Sunday, June 4
A
THE COMMUNITY
natural paradise in the Coachella Valley, the City of La Quinta (pop. 39,000 permanent + 15,000 seasonal) is nestled between the Santa Rosa and San Bernardino mountains. World-renowned as a destination for art, health, golf, living, and well-being, La Quinta continues to enhance its status as “The Gem of the Desert.” Originally created in 1926 as a private retreat for Hollywood legends such as Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, the City of La Quinta is just two hours east of Los Angeles. Now the sixth largest city in the Coachella Valley, La Quinta offers residents and visitors unsurpassed luxury, leisure and recreation and is well-known as an exclusive resort getaway with some of the best golf in the country. Named by the Robb Report as the “Best Place to Live for Golf,” La Quinta is home to over 20 exceptional and award-winning courses, including famous PGA West and SilverRock Resort. La Quinta’s resorts and clubs consistently receive prestigious awards and accolades for golf as well as spa, tennis, and meeting facilities and the future is about to get even better. Montage International and The Robert Green Company recently announced plans to develop two luxury hotels (Montage and The Pendry), and residential offerings at SilverRock. Throughout the year, La Quinta hosts a variety of festivals and community events that showcase the City’s storied history and enhance its sense of community. The PGA-sponsored Career Builder Challenge brings professionals, celebrities, and amateurs together in a charmingly unique golf tournament each January, while car enthusiasts and families all enjoy the annual Hot Rod and Custom Car Show. Beautiful public art pieces are located throughout the City, and the internationally-juried La Quinta Arts Festival attracts patrons from across the nation. Events such as Art on Main Street and the Certified Farmers Market are held in enchanting Old Town Village, where visitors find the best of shopping, dining, and personal services on closed-off streets reminiscent of colonial Mexico. Desert Sands Unified School District offers outstanding public education to La Quinta and surrounding students. La Quinta High School is an International Baccalaureate School, multi-year winner of the California Distinguished Schools award, and 2014 Gold Ribbon Award winner. Numerous opportunities for higher education are located nearby, including College of the Desert Community College, the University of California-Riverside, and the Palm Desert Campus of California State University-San Bernardino. With its beautiful natural setting, small-town friendliness, historic charm, and world-class amenities, La Quinta truly is the desert’s paradise. To find out more, visit www.la-quinta.org or the City’s tourism page at www.playinlaquinta.com.
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CITY GOVERNMENT
he City of La Quinta incorporated in 1982 as a Charter City operating under the Council/Manager form of government. The City Council consists of the Mayor and four Council Members, all elected atlarge. The Mayor serves a two-year term and Council Members serve overlapping four-year terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney. It also serves as the Board of Directors for the Financing Authority, Successor Agency, Housing Authority and as the legislative authority for the La Quinta Lighting and Landscaping District. The Council is assisted in its duties by several advisory commissions and boards filled by community members. The organization encompasses the City Manager and City Clerk’s Offices, and the departments of Finance, Community Resources (Quality of Life Services, HR, Public Safety), Design & Development (CIP, Planning/Building, Engineering, Traffic), and Facilities. Police and Fire services are provided through contracts with Riverside County Sheriff’s and Fire Departments who have a highly collaborative relationship with the City. For Fiscal Year 2016-17, the City of La Quinta has a General Fund budget of $41 million and a Capital Improvement Program budget of $7.3 million; City operations are supported by 80 staff members. Its top three revenue sources are property tax, sales tax, and transient occupancy tax. In 2016, the residents of La Quinta voted to enact a 1% sales tax increase. The City is fiscally strong thanks to a robust economic development program and thoughtful resource stewardship. The City Manager is progressive and involves his Executive Team (Department Heads) in decision making. The organizational culture is engaging and productive and teaches all employees to continuously improve their operations and service delivery functions for city residents, businesses and visitors.
