Search underway for next top city execs

Two of the most important staff jobs at the City of Ottawa are expected to be filled by May, after hiring panels made up of councillors approved paying an executive search firm to find candidates.

The municipality is looking for its next city manager to lead the organization of 16,283 employees — only its third in nearly 20 years.

Its last senior executive, Steve Kanellakos, resigned abruptly in November after a long career and just days before the release of a damning report from the inquiry into Ottawa's light rail project.

That report concluded Kanellakos had "deliberately misled council" about the train's pre-launch testing.

The chief planning position is also open after Stephen Willis left for the private sector last August.

That general manager position oversees development approvals, real estate and economic development, and long-term planning in general.

It comes with some heavy files this term, including Ottawa's new transportation master plan, a significant update to the zoning of properties across the city, and the implementation of major changes to housing legislation made by the Ontario government.

On Friday, two panels each met briefly and appointed the firm Odgers Berndtson to seek candidates for the positions.

The firm has fixed fees of $101,790 and $68,434 for each search, not including sales tax. The police services board has also enlisted the same firm to help recruit two new deputy chiefs for $71,750.

Mayor includes council in hirings

Under the new "strong mayor" powers granted by the Ontario government to Toronto and Ottawa, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe would have had the legal ability to fill both positions on his own.

The mayor has frequently said he would not use those powers, however, and signed a document in December to officially delegate the responsibility for the two important hires to the entirety of city council.

In the past, the city manager was one of the very few positions decided by city council, whereas the planning role would have been chosen by the city manager as they built their leadership team.

Under the current process, Couns. Catherine Kitts, Tim Tierney and Shawn Menard have joined Sutcliffe on a selection panel to review the resumés and conduct interviews for the city manager role.

They will then recommend their choice to city council in May.

Sutcliffe will be joined by Couns. Laura Dudas, Glen Gower and Rawlson King to do the same for the planning general manager position.

Job postings are up

Odgers Berndtson intends to meet with all members of council soon, and then report back with a long list of candidates in April.

The city manager's job description asks for someone with an undergraduate degree and at least 10 years of management experience. It seeks someone who can run the city in a cost-effective way, while motivating employees to live up to the values and priorities of city council.

As for the new general manager of the planning, real estate and economic development department, the city wants someone who knows the city and how it operates, shows good business sense and fosters "an environment that embraces innovation." They should also have at least 10 years of experience.

The salary range for the city manager is set between $270,488 to $392,656, while the new planning GM would earn between $200,406 and $253,460.

In anonymized comments from councillors attached to a staff report on the hirings, a few said they were looking for people who have the public's interest at heart and would be forthcoming and honest with information to council.

Chief financial officer Wendy Stephanson has been serving as interim city manager since November, while economic development and long-range planning director Don Herweyer has been acting general manager of planning, real estate and economic development.

There has been a good deal of turnover among the top ranks at the city beyond the jobs once held by Kanellakos and Willis.

Not only did the fall municipal election bring in eleven new political faces including a new mayor, but the bureaucratic leadership team has seen the general managers of public works, transit, and emergency services retire and be replaced over the past year and a half.