PEORIA, ILLINOIS FINANCE DIRECTOR

EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT PEORIA, IL FINANCE DIRECTOR

PEORIA, IL FINANCE DIRECTOR

GovHR USA, LLC is pleased to announce the recruitment and selection process for Finance Director for the City of Peoria, IL. This is an opportunity to join a dynamic Questions regarding this city entering a new era in local government management. The current Director is opportunity may be directed retiring after 23 years of distinguished service in Peoria. This brochure provides in confidence to the background information on Peoria, as well as the requirements and expected Executive Recruiter working qualifications for the Finance Director’s position. Additional information about Peoria can be found on the City’s website: peoriagov.org with the City of Peoria: Candidates interested in applying for the position should electronically submit their GovHR USA résumé and cover letter, along with contact information for five (5) work-related Maureen Barry, Senior Vice President references at GovHRJobs.com. Open until filled with first reading of applications Phone: 847-380-3240 May 26, 2021. Email: THE CITY [email protected] The City of Peoria (Pop. 110,417) is located midway between Chicago and St. Louis in central Illinois on the Illinois River. Greater Peoria strikes the perfect balance between big-city life and small-town atmosphere. The neighborhoods are safe, ethnically, culturally and racially diverse. The City has a strong base of residential, commercial and educational properties. Outstanding park districts and local establishments offer unique arts and cultural activities, along with recreational options for every member of the family. A four-time All-America City, Peoria and the surrounding metro area (around 300,000 residents) are among the top regions in the country for cost of living, about 13 percent below the national average. Peoria scored a top position on the Gallup- Healthways State of American Well-Being Index and in a 2016 survey that had the Peoria metropolitan area ranked 26th out of 190 communities surveyed around the country, the highest ranking of any Illinois region on the list. Peoria also ranks high in providing the best value among retirement destinations, according to MarketWatch, and was fifth among U.S. cities where millennials were buying homes in 2017, according to SmartAsset, a leading financial analytics organization. Greater Peoria is a melting pot in the heart of the Midwest, with a range of organizations and initiatives that spotlight its rich cultural heritage. The Peoria Chinese Association and Indo-American Society of Peoria promote its Chinese and Indian heritage; Friendship House, Peoria Hispanics Group, and the Great Peoria Hispanic Chamber of Commerce provide resources to the growing Latino community; and the Tri-County Urban League, Peoria NAACP, and African American Hall of Fame honor Peoria’s deep African American roots. PAGE 2 PEORIA, IL FINANCE DIRECTOR

THE CITY (continued)

From health and human services to the environment and education, a diverse range of organizations are active in the Peoria community. By cultivating and embracing a culture of well-being, Peoria’s leaders of government, business, education, healthcare, faith, and the arts embrace the philosophy that improving the well-being of its people is a vital aspect of serving the community.

BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEMOGRAPHICS Peoria is the largest city on the Illinois River. Located on Interstate 74, the city is home to Bradley University, the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (where mass Population: 110,417 production of penicillin was developed), a major medical hub with four major hospitals (over 300,000 with serving central IL, and the headquarters of OSFHealthcare, Maui Jim, RLI Insurance, and surrounding metro area) others. Number of Households: The City serves as the regional medical hub for central Illinois with four major hospitals, a 46,123 Veterans Administration Clinic (the “V.A. Clinic”), UICOMP, and Jump Simulation Center. OSF Saint Francis Medical Center (649 beds), UnityPoint Health Methodist Hospital (350 Owner-occupied housing beds), St. Jude Midwest Affiliate Children’s Research Hospital of IL (127 beds), and unit rate: 55.9% Kindred Hospital (50 beds) serve a wide variety of needs. In the spring of 2011, a new Land area: V.A. Clinic opened with state-of-the-art equipment and expansion of health care services for veterans. The UICOMP Cancer Research Center is a 34,000 square foot, $12 million 48 square miles state-of-the-art research center which opened in the fall of 2011. In 2014 OSF completed Median Household Income the Jump Simulation Center, a $50 million state-of-the-art medical training and research facility. Also, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central IL opened in December of (2019 dollars): $51,771 2019 with 22 mini-suites available. Median Home Value (Owner Peoria is globally connected. The Illinois River is used heavily by barges to transport bulk -occupied): $125,700 goods. More than 3 million tons of cargo pass through local locks each year, providing access from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico and beyond. The Peoria area is (Source: U.S. Census, QuickFacts, served by three Interstate highways: Interstate 74, which runs from northwest to 2019 estimated) southeast through the downtown area, Interstate 474, a southern bypass of I-74, and Interstate 155, which runs south from I-74 in Morton to Interstate 55 in Lincoln, which connects to Springfield and St. Louis.