T
THE DEPARTMENT
he City values a seamless integration and delivery of services to its residents and development community. The La Quinta Design & Development Department consists of six divisions working together to inspire quality development and capital projects in the City and to offer customers an exceptional experience at City Hall. The six divisions include: Administration, Building, Development Engineering Services, Capital Projects, Planning, and The Hub (Customer Service Center). Taking the “one stop” concept to the next level, The Hub is an integrated customer center at City Hall that encompasses any service a resident or business
may need. Its 2016 implementation was the result of La Quinta’s two-year effort to centralize, streamline and modernize the customer experience. Among the many new features of this model include an electronic plan checking system which has dramatically improved turnaround times. The Department also manages the City’s Traffic Operations and Shortterm Vacation Rental Program and provides staff support to the Planning Commission. The Department provides vital services that keep the City of La Quinta beautiful, well-maintained, and safe. Design and Development is responsible for designing and constructing a variety of public works including sidewalks, parks facilities, roads and bridges; traffic signal operations to ensure traffic runs smoothly; private development review of streets, grading and storm water drainage improvements; coordination with federal, state and local agencies for grant funding and environmental compliance; inspection of private and public projects; as well as many other services. The Department’s Engineering Services Team is responsible for preparing and updating the City’s Capital Improvement Program and plans the financing and timing of major improvements. Supported by a FY2016-17 budget of $5.3 million and 27 staff, the Design & Development Department adheres strongly to Core Values of Innovation, Teamwork, Courtesy, Safety and Excellence., and its well-trained and highly educated employees provide superior, professional customer service to the entire La Quinta community. During the early stages of his/her tenure, the new Director will be engaged in a major traffic signal hardware upgrade that will bring the City’s signal infrastructure to state-of-the-art status. In addition, La Quinta was awarded a $7 million Active Transportation Program grant to create pedestrian and bicycle corridors in the city’s bustling Village area. Naturally, the Director of Design and Development will also play a vital leadership role in all the development activities in and around SilverRock. Ongoing high performance activities, such as ensuring continuous professional development, staff mentoring and active succession planning, will also be important leadership investments for the selected candidate.
Design & Development Department Mission Statement Challenging ourselves and our community to create an unparalleled city living experience through cutting edge technology and customer service.
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THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
he ideal candidate will embrace entrepreneurial qualities that complement the values of this high performing municipality. He/she will be a passionate and visionary leader known for maintaining stellar standards around high quality work and consistently delivered superior service. They must seek their personal rewards not from completing projects but instead, from the growth and development of their staff and colleagues. To be a good fit with the La Quinta culture, this Director must be a superior team player completely invested in high performance as well as organizational and community success. He/she must perform as a valued business partner who constantly strives to build and strengthen relationships across division and departmental lines. In addition, a customer centric mindset is paramount to meeting the expectations of the City Manager, City Council and community. An optimistic and strategic professional who operates with a sense of urgency, the ideal candidate will possess the proven ability to identify opportunities and anticipate challenges that are aligned with the overall goals of an organization. He/she will have the capacity to think long-term and broadly beyond the areas of his/her expertise. Exhibiting an entrepreneurial spirit, this professional will display a natural drive for efficiency, creativity and results. He/she will be a gifted critical thinker and problem solver who thrives in environments that support and reward curiosity and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will be a champion for technology and embrace contemporary tools that advance City Council goals. Considered an excellent project manager, the new Director will also have instinctive ability to create and maintain forward momentum around multiple priorities. A results-oriented approach to simultaneously managing numerous important projects and initiatives will be expected. In preparation for this role, the individual selected will have a portfolio of noteworthy completed projects for which he/she can take credit that reflect varying degrees of complexity. Along with being an extraordinarily adept project manager, the ideal candidate will be a talented people manager with a track record that reflects a sincere commitment to mentoring and developing staff. He/ she will be known for creating cultures that energize and motivate. Demonstrated success with managing a diverse group of employees will help to ensure a seamless transition into the role.
The ideal candidate will be an articulate and influential communicator and speaker. He/she will emphasize the importance of generous ongoing internal communications and welcome opportunities to engage with external stakeholders in a variety of settings. As a key representative of the City and community’s interests, sophisticated negotiation skills will also be valued. Public or private sector experience is acceptable. Combination of public and private sector experience will be considered favorably, but is not required. In-depth familiarity with contemporary urban planning principles and sound engineering practices will be expected. At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in a comparable setting which include a minimum of three (3) years of leadership experience and a Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, architecture, engineering or related discipline is required. A Master’s degree is desirable. Candidates with higher leadership aspirations are encouraged to apply.
