ASSISTANT TO THE CITY MANAGER

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under direction, performs a wide variety of highly responsible, complex, and diverse advanced level professional duties involved in providing administrative, analytical, and technical support to the City Manager’s Office; plans, coordinates, and participates in various program and administrative operations and activities including those having a City-wide impact; manages and oversees assigned service areas; coordinates assigned activities with City departments, outside agencies, and the general public; and provides information and assistance to internal and external customers regarding assigned programs and services.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Conducts complex and sensitive administrative, operational, and management analyses, studies, and research projects including those involving City-wide issues, programs, policies, and procedures; selects, adapts, and applies appropriate research and statistical techniques; gathers and analyzes data and information from various sources on a variety of specialized topics.
• Performs a wide variety of administrative and analytical duties in support of City Council; prepares and reviews a variety of letters, brochures, and other correspondence; coordinates annual development and quarterly status reports of Council Action Plan; plans and coordinates a variety of events and activities for City Council.
• Serves as assistant to the Mayor for SANDAG Board meetings; reviews and analyzes agenda; oversees team of core employees to brief Mayor on issues; attends Board meetings with Mayor; prepares reports and correspondence as necessary.
• Oversees operations and activities of the Citizen Service Center; responds to and resolves difficult and sensitive citizen inquiries and complaints.
• Oversees support for audio visual technology throughout the City; participates in audio visual production throughout the City from planning stage to completion.
• Serves as media contact for assigned functions and/or areas; tracks news coverage; answers media inquiries; writes and distributes bulletins, news releases, newsletters and other public information; coordinates requests for speakers; counsels management staff on public affairs information implications; maintains city-wide media contacts list.
• Coordinates grant activities for assigned area including writing award and grant applications.
• Monitors and reviews state and federal legislation; tracks legislative bills; consults with state and federal lobbyists, City Attorney, and City Manager regarding legislative issues; writes and prepares letters to legislators; analyzes, researches, and prepares reports on legislation impacting the City.
• Serves as a member of a variety of City teams including Customer Service Coordinating Team, Americans with Disabilities Act Team, Employee Suggestion Team, and Take Our Daughter to Work Day Team; serves as chairperson as assigned; coordinates assigned activities with other departments as necessary.
• Participates in special projects including planning and implementation of special programs and events and complex research of new programs and services.
• Prepares and delivers presentations on a wide variety of issues to the City Council, other City boards and commissions, and community groups.
• Participates in the development and implementation of goals, objectives, and priorities for assigned functions and programs; recommends and implements resulting policies and procedures.
• Participates in the development and administration of the department budget; submits budget recommendations; monitors expenditures.
• Participates in the selection of assigned staff; provides or coordinates staff training; prepares and conducts evaluations; works with employees to correct deficiencies; implements discipline procedures.
• Represents the City at inter-departmental, inter-governmental, and community activities and meetings; serves on interview panels both in-house and for other cities.
• Serves as staff to a variety of boards, commissions, and committees; prepares and presents staff reports and other necessary correspondence.
• Performs related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Operational characteristics, services, and activities of the City Manager’s Office.
• Principles of City government administration, organization, budget, and personnel management.
• Principles and practices of program, policy, and procedure evaluation and development.
• Principles of public administration.
• Advanced methods and techniques of data collection, research, and report preparation.
• Principles of business letter writing and report preparation.
• Principles and practices of state and local legislative process.
• Basic principles of supervision and training.
• Principles and practices of record keeping.
• Public relations and customer service techniques.
• Public speaking techniques.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and applicable software applications.
• Pertinent federal, state and local laws, codes and regulations.

Ability to:

• Perform a wide variety of highly responsible, complex, and diverse advanced level professional duties involved in providing administrative, analytical, and technical support to the City Manager’s Office involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City as a whole and outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Interpret and apply pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations as well as City and departmental policies and procedures.
• Conduct various administrative and organizational studies and analyses on a wide variety of complex issues.
• Analyze problems, identify alternative solutions, project consequences of proposed actions, and implement recommendations in support of goals.
• Develop, implement, and interpret City policies, procedures, regulations, and codes.
• Research, analyze and evaluate City-wide programs, policies, and procedures.
• Collect, evaluate, and interpret complex information and data.
• Coordinate a variety of complex tasks and assignments simultaneously.
• Prepare clear and concise technical, administrative, and financial reports.
• Assist with budget preparation and administration.
• Plan and organize work to meet changing priorities and deadlines.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting applications.
• Independently prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Effectively present information and respond to questions from internal and external customers including council members, committee and commission members, and the general public. Supervise and train assigned staff.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in public administration, business administration, economics, or a related field.

Experience: Five years of increasingly responsible administrative and analytical experience that demonstrates a strong understanding of City-wide operations and the role of local government.

License or Certificate - Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate, valid Driver’s License.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Standard office setting. CONTINUOUS working indoors, dust from paperwork. Work schedule is 9/80 with alternating Fridays off in a biweekly period. Work environment is both formal and informal, team oriented, having variable tasks, pace, and pressure. Work is performed indoors in office and in meeting rooms.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in an office setting and operate office equipment. CONTINUOUS sitting and upward and downward flexion of neck; fine finger dexterity; light to moderate finger pressure to manipulate keyboard, equipment controls, and office equipment; pinch grasp to manipulate writing utensils. FREQUENT side-to-side turning of neck, walking, standing, bending, stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting at waist; moderate wrist torque to twist equipment knobs and dials; lifting objects weighing up to 20 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 yards. OCCASIONAL squatting, kneeling, and reaching above and at shoulder height; moderate grasp to manipulate reference books and manuals; lifting objects weighing 20-35 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 feet.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Date: April 2003
Johnson & Associates