PAGE 3 PEORIA, IL FINANCE DIRECTOR CITY GOVERNMENT The City of Peoria is a full-service community with 615 FTEs and a total budget of just over $200 million, including a $100 million General Fund. The City is a home rule municipality and operates under the Council- Manager form of government. The City Council is comprised of the Mayor (elected at-large) and ten council members, who are elected for four-year terms. The City Manager is appointed by the City Council and serves as the chief administrative officer of the City. All Department Heads, including the Finance Director, are appointed by and directly report to the City Manager. The City provides services through 14 departments including: City Manager, Community Development, Emergency Communications, Fire, Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems, Legal, Police, Police and Public Works and the offices of an elected City Clerk Mission Statement and City Treasurer. Six groups of employees in the City’s departments are currently unionized. The City’s water The mission of the City of Peoria is to provide excellent municipal services, balancing exceptional service is supplied through Illinois American Water customer service with financial responsibility. Company and wastewater service is provided by the City and the Greater Peoria Sanitary District. Risk management and liability claims against the City are Vision Statement managed by the Legal Department and a third-party The 2025 Vision Statement for Peoria is a ‘safe, administrator. The City’s health insurance benefits are beautiful, and growing city’ with four broad goals managed through a joint labor management health care to realize the vision: committee.  Financially Sound – Customer focused, cost- The City revised its 2021 Budget to account for COVID- effective, and efficient municipal services 19 pandemic induced reductions in revenues, which  Safe Peoria – A community focused on the safety forced the City to make staff and capital spending cuts and security of its residents and restructure its debt service payments. As a result, the  Beautiful Peoria – Beautiful neighborhoods, City managed to produce positive, unaudited General beautiful streets with attractive spaces and Fund results for the last fiscal year, and Standard & buildings Poor’s reported in its April 1, 2021 ratings report, “this  Grow Peoria – Businesses identifying Peoria as a gain portends fiscal stability through the next few fiscal desirable place to locate or expand, and residents years” but they come “against the backdrop of an finding Peoria as a desirable place to relocate to and to live outsized liability profile” that “introduces heightened long- term budgetary pressure”. Six strategic outcomes identified The City is taking further steps to address its budget by the City Council: challenges by offering an Early Retirement Incentive to Arts, Culture and Lifelong Learning - Deliver the eligible employees and reorganizing operations as  needed to align spending to meet the new realities of a building blocks of a vibrant and diverse community COVID-19 world. The next Finance Director will work at  Economic Opportunity and Neighborhood Livability - the City at a time that requires bold, decisive action and Provide economic opportunity for all and support the ability to leave a long-lasting impression. strong, diverse neighborhoods The City Council revised their strategic plan in 2019 by  Environmental Health - Maintain, protect, and enhance identifying strategic outcomes and key challenges facing a healthy and sustainable environment the city of Peoria and department heads were tasked with  Good Government for All - Develop effective and identifying new strategies or adjusting existing ones to efficient city government focused on equitable results, address those challenges. The goal of the strategic while retaining a high-quality workforce planning process was to provide a defined focus for the  Infrastructure and Mobility - Provide a reliable, next 3-5 years and clear direction for the 2020-21 equitable, and safe transportation system biennial budget and beyond. The City of Peoria's vision statement for 2032 is: Peoria 2032 is a safe, beautiful,  Public Safety - Being safe at home, at work, at play and growing city. and in your community PAGE 4 PEORIA, IL FINANCE DIRECTOR THE POSITION IN BRIEF KEY PROJECTS AND CHALLENGES Under the direction of the Opportunities and challenges for the Finance Director will Finance Director/ include: Comptroller, the Finance • Manage through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic Department consists of 14 which led to reductions in the City’s 2021 budget in employees in the following revenues, workforce (50 positions), and capital spending divisions: Finance and the restructuring of debt service payments. Administration, Accounts • Assist the City Council and City Manager in properly Payable, Accounts Receivable, Budget Office, allocating $45 million in American Recovery Plan Act and Purchasing. Finance funds and restructuring the staff in the wake of staff Administration is responsible reductions. (Additional employees will leave the for general accounting and organization by July 31 due to the offering of an early financial reporting, as well retirement incentive.) as debt management, banking services, Labor Management • Rebuild organizational morale and respond to the Healthcare Committee participation, and preparation of the challenges of meeting the community’s ever-changing annual audit. The Budget Division coordinates the needs for City services. development of the annual operating budget, capital budget, • Recruit and select a key new member of the and multi-year capital improvement program, and writes all Department’s team, the Finance Manager. budget amendments, tax levy ordinances and tax abatement • Assist in continuing the work to keep the City financially ordinances. The Purchasing Division is responsible for stable and sustainable. coordinating the City’s bidding process, purchasing City supplies and equipment, maintaining inventory, City auctions, • Implement greater use of technology to improve the in-house printing and duplication, out-going City mail, disposal City’s operational and capital budget forecasting and of fixed assets, and vehicle registration. planning efforts, in both the short and long term, and provide for greater transparency and community input in The City has been awarded the GFOA’s Certificate of the budget process. Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for over 10 consecutive years. The City also holds an ‘A+’ bond rating with Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings and an ‘A1’ rating with Moody’s Investor Services.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS The City is seeking an experienced and collaborative Director to lead the Finance Department. The successful candidate will have: • Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Public Administration, or a related field. • Master’s degree in one of the above fields and/or a CPA is desired, but not required. • A minimum of seven years progressively responsible experience in municipal finance or closely related field, with at least five years of management experience. • Strong organizational leadership, with excellent strategic management and personnel skills. • Knowledge of rules and regulations governing municipal financial management in Illinois, including Government Accounting Standards Board (GASB) and generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). • In depth knowledge of public financing and debt management, including issuance of General Obligation Bonds, General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Variable Rate General Obligation Bonds, Revenue Bonds, and loans. • Knowledge of Tax Increment Financing Districts and Special Service Areas. • History of collaboration within and outside of the organization, intergovernmental cooperation and relationship building. • Clear and concise verbal and written communication skills, able to present complex technical information to any audience. • A commitment to budget transparency and experience in implementing new technology that helps to achieve that goal. • Excellent reputation and a demonstrated high level of honesty and integrity.