T
COMPENSATON & BENEFITS
he salary range for the Design & Development Director position goes up to $151,046. Salary is supplemented by a generous benefits package that includes, but is not limited to:
Retirement – CalPERS 2% @ 60 for Classic members (employee pays 7%); 2% @ 62 for new members (employee pays 6.25%). The City does not participate in Social security. Health/Dental/Vision/Life – up to $1,515 per month. Health plans include 8 different HMO Plans and 3 PPO plans. Dental coverage provided by CIGNA Dental and VSP is the vision insurance provider. Life insurance coverage is $50,000 Term for Directors. Vacation Leave – 80-160 hours per year depending on years of service. Holidays & Sick Leave – 12 sick days and 10 paid holidays annually. Administrative Leave – 80 hours per year. Floating Holiday Hours – 20 hours per year. Short and Long-Term Disability – provided. Deferred Compensation – available.
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APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
he closing date for this recruitment is midnight, Sunday, June 4, 2017. To be considered for this opportunity, upload cover letter, resume and a list of six professional references using the “Apply Now” feature at www.tbcrecruiting.com.
Teri Black • 424.296.3111 Julie Yuan-Miu • 925.820.8436 TERI BLACK & COMPANY, LLC www.tbcrecruiting.com
Following the June 4th closing date, resumes will be screened in relation to the criteria articulated in this brochure. Applicants with the most relevant qualifications will immediately be granted preliminary interviews by the consultants. A small group of candidates will be invited to participate in interviews in La Quinta in late June. The City anticipates making an appointment shortly thereafter, following the completion of negotiations and extensive background and reference checks. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process and, at that time, will be done so in close coordination with the candidate impacted.
THE COMMUNITY
natural paradise in the Coachella Valley, the City of La Quinta (pop. 39,000 permanent + 15,000 seasonal) is nestled between the Santa Rosa and San Bernardino mountains. World-renowned as a destination for art, health, golf, living, and well-being, La Quinta continues to enhance its status as “The Gem of the Desert.” Originally created in 1926 as a private retreat for Hollywood legends such as Greta Garbo and Clark Gable, the City of La Quinta is just two hours east of Los Angeles. Now the sixth largest city in the Coachella Valley, La Quinta offers residents and visitors unsurpassed luxury, leisure and recreation and is well-known as an exclusive resort getaway with some of the best golf in the country. Named by the Robb Report as the “Best Place to Live for Golf,” La Quinta is home to over 20 exceptional and award-winning courses, including famous PGA West and SilverRock Resort. La Quinta’s resorts and clubs consistently receive prestigious awards and accolades for golf as well as spa, tennis, and meeting facilities and the future is about to get even better. Montage International and The Robert Green Company recently announced plans to develop two luxury hotels (Montage and The Pendry), and residential offerings at SilverRock. Throughout the year, La Quinta hosts a variety of festivals and community events that showcase the City’s storied history and enhance its sense of community. The PGA-sponsored Career Builder Challenge brings professionals, celebrities, and amateurs together in a charmingly unique golf tournament each January, while car enthusiasts and families all enjoy the annual Hot Rod and Custom Car Show. Beautiful public art pieces are located throughout the City, and the internationally-juried La Quinta Arts Festival attracts patrons from across the nation. Events such as Art on Main Street and the Certified Farmers Market are held in enchanting Old Town Village, where visitors find the best of shopping, dining, and personal services on closed-off streets reminiscent of colonial Mexico. Desert Sands Unified School District offers outstanding public education to La Quinta and surrounding students. La Quinta High School is an International Baccalaureate School, multi-year winner of the California Distinguished Schools award, and 2014 Gold Ribbon Award winner. Numerous opportunities for higher education are located nearby, including College of the Desert Community College, the University of California-Riverside, and the Palm Desert Campus of California State University-San Bernardino. With its beautiful natural setting, small-town friendliness, historic charm, and world-class amenities, La Quinta truly is the desert’s paradise. To find out more, visit www.la-quinta.org or the City’s tourism page at www.playinlaquinta.com.
