ERS' OPERATIONS DIRECTOR

Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, Milwaukee is an urban hub bursting with energy. Milwaukee provides a casual sophistication – big city appeal without the big city hassles. We are accessible and affordable, and our residents are welcoming. Milwaukee has evolved through the years, bringing together its unsurpassed old world charm with a breathtaking Art Museum, top-flight arts and cultural attractions, professional sports, lakefront festivals, recreational opportunities, and great restaurants.

The City of Milwaukee is proud to employ a diverse workforce that is committed to providing exemplary service to the City’s residents. If you have a passion for being a part of an inclusive team of public servants, please consider the following opportunity.

Under the direction of the Employes’ Retirement System (ERS) Executive Director, the ERS Operations Director provides oversight to certain Information Technology (IT) and operational areas of the ERS, such as quality assurance, business continuity, general ledger, and workflow.

Technical Knowledge

• Manage certain accounting processes and interface with the ERS’s pension management system (MERITS); ensure the accuracy of general ledger updates and reconciliations.
• Participate in certain annual processes such as outside earnings and unclaimed properties processing; perform disaster recovery tests.
• Confirm and validate payments made to vendors as part of monthly pension payroll runs.         
• Manage and oversee the records retention protocols and adherence to the protocols.
• Ensure that the MERITS process maps remain in alignment with related legal opinions, changes to the City Charter and the business needs of the ERS.
• Oversee Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) related to hardware, software and network devices.

Leadership Skills/Judgment and Responsibility

• Lead projects and key initiatives related to the business needs of the agency, such as phone system upgrades and updates to the ERS pension management system’s interfaces with the agencies for wage reporting purposes.
• Provide direction and execute quality assurance of the ERS’s record management system (MERITS), including participating in oversight committees.
• Manage the ERS’s IT Quality Assurance effort by[KU1]  reviewing and validating major releases of MERITS to ensure compliance with requirements.
• Direct a collaborative business technology planning process and IT strategic plan.
• Collaborate with the ERS Chief Technology Officer (CTO) to provide technology vision and leadership in developing, acquiring, and/or implementing initiatives that enhance the ERS’ performance and efficiency.
• Supervise IT staff, contractors and vendors employed and engaged by the ERS to achieve quality assurance of MERITS; staff includes application developers, analysts, and other specialists.        
• Oversee the work effort related to records retention including coordination with the City Records department.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Oversee the posting of contribution files from member agencies, including working with agencies related to special situations (e.g. labor settlements).
• Assist in ensuring technology-based solutions meet the business needs of the ERS.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

• Based upon each department’s responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the needs of each department, employees may be expected to work from home intermittently or continuously.

1. Bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, management information systems or a closely related field from an accredited college or university.
2. Five years of progressively responsible experience in quality assurance of IT applications and infrastructure.

Equivalent combinations of education and experience may also be considered.

IMPORTANT NOTE: College transcripts are required and must be received by the application period closing date. Transcripts should be attached to your online application. Applications without transcripts attached will be considered incomplete and will be rejected. Student/unofficial copies are acceptable; however, your transcript must be legible and include your college/university name, your name, the degree completed (if applicable) and the date completed.

• Master’s degree in business, computer science, management information systems or a related field.
• Public pension experience.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or similar.
• Understanding of the jClarety Pension Management System.

Technical Knowledge

• Ability to lead complex IT operations, services and platforms.
• Understanding of pension management systems, including workflow and imaging sub-systems, IT principles, and best practices to implement operations and services.
• Knowledge of financial reporting and accounting processes.
• Knowledge of programming concepts and languages.
• Ability to read and interpret technical documents and policies.
• Ability to understand complex business processes and inter-relationships between City departments, functions and data.

Leadership Skills/Judgment and Responsibility

• Forward thinking with sound business judgment to operate in a dynamic environment of rapid change.
• Ability to set the direction and translate strategic priorities into clear outcome-focused objectives for the team.
• Ability to employ innovative approaches to meeting and resolving assignments and critical issues.
• Leadership skills to provide distinct plans of action for the workgroup to accomplish departmental project objectives.
• Ability to foster an environment of inclusion wherein all employees are treated respectfully, are valued for their strengths, and feel that they can safely express themselves.
• Ability to motivate and lead a staff of professionals and other support personnel. 
• Ability to coach and mentor direct reports.
• Excellent planning, organizational, and time-management skills.
• Ability to work cooperatively and effectively with ERS’ management, Board members, elected officials, staff and support personnel.
• Skill in making effective decisions.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of restricted information.
• Ability to represent the department with professionalism, honesty, and integrity.
• Highly, motivated, self-directed and well organized.

Communication and Interpersonal Skills

• Oral communication skills, including the ability to speak clearly and concisely and explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Written communication skills, including skill in writing correspondence, policies, reports, and other documents.
• Ability to draft and apply clear policies and procedures.
• Ability to work in a collaborative environment with people whose backgrounds may differ from one’s own.

The current salary range (Pay Range 1MX) is $97,420-$136,395 annually, and the resident incentive salary for City of Milwaukee residents is $100,343-$140,487. Appointment above the minimum is possible based upon level of experience and other qualifications and is subject to approval.

The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

• Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Comprehensive Wellness Program
• Onsite Clinic Services
• Onsite Employee Assistance Program
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Long Term Disability Insurance 
• Group Life Insurance
• Tuition Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• 11 Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leaves 
• Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Commuter Value Pass
• For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit https://city.milwaukee.gov/der/benefits.  

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job related and will consist of one or more of the following: education and experience evaluation; written, oral, or performance tests, or other assessment methods. The Department of Employee Relations reserves the right to call only the most qualified candidates to oral and performance examinations. Oral examinations may include written exercises. Selection process component weights will be determined by further analysis of the job.

INITIAL FILING DATE - The examination will be held as soon as practical after Friday, February 5, 2021. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the needs of the City have been met. Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of the examination. Unless otherwise required by law, the City of Milwaukee will not provide alternative test administration. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

APPLICATION and further information may be accessed by visiting www.jobaps.com/MIL.

• Applications and transcripts should be submitted no later than the deadline listed above.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at (414) 286-3751 or staffinginfo@milwaukee.gov.
• The Department of Employee Relations is located at City Hall, 200 E. Wells St., Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202

  EEO 101

The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.