To: Honorable Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Jennifer Brizel, Human Resources Director
Prepared By: Gabriella Petersen, Management Analyst I
TITLE:
Title
Class Specification and Salary Range for Community Relations and Media Manager
LABEL
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommendation
(1) Approve the first reading and introduction of an ordinance Amending Napa Municipal Code Chapter 2.08.090 Regarding the Designation of Exempt Employees in the City Manager’s Officer; and (2) Adopt a resolution Adopting the Classification Specification and Salary Range for Community Relations and Media Manager, and Amending the Budget Staffing Plan for the City Manager’s Office.
Body
DISCUSSION:
The City Manager’s Office requested Human Resources conduct a study to review the duties performed by the Management Analyst II - Community Relations to determine the appropriate classification through an analysis of the external market and comparison of the existing classification plan.
The Human Resources Department requested that the City Manager’s Office provide a Position Description Questionnaire (PDQ) to determine a recommendation that would align with the needs of the office. The completed PDQ indicated that the position performs a variety of professional, technical, and analytical work including participating in the development and execution of transparent strategic communication plans, provides support to City staff regarding public and media relations as needed, helps to provide effective approaches regarding matters of importance and sensitivity, manages the City’s website and online content with timely information about public events, and responds to media inquiries and emergency situations as the City’s Communication coordinator.
An external market salary study indicated that survey cities possess comparable class specifications for the communication and media duties required in the City Manager’s Office. Additionally, in reviewing the external market comparisons, seven (7) out of ten (10) of the survey cities maintained an individual Communications and Media Officer or equivalent classification. Given the complexity and importance of this role to the City’s overall operation, as indicated in the PDQ, and as the external survey data discovered, the Human Resources department recommends that the position be reallocated and classified within a new class specification of Community Relations and Media Manager.
The recommended classification of Community Relations and Media Manager is a professional level class, providing expert support the communication plans and media strategies for the City. The Community Relations and Media Manager delivers high quality, customer focused public information services; participates in the creation of messaging and highly sensitive communications in carrying out programmatic functions; and plays a vital role in the execution of the City’s vision of transparent communications with the community.
The scope of the Community Relations and Media Manager performs highly complex professional, technical, and analytical work in support of a programmatic area comparable to existing internal classifications such as Administrative Services Manager, Purchasing Services Manager, Finance Analyst and Materials Diversion Administrator. The Community Relations and Media Manager delivers high quality, customer focused public information services and ensures the execution of the City’s vision of open government communications and manages messaging and highly sensitive communications throughout the City.
Human Resources staff considered internal and external market classification and salary comparisons to determine the appropriate salary level for this new role. In comparing the recommended Community Relations and Media Manager classification against the external market classes, it was discovered that we currently utilize the role differently than our comparison cities in that specific departmental outreach, legislative functions and public information are performed throughout the organization, causing a misalignment with the external salary study as noted in Exhibit B. In order to align the Community Relations and Media Manager with internal salary equity based on the scope of the role and duties, it is recommended to place the classification within Salary Range 5300, ($101,880 - $123,078).
The City Manager recommends that the proposed new position of Community Relations and Media Manager be designated as an “unclassified” position, as authorized by City Charter Section 75; which means that the position will be an at-will employee hired by the City Manager and not subject to the protections granted to classified employees under City Charter Section 76.1. This designation is implemented through the Council’s adoption of the recommended ordinance attached to this report.
FINANCIAL IMPACTS:
No additional funding is required beyond that already allocated and approved in the City Manager’s budget.
CEQA:
The Human Resources Director has determined that the Recommended Action described in this Agenda Report is not subject to CEQA, pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c).
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
ATCH 1: Ordinance
ATCH 2: Resolution
EX A: Community Relations and Media Manager Class Description
EX B: Salary Survey - MA II - Community Relations
NOTIFICATION:
City Manager’s Office