The City Manager serves as the chief administrative officer, appointed by the City Commission, and is responsible for the daily operations of city government, policy implementation, and long-term strategic planning. We are seeking a seasoned leader who can foster a high-performance organizational culture, engage effectively with the community, and lead with transparency, vision, and integrity. The selected executive search firm shall initiate the engagement with a structured kickoff involving the City Commission and designated staff to co-develop the City Manager position profile. At a minimum, this collaborative process will define job requirements and specifications, the type and scope of the search (regional or national), the target salary range and start date, and the desired level of community engagement. The firm will add this input into a professional position profile suitable for public posting, establish a recruitment timeline with key milestones, and summarize stakeholder priorities for City review and approval. Community input will be a formal component of the search and will be further refined after award. The firm shall propose and, upon City direction, implement a right-sized engagement plan that may include resident and stakeholder touchpoints such as listening sessions, surveys, or town halls. Materials necessary to support these activities shall be prepared by the firm, and findings shall be synthesized into a concise report that explains how community feedback informs the position profile, candidate outreach, screening, and final assessment. For candidates identified as finalists by the City, the firm shall coordinate and complete comprehensive background screening in compliance with all applicable laws, including the Fair Credit Reporting Act. At a minimum, this screening will include a nationwide criminal background check, a nationwide civil litigation check, and a consumer financial report. Candidate authorizations shall be obtained and retained by the firm, and confidential reports shall be transmitted to the City with guidance on any required adverse-action procedures. Following City confirmation of the selected finalist, the firm shall serve as liaison between the finalist and the City to support administrative and pre-employment activities through the start date. This support may include scheduling medical or drug testing if required, coordinating any follow-up background items, assisting with onboarding paperwork, facilitating relocation and logistics as applicable, confirming the start date, and providing routine progress updates. The firm shall maintain an onboarding checklist and provide weekly status reports to the City’s Contract Manager until the finalist’s first day. All anticipated travel costs for the firm’s personnel shall be included in the firm’s proposed price; separate reimbursement for firm staff travel will not be provided. The City will bear reasonable, documented travel expenses for candidates or the selected incumbent as approved by the City. The firm shall coordinate all candidate travel with the City’s designated representative, comply with the City’s documentation and approval requirements, and apply no mark-ups to City-funded expenses. No bid, performance, or other bond is required with the proposal, and a Lauderdale Lakes Business License is not required to submit a proposal. Throughout the engagement, the firm shall provide a single point of contact and maintain regular communications with the City, including periodic written updates on outreach, pipeline status, candidate stages, and schedule risks, milestone briefings at key decision points, and a close-out debrief within thirty (30) days after the selected candidate’s start date. Candidate information shall be treated as confidential to the maximum extent permitted by law, records shall be maintained consistent with public records requirements, and redacted copies shall be provided upon City request. All services shall be performed in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and City policies. Scope of Services Requested The selected firm will be expected to provide comprehensive search services including, but not limited to: • Consultation with elected officials and stakeholders to define candidate profile • Development of a position description and recruitment strategy • Proactive candidate identification and screening • Interview coordination and background/reference checks • Assistance with final negotiations, onboarding, and transition support The City shall retain the right to conduct any research or background checks in addition to the firm’s findings for any potential candidate.
