BREC

Searching for the Right Superintendent for the System

Challenge
After serving as the Superintendent for The Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) for a number of years and having served as a staff member for over 32 years, the incumbent superintendent announced plans to retire. Seizing the opportunity to bring the community together to create a shared vision for the future for parks and recreation, BREC turned to SSA to conduct a nationwide executive search for the parishwide park system’s next top leader.

Approach
SSA conducted more than 50 interviews with BREC stakeholders and community leaders to develop the ideal candidate profile that would then serve as the basis for recruiting and screening applicants and making recommendations to the commissioners. In total, SSA received 80 resumes in response to extensive networking, recruiting and advertising the position, and ultimately identified 23 potential candidates. After conducting phone interviews, SSA identified 12 viable candidates. To determine the finalists, SSA performed a comprehensive background screen and overall job fit analysis utilizing robust personality and leadership assessments for the top candidates as well as developing a cost effective interviewing model utilizing web-based technology to reduce recruiting costs and allow commissioners to “meet the candidates.” With these insights in hand, SSA facilitated a final round of face-to-face interviews and worked with the BREC Board of Commissioners to finalize their top choice. Shortly thereafter, the board extended an offer to the final candidate who accepted, relocated and now serves as the new BREC superintendent.

Impact
SSA’s recruiting efforts resulted in a needed community consensus about BREC leadership as well as a cost effective recruiting process. The ultimate result is the placement of a highly experienced, out-of-state candidate charged with fulfilling BREC’s established vision, mission and goals, in addition to the development, direction, operation, and administration of parks and recreation opportunities throughout East Baton Rouge Parish.

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