PAGE 5 PEORIA, IL FINANCE DIRECTOR THE IDEAL CANDIDATE • Experience with coordinating and overseeing the annual audit, investment schedules, pension and OPEB accounting, and required narratives for the annual financial report, including preparation of the transmittal letter, management discussion and analysis, statistical schedules and supporting documentation. • Strong understanding of modern budgeting practices including preparation of an annual budget. • Demonstrated support for and consultation with a leadership team on budgetary matters; the ability to develop financial and cost analyses to support sound decision-making. • Understanding of investments and investment policy best practices.

• Have a strong interest and ability to supervise employees, creating an environment of trust, integrity, and mentorship where employees respect one another and where the Department consistently functions with a high level of customer service. • Have a demonstrated ability to provide strategic leadership, develop forecasting tools, and prepare long-range financial projections. • Have proven verbal communication and listening skills, both one-on-one and in group settings, treating everyone in a professional and respectful manner. • Be technologically savvy and have a demonstrated record of understanding and utilizing technology systems and procedures to monitor and measure departmental productivity and provide timely information. Possess proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel and general working knowledge of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. • Experience in working and collaborating on employee benefits issues and Labor-Management committees. • Possess strong presentation experience and have excellent writing and interpersonal skills.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS The anticipated starting salary range is $150,000 – $180,000 +/- DOQ. A comprehensive benefits package includes participation in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), health insurance including medical, dental, and vision coverage (also available to dependents), and life insurance. The City also offers paid vacation, holidays and sick leave. Residency within city limits is required within one year of appointment.

SELECTION PROCESS Apply online at www.govhrjobs.com with a resume, cover letter and contact information for five professional references. Open until filled with first reading of applications May 26, 2021. Confidential inquiries are encouraged and should be directed to Maureen Barry, Senior Vice President, GovHR USA at [email protected] or 847-380-3240. The City of Peoria is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT www.GovHRUSA.com

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