option, may be further tested by having the finalists complete management and leadership style inventories. We interpret these instruments for the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, as well. , 5. Background Investigations As part of our process in evaluating top candidates, we make detailed and extensive reference . checks. In conducting these, it is our practice to speak directly to individuals who are now or have previously been in a position to evaluate the candidates’ job performance. We ask each candidate to provide us with a large number of references. We then network these references to other persons who know the candidate. In this way, we thoroughly evaluate each candidate. We have talked to as many as 23 references concerning a single finalist candidate. These references and evaluations are combined to provide frank and objective appraisals of the top candidates. We also verify past employment difficulties, if any, including reasonable due diligence on any legal action filed against current or former employers. As part of our evaluation process, we verify undergraduate and graduate college degrees. -We arrange for credit checks, criminal checks, and, as an additional option, can arrange for psychological (or similar) testing of the candidates that may be desired. As a part of this project we can provide the results of a management style inventory on the finalist candidates. We can also conduct a Myers-Briggs analysis of the team with the new team member for team building purposes. (These may be extra cost items.) We will recommend background investigation criteria to the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners which will make the final decision on the specifics of the background check. 6. Interview Process Based on the preceding steps, a recommended list of finalists for the position of Okaloosa County Administrator will be compiled. We will prepare a written summary on each finalist. The information will cover, but not be limited to, 1) present position, 2) total years experience, 3) salary requirements, 4) education, 5) previous positions held, 6) notable projects, 7) management style, 8) skills and abilities, 9) interests, and 10) professional goals. This information will be presented to the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners in a detailed written format combined with the results of the background investigation and candidate screening. We will make a recommendation on a group of five (5) to seven (7) finalists. The Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners shall make the final decision on which and how many candidates will be interviewed. aE NE DES CE on Ne The Mercer Group, Inc. for Okaloosa County, Florida _ Page 11 SFPPFSFHSFSFEFFFTFFFFHFFIOASPHAFSFSSFSSIASASSASs ss sss ss sssaa Our report will be presented in a meeting with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners in which we will discuss our recommendations and provide background informa- tion, sample questions and a rating form for the interviews. We can also assist the Board of County Commissioners at no extra charge in conducting targeted selection and/or simulation processes with finalists, if desired. In particular, we will explain which, if any, of the applicants specifically meet the total criteria established by the Board of County Commissioners or whether the final group simply represents the best available talent. We will also provide the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners with our recommen- dations relative to timing, sequencing, location, setting, format, and conduct of interviews with the finalists. We will provide information about trends in employment, employment contracts and agreements, relocation expenses, perquisites, appropriate role for spouses, receptions, etc. We will arrange schedules for top candidate interviews with the Board of County Commissioners and will coordinate the process. 7. Negotiation and Follow-up We will also assist in the negotiation process relative to salary, benefits and other conditions of employment. We feel that we can be especially helpful because we have proposed a fixed fee rather than one based on a percentage of salary. One contingency here is that an agreement may not be able to be arranged. If that is the case, we will work with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners to select an alternate candidate. ; 2 We will properly handle any and all media relations. Unless otherwise directed, it is our standard practice to tell all media that we are working on behalf of the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners and that any public statement should come directly from the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners. We will maintain confidentiality of candidate infor- mation, as possible, under Florida law. Finally, we will notify by letter all unsuccessful candidates who were not recommended for interview with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners of the final decision reached. We suggest, however, that it is more proper for the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners to directly notify all unsuccessful candidates whom they interviewed of the final result. Once the new County Administrator has been on board for 30 days or so, we will (if the County so desires) conduct a session with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners and with the new County Administrator in order to establish mutual performance criteria and goals for the position. In this regard, we will work with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners to define the role of the new County Administrator within Okaloosa County.. We will follow-up periodically with the Board of County Commissioners and the new County Administrator during the first year in order to suggest any adjustments that may be necessary. We will keep the Board of County Commissioners closely informed and involved in decisions concerning the search process at all times. We will prepare and send to the. Board of County Commissioners weekly (or bi-weekly if the County prefers) e-mail updates and a formal progress report at the mid-point of the search. These reports will contain a progress report on the recruit- ment and specific steps to be taken to meet the County’s deadlines. OOOO The Mercer Group, Inc. for Okaloosa County, Florida Page 12 SPSS HF FFFHFFFFFFGFIFHEFGFGE_HGHGFGFEHFGH_HGHCGHEGIGGGGdGdGdGss Sd Support from the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners will be needed, as follows: e Arranging interviews with the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners, its staff and others as desired. e Providing budget, organization charts and other documents. e Place of contact for the search. C. Equal Employment Opportunity Statement It is the policy of The Mercer Group, Inc., to assure equal opportunity based on ability and - fitness for all employees or applicants considered for our client organizations regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital or veteran's status, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental or physical disability. Such policy shall apply, but not be limited to, hiring, placement, job classification, transfer or promotion, demotion, recruitment, advertising or solicitation for employment, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, selection for training, career development, layoff or termination. x This policy shall be disseminated to clients, subcontractors, suppliers and prospective applicants. The intent of this policy