The City of Morro Bay engaged Tripepi Smith’s newest division, Tripepi Smith Talent Solutions, to assist in the recruitment of a new Director of Public Works. With a goal of communicating a clear organizational culture and attracting talent that not only fits the job description, but has the personality needed to succeed, Tripepi Smith Senior Business Analyst Bria Balliet worked with City staff to revamp the job description, write content tailored to the ideal candidate and design a digital recruitment brochure.
“It was particularly important that the person hired for this role was not just knowledgeable as a Public Works Director, but was also a people-person, customer-service oriented and would fit in well in our close-knit community,” said City Manager Scott Collins. “Bria took the job description we were working with and turned it into a message that the type of individual we were hoping to hire would respond to. The brochure received several compliments from applicants and really represented our culture, which I think helped us attract a different calibre of applicant.”
Tripepi Smith worked with Morro Bay Human Resources staff to hone in on City culture and the qualities that would be most important in a candidate. Team Tripepi Smith also posted the opportunity on leading industry boards such as PublicCEO and Western City Magazine.
“One of my favorite parts of the recruitment process is speaking with City staff and getting a feel for the person they are looking for. It informs the rest of the process and ensures we can tap into the right talent,” said Bria. “The Morro Bay team had a clear idea of the type of personality and skills they wanted for the role, and it was fulfilling for me to be able to help them capture that in a visual form that would draw the attention of ideal candidates.”
Out of the pool of 27 applications received for the position, the City ultimately selected Greg Kwolek, an experienced municipal manager whose combination of public works project management and community outreach experience is a perfect fit for the role. He begins his work with the City of Morro Bay on May 10, 2021.
About TS Talent Solutions
TS Talent Solutions is a California-based executive search and talent development organization with a focus on the local government sector. A division of Tripepi Smith, TS Talent Solutions leverages the expertise and digital acumen of its parent firm to deliver next-generation recruitment solutions for public agencies. The quest for talent never ends, but progress is made with TS Talent Solutions.
About Morro Bay
The City of Morro Bay is located on California’s picturesque Central Coast, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, in San Luis Obispo County. Boasting a close-knit community of approximately 10,500, the City is blessed with a temperate year-round marine climate that offers residents the peaceful tranquility of a coastal fishing village, only 12 miles from the convenience of San Luis Obispo’s shops, dining, and entertainment.