After nearly three months of adding, deleting, changing and clarifying the job description for the Shawano County administrative coordinator, supervisors are in the home stretch.
Julie Hasser, interim administrative coordinator and human resources director, said she was nearly prepared to send them a final version, but the document still needs work.
“I’m not 100% feeling really great about the clarification of what this individual is truly supposed to do on a day-to-day capacity,” she said to the executive committee Jan. 21.
She said there are too many instances of the coordinator “assisting” other department heads.
“If you’re assisting the finance director, whose actual responsibility is it? If that job doesn’t get done, who’s at fault?” Hasser said. “And that’s what a job description is truly supposed to do. It’s actually to be a legal, binding, somewhat agreement between the employer and the employee as to what you’re supposed to be doing when you come to work every day.”
She noted the job descriptions for most department heads indicate he or she is responsible for their department’s operations and budget.
Hasser said she also wanted to add more to the role regarding duties coordinating but not overseeing the departments to ensure the proper flow of information to other departments, committees, supervisors and staff.
Supervisor Randy Mallmann said department heads need authority in their own departments, so employees don’t routinely go over their heads. Those departments need to answer to their home committees, he said.
Supervisor Tess Serrano initially questioned the need for a college degree.
“I don’t think you’re gong to find anyone with a four-year college degree to fit this job description,” she said. “I think that requirement needs to be taken out of there.”
Hasser countered that without that qualification, it could shrink the pool of applicants.
“I’m really worried about where this is going to fall on the famous wage scale, and if we take out that degree, then we’re going to be so low that we’re not going to get a good candidate,” she said.
Supervisor Randy Mallmann said he places just as much emphasis, if not more, on a candidate’s experience and communication skills.
The description now calls for a four-year college degree and seven years of related experience.
Hasser expects to have the final version ready for committee approval in February. It would then be forwarded to insurance broker Cottingham & Butler to determine the wage. The full county board would then approve before the position is advertised.
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