T
CITY GOVERNMENT
he City of La Quinta incorporated in 1982 as a Charter City operating under the Council/Manager form of government. The City Council consists of the Mayor and four Council Members, all elected atlarge. The Mayor serves a two-year term and Council Members serve overlapping four-year terms. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney. It also serves as the Board of Directors for the Financing Authority, Successor Agency, Housing Authority and as the legislative authority for the La Quinta Lighting and Landscaping District. The Council is assisted in its duties by several advisory commissions and boards filled by community members. The organization encompasses the City Manager and City Clerk’s Offices, and the departments of Finance, Community Resources (Quality of Life Services, HR, Public Safety), Design & Development (CIP, Planning/Building, Engineering, Traffic), and Facilities. Police and Fire services are provided through contracts with Riverside County Sheriff’s and Fire Departments who have a highly collaborative relationship with the City. For Fiscal Year 2016-17, the City of La Quinta has a General Fund budget of $41 million and a Capital Improvement Program budget of $7.3 million; City operations are supported by 80 staff members. Its top three revenue sources are property tax, sales tax, and transient occupancy tax. In 2016, the residents of La Quinta voted to enact a 1% sales tax increase. The City is fiscally strong thanks to a robust economic development program and thoughtful resource stewardship. The City Manager is progressive and involves his Executive Team (Department Heads) in decision making. The organizational culture is engaging and productive and teaches all employees to continuously improve their operations and service delivery functions for city residents, businesses and visitors.
T
THE DEPARTMENT
he City values a seamless integration and delivery of services to its residents and development community. The La Quinta Design & Development Department consists of six divisions working together to inspire quality development and capital projects in the City and to offer customers an exceptional experience at City Hall. The six divisions include: Administration, Building, Development Engineering Services, Capital Projects, Planning, and The Hub (Customer Service Center). Taking the “one stop” concept to the next level, The Hub is an integrated customer center at City Hall that encompasses any service a resident or business
may need. Its 2016 implementation was the result of La Quinta’s two-year effort to centralize, streamline and modernize the customer experience. Among the many new features of this model include an electronic plan checking system which has dramatically improved turnaround times. The Department also manages the City’s Traffic Operations and Shortterm Vacation Rental Program and provides staff support to the Planning Commission. The Department provides vital services that keep the City of La Quinta beautiful, well-maintained, and safe. Design and Development is responsible for designing and constructing a variety of public works including sidewalks, parks facilities, roads and bridges; traffic signal operations to ensure traffic runs smoothly; private development review of streets, grading and storm water drainage improvements; coordination with federal, state and local agencies for grant funding and environmental compliance; inspection of private and public projects; as well as many other services. The Department’s Engineering Services Team is responsible for preparing and updating the City’s Capital Improvement Program and plans the financing and timing of major improvements. Supported by a FY2016-17 budget of $5.3 million and 27 staff, the Design & Development Department adheres strongly to Core Values of Innovation, Teamwork, Courtesy, Safety and Excellence., and its well-trained and highly educated employees provide superior, professional customer service to the entire La Quinta community. During the early stages of his/her tenure, the new Director will be engaged in a major traffic signal hardware upgrade that will bring the City’s signal infrastructure to state-of-the-art status. In addition, La Quinta was awarded a $7 million Active Transportation Program grant to create pedestrian and bicycle corridors in the city’s bustling Village area. Naturally, the Director of Design and Development will also play a vital leadership role in all the development activities in and around SilverRock. Ongoing high performance activities, such as ensuring continuous professional development, staff mentoring and active succession planning, will also be important leadership investments for the selected candidate.
Design & Development Department Mission Statement Challenging ourselves and our community to create an unparalleled city living experience through cutting edge technology and customer service.
