BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Board Confirmation of New Chief of External Affairs.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Confirm the appointment of Rick Callender as the new Chief of External Affairs for the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
Body
SUMMARY:
RATIONALE
Board Governance Policy Executive Limitation 3.8 states that a "BAO shall present an appointment of a Chief-level position to the Board for confirmation."
Following a competitive open recruitment process, the Interim Chief Executive Officer has selected a candidate for the position of Chief of External Affairs (CEA) and requests that the Board confirm the appointment.
SUMMARY
The Chief of External Affairs, is a newly created executive leadership position responsible for the management and oversight the District's Community Engagement, Government Relations, and Communications units, with a team of approximately 30 employees. The Chief of External Affairs (CEA) is an at-will executive leadership position that reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEA will serve as a key member of the executive leadership team and represent the CEO and the District in interactions with employees, the public, and other agencies and organizations. The CEA will oversee the strategic planning and integration of external policies and legislation as it relates to the business interests of the District. The incumbent will be responsible for managing the District's relationships with the community, government officials, the media, and other key stakeholders.
The CEA will lead the efforts in developing the District's strategy/plan for external communications to the media, community, and the public, including managing how the District engages with the community in the areas of education, volunteerism, and through grant programs. Additionally, the CEA will lead all government relations efforts on local, regional, state, and federal levels, and be responsible for keeping the CEO and othe...
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