Manchester, CT (pop. 59,713). The Town of Manchester, Connecticut is approximately 28 square miles in size with a population of 59,713 residing in 25,293 housing units. The Town of Manchester is ten miles from Hartford, the state capital. A very accessible community, Manchester is a twenty-five-minute drive from Bradley International Airport and is served by two interstate highways, I-84 and I-384 which merge at its western boundary to join I-291, which in turn connects to I-91. The racial makeup of the community in the 2017 census was 53% White, 15% African American, 10% Asian, non-Hispanic and 17% Hispanic or Latino, Native American 0.2%, and 4.8% other and multi-race. Manchester refers to itself as the “City of Village Charm”.
Under the Council/Manager form of government, adopted in 1947, Manchester’s municipal budget provides funding for police, fire, EMS, public works, finance, library, parks and recreation, health, water and sewer, and senior, adult, youth and family services, planning and economic development among other standard municipal support services. The General Fund operating municipal budget appropriation for FY21 was $53.2 million. Its education budget appropriation was $118.3 million and non-operation and debt appropriation was $26.5 million for a total appropriation of $198 million. Manchester is proud of its AAA bond rating.
The Board of Directors, which is the legislative body, is comprised of nine members elected biennially. Each party selects six candidates to run for the Board in a general election every other November. The title of Mayor is conveyed upon the candidate who receives the most votes. The Mayor is the Chief Elected Officer representing the Town and as the Chair who presides over the meetings of the Board of Directors for the two-year term. The Board appoints the General Manager, Town Attorney, and all boards and commissions except the Board of Education.
The General Manager acts as the Chief Executive Officer of the town for the administration of all municipal departments. The General Manager appoints all ten Department Heads. The Town has 653 employees - 489 in full-time positions and 164 in part-time positions – 7 collective bargaining agreements and 1 unaffiliated agreement. Since 2001, Manchester has only had two General Managers.
The successful candidate will have a combination of education and experience that demonstrates an ability to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position, including the following:
- Master’s degree preferably in related fields such as public administration, city planning, public policy, and business administration; ICMA Credential Certification is a plus.
- Seven to ten years or more of progressively responsible experience in a public sector setting, preferably in roles such as a City Manager/Administrator, Town Manager/Administrator, Assistant City Manager/Administrator, or Department Head/Director.
- Leadership skills should include strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills, and experience and passion for building strong relationships with the Board of Directors, municipal boards and committees, department heads, School Superintendent, community organizations, state and federal agencies, citizens, and staff.
- A results-oriented approach is required with strong fiscal management and budgeting skills and the ability to make effective and efficient use of available resources. Experience and a proven background in economic development, sustainability as well as collective bargaining and labor relations desired.
- Proven managerial and interpersonal skills to lead a dynamic, financially stable organization in an active, highly educated, and diverse community.
- Demonstrated ability to be a communicative and visionary leader with a strong desire to listen and work openly with the community and view issues through a racial equity lens.
- Demonstrated ability to work with elected officials – support the development of proactive policies and procedures by the Mayor and Board of Directors, which are translated and communicated to staff for implementation.
- Excellent human resources skills, including experience as a collaborative team builder and strategic thinker who possesses excellent listening and communication skills and is committed to bring diversity into the town’s senior leadership team and workforce.
- Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, with a record of handling a wide variety of projects at one time, and with the ability to be nimble in changing course or direction.
Starting salary range for the position is $164,000 to $188,000 dependent upon qualifications. Residency in Manchester is required by Charter in the first twelve months. Please submit a résumé, cover letter, and contact information for five (5) professional references online at www.govHRJobs.com by September 17, 2021 for the first review and September 29, 2021 for the final review to Michael Jaillet, Vice President, GovHR USA, LLC. Questions regarding the recruitment may be directed to Michael Jaillet, Vice President, at 781-760-3658. The Town of Manchester, an Equal Opportunity Employer, is actively seeking applications from a very diverse population of candidates.
