Millbourne Borough Manager

Posted by on May 03, 2010

Millbourne Borough Manager
Job Description
April 19, 2010

Title: Borough Manager
Reports To: Millbourne Borough Council

Authority: Chief administrative officer of the Borough with financial and staff management responsibilities.
35-38 hours per week and evening meetings, health benefits not included.
Two weeks paid vacation available in first year.
Salary between $38,000 and $42,000, depending on experience.
This position is available immediately. We will accept resumes on a rolling basis and start interviewing April 21, 2010.

Background: Millbourne Borough is an ethnically diverse, moderate-to-low income borough in Delaware County located between Philadelphia and the western suburbs. Millbourne Borough is bordered on the west by Philadelphia, on the north by Cobbs Creek and Fairmount Park, and on the south by Upper Darby. Due to the local police force and our close-knit community we experience lower crime than in surrounding areas. However, we face many of the same challenges as all “first suburbs:” the need to improve the housing stock and improve housing values, repair and replacement of aging infrastructure, and high local taxes.

Nationwide, we need to reduce our dependence on oil for strategic and environmental reasons. It follows that our location as a Gateway to Center City from the suburbs via public transportation, bicycling and walking routes is key to future business and community development. We have obtained two planning grants to aid in transportation and business development. Our ethnic diversity is fundamental to our character, and also suggests directions for future growth.

The current staff of the Borough consists of the Borough Manager, a police secretary, several parking enforcement staff, an inspections officer, a health officer, and a police department (11-14 part time officers.) Our budget calls for hiring two part-time street cleaners this year. We employ various outside contractors, including an accounting firm, snow removal firm, auditors and cleaning staff. There is a local volunteer fire company housed, along with Borough and Police offices, in the Borough Hall. Primary elected officials consist of 5 Borough Council members and a tax collector. The role of Borough Manager is important because he or she is vital to the sound management of the Borough, affects the day-to-day life of residents and will help revitalize the Borough over time.

General Responsibilities:
The Borough Manager is the chief administrative officer of the Borough and is appointed by and responsible to the Borough Council for the proper and efficient administration of the affairs of the Borough, in accordance with the policies and budget approved by Borough Council.

Specific Responsibilities:
Communication and reporting: Communication in writing and verbally to all constituencies in a wide
range of situations, including development of reports as requested by Borough Council or as necessary;
communication with Borough Council, residents, staff and the media; and providing recommendations
as needed to Borough Council. You will respond in a timely and professional manner to inquiries,
complaints and suggestions and prepare agendas for meetings. You’ll coordinate with and attend
meetings involving other Boroughs, Townships, and Counties and non-profit organizations, and will
communicate key points to Council from that work.

Staff management: Effectively manage personnel to meet the goals of the Borough. Supervise all nonuniformed Borough staff, including hiring, performance evaluation, discipline and firing; interpretation, communication and enforcement of existing policies and recommendations regarding new ones; resolving employee problems. You should be willing to gain first-hand knowledge of the Borough by walking through it regularly and talking with residents, and encourage other staff to do so, too. There will be a range of special projects, for example, working with legal and accounting staff to develop an employee handbook.
Budget management: Management of the Borough’s business including effective, efficient and appropriate use of available funds according to the Borough’s budget and approved internal controls, development and submission of a annual Borough budget for review and approval by Council, ongoing evaluation of the Borough budget, communication of budget status to the Borough Council in coordination with outside accountants, and taking corrective action on the budget if needed. You will be asked to prepare and submit such reports as may be needed to Borough Council and other entities and to coordinate Borough activities with those of other local, county and state governments and entities where appropriate. You will manage grant funds according to the procedures of those grants.

Workflow: Evaluate and improve workflow, assess the uses of the technology to “do more with less,” study and standardize work procedures in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Borough and its staff.

Other responsibilities as assigned.
Requirements:
• Degree from a four-year college or university with a Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree in public administration, political science, business management or a closely related field.
• Demonstrable knowledge of policies and practices of public administration, local government finances, public work activities including road and sewer projects, planning and administering municipal budgets, and the principles and practice of police administration.
• Valid Pennsylvania driver’s license.
• Technical skills including use of basic office equipment, computers, and software including word processing, spreadsheets, database, presentation, publishing (web and print) and accounting software (QuickBooks). Able to trouble-shoot everyday problems.
• One semester each of financial and managerial accounting, or comparable experience.
• The Borough Manager will work regular hours, but will be available on a 24-hour basis unless prior arrangements have been made with Borough Council President.
• Fluency in a second language is helpful but not required.

Salary and Benefits:
• 35-38 hours per week, plus some evening meetings,
• Salary $38,000 to $42,000, dependent on experience,
• Two weeks paid vacation in first year.

Thank you for your interest. Please submit resumes and references via email to Jeanette MacNeille, Borough Council President, at JeanetteMacNeille@gmail.com.