SR-021208-1Fc7~+
Yo, City Council Report
Santa Moniea
City Council Meeting: February 12, 2008
Agenda Item:
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Karen Bancroft, Director of Human Resources
Subject: Executive Search Services
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a contract with Teri Black & Company, LLC to provide executive recruitment
services for the City of Santa Monica.
Executive Summary
The Human Resources Department has contracted with Teri Black & Company, LLC to
provide executive recruitment searches for high-level management vacancies within
various City departments. In this current fiscal year (FY07-08), Teri Black & Company,
LLC was selected to conduct the executive search for the positions Assistant Director of
Planning and Community Development, Housing Manager, and Employment Services
Manager. The firm has also been selected to conduct two additional upcoming
recruitments. The recommended action is to authorize continued provision of these
services for FY 2007-08 in an amount not to exceed $150,000.
Discussion
The City of Santa Monica has had a number of high-level management position
vacancies resulting from unanticipated retirements, staffing changes and from
reorganization during this fiscal year. The Human Resources Department has elected to
contract with executive search firms to assist with the recruitment of these high-level
vacancies. Hiring such firms provides for an impartial and neutral party for recruitments
that are of a sensitive and/or difficult to fill nature.
The City currently has a contract with Teri Black & Company, LLC, which was initially
selected to conduct three executive searches for various City Departments this fiscal
year, specifically for the position of Assistant Director of Planning and Community
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Development, Housing Manager, and Employment Services Manager. The average
cost of each recruitment is approximately $23,000. The firm is also scheduled to
conduct the recruitment for the position of Internal Auditor and Building Official.
Therefore, the total amount of the contract will exceed the $70,000 administration
approval threshold. The total estimated expenditure for services provided by Teri Black
& Company, LLC is not expected to exceed $150,000 this fiscal year.
Contractor/Consultant Selection
In 2006, staff conducted a widely distributed Request for Proposals to obtain a list of
qualified executive recruiters to specifically recruit for the Director of Planning and
Community Development. Six firms responded. Teri Black & Company, LLC is one of
the several firms that responded and was short-listed to provide recruitment services for
the City. Other executive firms from that list have also been utilized.
Teri Black-Brann was selected for specific recruitments based on availability, cost,
expertise and experience. Ms. Black-Brann has extensive experience in public sector
executive search and has managed a multitude of high profile and sensitive
recruitments over the years. Ms. Black-Brann earned her Master's in Public
Administration from the University of Southern California and has had a distinguished
career in local and federal government prior to opening her own firm. She maintains
active memberships in numerous professional associations in the field of Human
Resources and is very knowledgeable regarding the employment needs of local
government.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The total contract amount is based on anticipated executive recruitment searches for
the remainder of the fiscal year and will be charged to various departmental budgets
and accounts as services are rendered.
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Prepared by: Karen Bancroft, Director of Human Resources
Approved: Forwarded to Council:
Reference Contract
No. 8888 (CCS).