Village Administrator

Location:  Incorporated Village of Garden City, NY Download:  Incorporated Village of Garden City, NY - Village Administrator Brochure

The Community:
Founded in 1869 by Alexander T. Stewart, "The Merchant Prince of Broadway," Garden City was one of the first planned communities in the United States. This charming community, with its tree-lined streets, gracious homes and thriving business district, has long been one of Long Island's most desirable municipalities in which to live and work with property values exceeding the Long Island average.

Conveniently located 1.5 miles from intersecting parkways and only a 40-minute drive from Manhattan, Garden City is served by a total of six LIRR railroad stations. The Village is just a half-hour drive to JFK and LaGuardia airports and a 45-minute drive to Long Island's Islip-MacArthur Airport.

Garden City residents enjoy access to an excellent public school system, a modern public library and public recreational amenities, including parks, playgrounds, tennis courts, and a swimming pool complex. In addition, there are three private golf courses in the Village.

Garden City is renowned for its top-ranked public school systems. In May 2006, Garden City was designated a "Gold Medal School District" ranking in the top 16% of all school districts nationally. Garden City is also home to Adelphi University, a private university enrolling 8,000 students.

Government
Since the incorporation of the Village in 1919, members of Garden City's governing Board of Trustees have been elected by a non-partisan vote of residents in accordance with the policies of the Community Agreement.  Qualified citizens, who have served in civic affairs in their section of the Village, have been chosen by their neighbors, in open session, to represent them on the Board.

The election process created by the Community Agreement makes Garden City's government structure unique among incorporated villages.  The governing body is an eight person Board of Trustees, elected by a nonpartisan vote of residents, with an equal balance of representation from the four Property Owners' Associations. Trustee terms are staggered, so that four Trustee positions, one from each Property Owners' Association, are filled each year. The elected position of Mayor rotates every two years among the four Property Owners' Associations.

Reflecting a culture of volunteerism, various Boards and Commissions which serve the Trustees in advisory capacities are made up of local residents who are brought forth by the Property Owners' Associations and are then appointed by the Board of Trustees and, like them, serve without compensation.

The Village currently employs approximately 300 staff, and maintains a municipal police force and both a paid and volunteer fire service. 

The Position
The Village Administrator serves as the chief operating officer of the Village and reports directly to the Mayor and Village Board of Trustees.   The Village Administrator's primary duty is to lead, manage and direct the daily operational activities of the Village. 

Duties, Functions and Responsibilities
Oversee management of all aspects of Village operational and fiscal affairs, including, among other things, the development and implementation of the Village's annual operating and capital budget, financial planning and expense management process, procurement practices and policies, and the maintenance of a rigorous control environment. 

• Oversee all aspects of human resources and benefits administration for Village workforce, including evaluation, discipline, grievances, wage and benefit recommendations, maintenance of records and, subject to the input and approval of the Mayor and Board of Trustees, develop negotiating strategy and participate in collective bargaining negotiations.
• Oversee all aspects of intergovernmental relations, coordinating and interacting with other governmental agencies and authorities (federal, state and local) as the principal representative and spokesperson for the Village.
• Monitor emerging best practices in municipal management, regularly apprise the Mayor and Board of Trustees of same, and with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees, take all necessary steps to infuse these practices, as appropriate, into Village operations.
• Instill a culture of continuous improvement in Village executive staff, supervisors, and employees through increased productivity and other initiatives.
• Promote the economic well-being, sustainability and growth of the Village through public and private sector cooperation.
• Assist the Board of Trustees with developing long term planning for the operations of the village, including changes or enhancements to village services.

Education and Experience
Interested candidates should possess a Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or closely related field.  A Master's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or closely related field is preferred.

The Ideal Candidate
The ideal candidate will have a minimum of ten (10) years of increasingly responsible experience within a government agency, preferably a municipal environment including at least 3 years of progressive supervisory and administrative experience as village administrator or a similar municipal executive role; candidates with comparable private sector managerial experience may be considered.  Prior experience managing labor relations and union contract negotiations is essential.

The ideal candidate will be fiscally conservative and have a strong background in municipal finance to include experience in budgeting, financial forecasting and revenue enhancements. The successful candidate will need to have demonstrated experience in economic development and understand the challenges in attracting new commercial interests and revenue generation.  The ideal candidate will also have demonstrated experience implementing technology to enhance operational effectiveness and management reporting.

The ideal candidate must be a dynamic, visionary leader with the ability to forge relationships with the Mayor and Board of Trustees, Village staff, and the community. This is a key position within Garden City and it is essential for the successful candidate to work closely with the Board of Trustees in carrying out Village-wide initiatives and setting a positive example of competence, professionalism, energy and work ethic to the organization and community.

The ideal candidate will be a professional leader who inspires the staff to achieve excellence and have the capacity and interest to be an effective mentor.

Effective communication along with strong collaboration and team building skills will be necessary for this individual to be successful.  Advanced written and oral communication skills are imperative to include experience with new technologies and social media to improve awareness, engagement and satisfaction of residents and other constituencies.

Salary
The Incorporated Village of Garden City is offering a competitive salary commensurate with experience and a comprehensive benefits package. Relocation assistance will be available for the successful out of area candidate.

How to Apply:
Interested applicants should forward a cover letter and resume to:

resumes@affionpublic.com
Reference: IVGC

Affion Public
20 North 2nd Street, Suite 200
Harrisburg, PA 17101
888.321.4922
Fax: 717-214-2205
www.affionpublic.com 

 

Deadline to accept resumes: December 30, 2013

Posted: 03/22/2022