THE COMMUNITY
WITH A POPULATION OF OVER 200,000, the City of Modesto is the largest city and the county seat of Stanislaus County. Located in California’s central valley, the City enjoys mild weather and some of the world’s most fertile soil.
The quality of life in Modesto is one of its most attractive features, offering a multitude of exciting cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities. Many urbanites have relocated to this welcoming community for its variety of amenities, reasonable housing prices, reputable school districts, and protected open spaces. Modesto is an ideal community in which to raise a family.
Modesto has more than 60 recreation areas and is in proximity to Yosemite National Park, Northern California coastal resort communities, San Francisco, Sacramento, the state’s world-famous wine country, and numerous popular venues for outdoor activity. Winter sports opportunities are also within easy driving distance.
MODESTO SERVES AS THE PRINCIPAL entertainment center for the Central Valley with a variety of venues, including the Gallo Center for the Arts, the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, and a class A baseball team, the Modesto Nuts. Modesto boasts an outstanding public-school system. For higher educational opportunities, the City is home to one of the first established Junior Colleges in California, with the University of the Pacific and California State University, Stanislaus nearby, and the University of California, Merced campus within a 40-minute commute.
Modesto offers the diversity of a metropolitan city, yet maintains a small-town atmosphere of hospitality and affordability without the commute or congestion of other urban centers. Agricultural contributions from the local area include almonds, apricots, tomatoes, peaches, walnuts, and poultry.
THE ORGANIZATION
MODESTO, A FULL-SERVICE CITY, has a total FY 2019/20 operating budget of approximately $403 million and a staff size of 1,236 FTE / 476 PTE. The City is governed by a Council-Manager form of government. The Modesto City Council consists of seven members, six of whom are elected by district, and the Mayor, who is elected at-large, all elected for four year overlapping terms.
The City Council appoints the City Manager, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer overseeing all departments. The City Manager delegates hiring responsibilities and supplemental duties to nine Departments, including Community and Economic Development; Finance; Fire; Human Resources; Information Technology; Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhoods; Police; Public Works and Utilities.
THE POSITION
THE POSITION RECEIVES direction from higher-level management and exercises direct supervision over assigned support personnel. The incumbent will coordinate division activities and work with other divisions and departments throughout the City and provide staff assistance to executive management.
Responsibilities include:
- Plan, organize, and direct the Risk Management Division activities, including the workers’ compensation program, general liability, loss control, safety, occupational medical, property, and other related insurance programs.
- Direct, oversee, and develop the Risk Management Division work plan; provide supervision and coaching to Risk Management staff and assign work activities, monitor workflow; review and evaluate work products, methods, and procedures.
- Prepare and implement the Risk Management Division budget; participate in the forecast of additional funds needed for staffing, equipment, materials, and supplies; administer the approved budget.
- Recommend the appointment of personnel; provide or coordinate staff training, conduct performance evaluations; implement discipline procedures as required; maintain discipline and high standards necessary for the efficient and professional operation of the Division.
- Implement and maintain appropriate risk financing techniques, including maintaining adequate monetary reserves and departmental cost allocation plans.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE has demonstrable, direct, broad-based experience in public entity risk management. An in-depth knowledge and oversight of critical areas such as health and safety compliance, workers’ compensation, general liability, employment practices liability, principles of insurance, risk financing and transfer, and data analysis is a must. The individual will also be responsible for implementing the recommendations of the recently completed Comprehensive Risk Management Plan, which assessed current operations and makes recommendations for best practice improvements.
The new Risk Manager must:
- Be diplomatic, inclusive and able to coach and mentor Risk Management staff;
- Work collaboratively and respectfully with a wide variety of stakeholders throughout the organization to assist and proactively identify and address potential risks;
- Have the ability to build consensus and identify innovative ways to address risks and improve the health of the organization;
- Be articulate and have the ability to explain complex theories and practices in simple terms;
- Have experience providing executives with reports that include trending analyses of Risk Management programs, milestones achieved, and outcomes based upon selected risk treatments;
- Be able to independently prioritize and complete a broad range of assignments with competing deadlines;
- Formulate thoughtful responses to challenging questions in a customer-centric manner.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:
EXPERIENCE
Five years of increasingly responsible experience in the management of a combination of human resources programs including: workers’ compensation, liability and property, and/or occupational medical; including one year providing technical and functional supervision over assigned personnel.
TRAINING
Equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business or public administration or a related field.
LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE
- Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid California driver’s license.
- Possession of an Associate in Risk Management (ARM) certificate is highly desirable.
- Possession of a Certified Professional in Disability Management (CPDM) is also highly desirable.
COMPENSATION & BENEFITS
THE CITY OF MODESTO IS offering an excellent and competitive compensation and benefits package. The salary range for the Risk Manager is $94,355.04–$114,703.68 annually. The City recently completed a comprehensive compensation study, following which the Council approved the following increases: 4.5% June 2020; 4.5 % June 2021 and 2% June 2022.
The City also offers an attractive benefits package that includes:
Retirement. The City participates in the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) in either the 2% @ 60 or the 2% @ 62 formula which is dependent on eligibility, as per AB 340. Employee pays the full member contribution. Retirement benefit is based on the employees three year final compensation average, unless the employee is a classic member of CalPERS. The City does not participate in Social Security except for the required 1.45% Medicare contribution by both the City and the employee (applies to employees hired after 4-1-86).
Insurance. Health (medical/dental/vision), life and disability insurance information can be found here: modestogov.com/351/Health- Enrollment-Information. Life Insurance in the amount of $120,000 is provided by the City. Supplemental coverage is available at employee cost. Long term disability insurance coverage is provided by the City at no cost. This benefit pays 66 2/3% of the first $12,000 per month in salary. IRS Section 125 medical and dependent care reimbursement plan is also available.
Leave. 10 paid holidays per year plus 8 hours of holiday credit. Holiday credit may be accrued up to a maximum of 40 hours.
Vacation. Accrual begins at a rate of two weeks per year, with incremental increases to five weeks at 21 years of service. Employees may accumulate up to two times their annual vacation accrual. Sick leave with pay is accumulated at 8 hours per month, 96 hours per year. Employees may accumulate up to 2,200 sick leave hours. The position also accrues 80 hours of management leave each year.
Educational Incentive Pay. 2.5% of salary is available after one year of service for possession of a master’s degree or Juris Doctor from an accredited institution.
TO APPLY
To apply for this position, please visit: koffassociates.com/jobs/
Please submit, in PDF format, a cover letter and resume combined.
As an alternative, you can mail your cover letter, employment application form, and resume to this address:
Koff & Associates
2835 Seventh Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
Email questions to: recruiting@koffassociates.com
The deadline to apply for this position is SUNDAY JULY 12th.
The City of Modesto is an equal opportunity employer encouraging workforce diversity.