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HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7837 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7837 GNpRTEgFO To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 7, 1994 1 3 Subject: PROPOSED EXECUTIVE SEARCH FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SERVICES DIRECTOR BACKGROUND The City of Fort Worth currently has a vacancy in the position of Information Systems and Services as the result of the resignation of J. A.Marshall effective March 31, 1994. Following Mr. Marshall's resignation, an advisory committee made up of private sector information systems and services executives was asked to review the City's ISS Department, including hardware, software, staffing, policies, and practices. The Committee has assisted the City in developing a profile of the type of candidate needed for this key position. The committee also met with key ISS staff, city management and interviewed department heads from large user departments to learn of their needs as well as their recommendations for knowledges, skills, abilities of the new director. A profile of the new director includes the following qualities, which both the Advisory Committee and Department Head user group identified: • A proven track record of strong, committed user orientation and focus, i.e. a true customer service mentality. • Exemplary interpersonal and.communication skills. • An open-minded, non-autocratic style and philosophy. • The ability and willingness to build a useful consensus from opposing points of view. • A healthy sense of care and caution upon coming into a new and highly complex information processing environment where some things are working and some are not. • Broad knowledge and experience in state-of-the-art information technologies and applications; a background limited to traditional mainframe ISS applications is suspect in terms of both knowledge and philosophy. • A keen understanding of each department's business needs and;just as important, how those needs integrate into the larger organic business entity that is the City. • An open technical mind and an understanding that centralized and decentralized approaches are not mutually exclusive,that hybrid technical solutions are possible and achievable. • The commitment to keep ISS staff well-trained in current information technologies. • A positive, can-do attitude and the management skill to make that attitude the centerpiece of the day-to-day ISS work ethic. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH.TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7837 N To the Mayor and Members of the City Council June 7, 1994 Page 2 of 3 Subject: 1873 PROPOSED EXECUTIVE SEARCH FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SERVICES DIRECTOR • The desire to establish a powerful user-driven Committee that sets priorities and devises strategy for information technologies city-wide. Representatives of the Advisory Committee suggested The Systems Group, Inc. to conduct the search based on the firm's significant knowledge of the data processing field. The Systems Group, Inc. is a data processing consulting firm which provides a wide variety of clients with consulting programming, executive search, management services, technical support and documentation services. Current staff includes approximately 150 billable consultants and 20 staff professionals. They have a national client base of approximately 45 Fortune 500 corporations. 1993 revenues were over $9,000,000. SCOPE OF SERVICES If retained the consultant will perform the following services: A) Prepare a list of target companies and/or city governments where this person may now be employed. We suggest an initial concentration of the Fort Worth/Dallas and Southwest Region, but will consider candidates from other areas if needed to locate the best candidate. B) While maintaining strict confidence, interview all probable candidates from all sources, selecting only.who are, in our opinion, qualified for and interested in the position as they understand it based on the agreed to specifications. C) Check and document at least three thorough reference checks on each candidate's capabilities and job history, eliminating poor risks. D) Narrow the field to two or three outstanding candidates who will be interviewed in-depth by city officials. GUARANTEE The Systems Group, Inc. guarantees that if none of the initial candidates are totally satisfactory, they will repeat the process until successful. ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7837 & June 7, 1994 To the Mayor and Members of the City Council N Page 3 of 3 1873 Subject: PROPOSED EXECUTIVE SEARCH FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND SERVICES DIRECTOR If the hired candidate leaves the employment of the City of Fort Worth in less than 180 days for any reason other than separation due to reduction or change in work force, organizational change which results in significant alteration of job responsibilities, compensation or job location, The Systems Group, Inc. will recruit a suitable replacement at no additional charge. COST The fee will be fixed at a maximum of$20,000 irrespective of the candidate's hiring salary and other compensation. It is expected the hiring salary to be in the $75 - $90,000 range with a targeted mean of$80,000. The total of all expenses, e.g. advertising, long distance telephone charges, authorized travel/interview expenses will not exceed $3,500. ESTIMATE OF TIME The process outlined above generally will take about sixty (60) days from the date the contract is executed. RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council execute a contract for executive search consultant services for the recruitment and selection of an Information Systems and Services Director with the firm of The Systems Group, Inc. in the amount not to exceed $23,500 for fees and expenses as outlined below. Unless there is objection, this proposal will be brought forward for action at the June 14th meeting of the City Council. C � Bob Terrell City Manager BT:n ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS .................. ........ ... -- -..........