T
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
he ideal candidate will embrace entrepreneurial qualities that complement the values of this high performing municipality. He/she will be a passionate and visionary leader known for maintaining stellar standards around high quality work and consistently delivered superior service. They must seek their personal rewards not from completing projects but instead, from the growth and development of their staff and colleagues. To be a good fit with the La Quinta culture, this Director must be a superior team player completely invested in high performance as well as organizational and community success. He/she must perform as a valued business partner who constantly strives to build and strengthen relationships across division and departmental lines. In addition, a customer centric mindset is paramount to meeting the expectations of the City Manager, City Council and community. An optimistic and strategic professional who operates with a sense of urgency, the ideal candidate will possess the proven ability to identify opportunities and anticipate challenges that are aligned with the overall goals of an organization. He/she will have the capacity to think long-term and broadly beyond the areas of his/her expertise. Exhibiting an entrepreneurial spirit, this professional will display a natural drive for efficiency, creativity and results. He/she will be a gifted critical thinker and problem solver who thrives in environments that support and reward curiosity and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will be a champion for technology and embrace contemporary tools that advance City Council goals. Considered an excellent project manager, the new Director will also have instinctive ability to create and maintain forward momentum around multiple priorities. A results-oriented approach to simultaneously managing numerous important projects and initiatives will be expected. In preparation for this role, the individual selected will have a portfolio of noteworthy completed projects for which he/she can take credit that reflect varying degrees of complexity. Along with being an extraordinarily adept project manager, the ideal candidate will be a talented people manager with a track record that reflects a sincere commitment to mentoring and developing staff. He/ she will be known for creating cultures that energize and motivate. Demonstrated success with managing a diverse group of employees will help to ensure a seamless transition into the role.
The ideal candidate will be an articulate and influential communicator and speaker. He/she will emphasize the importance of generous ongoing internal communications and welcome opportunities to engage with external stakeholders in a variety of settings. As a key representative of the City and community’s interests, sophisticated negotiation skills will also be valued. Public or private sector experience is acceptable. Combination of public and private sector experience will be considered favorably, but is not required. In-depth familiarity with contemporary urban planning principles and sound engineering practices will be expected. At least five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in a comparable setting which include a minimum of three (3) years of leadership experience and a Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, architecture, engineering or related discipline is required. A Master’s degree is desirable. Candidates with higher leadership aspirations are encouraged to apply.
T
COMPENSATON & BENEFITS
he salary range for the Design & Development Director position goes up to $151,046. Salary is supplemented by a generous benefits package that includes, but is not limited to:
Retirement – CalPERS 2% @ 60 for Classic members (employee pays 7%); 2% @ 62 for new members (employee pays 6.25%). The City does not participate in Social security. Health/Dental/Vision/Life – up to $1,515 per month. Health plans include 8 different HMO Plans and 3 PPO plans. Dental coverage provided by CIGNA Dental and VSP is the vision insurance provider. Life insurance coverage is $50,000 Term for Directors. Vacation Leave – 80-160 hours per year depending on years of service. Holidays & Sick Leave – 12 sick days and 10 paid holidays annually. Administrative Leave – 80 hours per year. Floating Holiday Hours – 20 hours per year. Short and Long-Term Disability – provided. Deferred Compensation – available.
T
APPLICATION & SELECTION PROCESS
he closing date for this recruitment is midnight, Sunday, June 4, 2017. To be considered for this opportunity, upload cover letter, resume and a list of six professional references using the “Apply Now” feature at www.tbcrecruiting.com.
Teri Black • 424.296.3111 Julie Yuan-Miu • 925.820.8436 TERI BLACK & COMPANY, LLC www.tbcrecruiting.com
Following the June 4th closing date, resumes will be screened in relation to the criteria articulated in this brochure. Applicants with the most relevant qualifications will immediately be granted preliminary interviews by the consultants. A small group of candidates will be invited to participate in interviews in La Quinta in late June. The City anticipates making an appointment shortly thereafter, following the completion of negotiations and extensive background and reference checks. Please note that references will not be contacted until the end of the process and, at that time, will be done so in close coordination with the candidate impacted.
