City of Northampton 240 Main Street, 1st Floor Northampton, MA 01060 Company Description: Municipality Salary Range: Location: Per Year NORTHAMPTON MA Job Type: Category: Full Time Government/Public Service Education Level: Work Experience: Associate Degree Preference: Required 4+ Preference: Nice to have Skills/Certifications/Licences: Description: DEFINITION: This position provides highly responsible administrative support to the City Council. Works under the general direction of the President of the City Council. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: • Staffs and maintains the City Council Office; Prepares City Council agenda in coordination with the City Council President; Posts meeting notices; schedules and reserves meeting space; Attends City Council meetings and takes minutes; • Assists the City Council with the responsibility of hiring the outside Auditor as required by the City Charter; • Prepares and posts legal notices in accordance with local and state regulations/or guidelines; • Assists in setting the City Council’s schedule and travel arrangements; • Reviews Executive Session minutes with City Council President and City Solicitor to determine if they can be released; • Prepares, in consultation with City Council President, the annual City Council budget; prepares payroll and invoice payments for processing; orders department supplies. • Assists members of the City Council in drafting orders, ordinances and resolutions; Tracks all orders, ordinances and resolutions brought forward to City Council and associated sub-committees, including real-time status updates via the Council website; maintains integrity of ordinance changes through City Council/sub-committee actions; files final versions with City Clerk. Ensures all resulting work and information is accurately and expediently communicated to city leaders; • Attends City Council sub-committee meetings to take minutes at the direction of the City Council President; • Prepares correspondence for and on behalf of the City Council, including composing correspondence dealing with issues and subject matter in ways that sometimes requires considerable sensitivity, discretion, judgment, or negotiation in replying to inquiries, and/or presenting or requesting information; • Conducts research as directed by the City Council President; Analyzes, interprets and prepares oral and written reports on research findings; • May be assigned special projects, as directed by the City Council President, including planning, coordinating and monitoring those special programs or projects. • Responds to calls from the public by finding answers to questions and/or referring queries to appropriate department or city employee; follows-up to ensure issue has been appropriately addressed; Provides information to constituent groups on behalf of the City Council; Answers questions and furnishes information to the general public, the media, and outside agencies concerning City Council laws, policies, rules and regulations, and functions of the City Council; • Maintains regular contact with the Mayor, City Council, and City departments to keep them apprised of situations and issues; Builds effective working relationships with elected officials, city leaders, department heads, and other city staff. • Assists in the implementation of new programs or enhancements to existing programs; • Enhances and maintains the City Council website, including embedding videos of City Council meetings; Provides time markers for posted City Council meeting videos on topics of interest/importance, including orders, ordinances and resolutions. • Manages remote participation, when necessary, for City Councilors; Requirements: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Education and Experience: Associates Degree in legal studies, executive administration or another appropriate field required; Bachelor's degree desirable; Over three years office experience; experience in a law office or municipal setting and in dealing with the public strongly preferred; or any equivalent combination of education and experience. Knowledge, Ability, and Skill: Knowledge of: The principles and practices of public administration and government organizations; City government operation, organizational structure, elected officials, and their functions; Open Meeting Law; Ordinances, codes, and policies governing City operations; City Council Rules and Robert’s Rules of Order; general theories, principles, and techniques of both oral and written communication; and local/regional affairs and issues. Skills required: Bilingual Spanish/English preferred. Meet and deal tactfully and effectively with the public; Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships. Perform simple mathematical calculations and perform multiple duties simultaneously; Ability to: Explain complex problems and situations in an understandable manner; Listen well and communicate effectively with citizens and employees having varied educational backgrounds and values; Deal tactfully with people and resolve conflicts; Exercise resourcefulness and develop creative solutions in addressing problems; Form a high level of trust with members of the Council and top management staff; Approach tasks and activities in a flexible manner; Work independently and perform tasks involving numerous details, sometimes under stressful conditions. Produce written documents with clearly-organized thoughts with proper sentence construction, punctuation, and grammar; Comprehend and make inferences from written material; Prepare and present accurate and reliable reports containing findings and recommendations; Quickly learn and put to use new skills and knowledge brought about by rapidly changing information and/or technology; Perform a wide variety of duties and responsibilities with accuracy and speed under the pressure of time-sensitive deadlines; Demonstrate integrity, ingenuity and inventiveness in the performance of assigned tasks; Operate a personal computer using program applications appropriate to assigned duties. Physical Requirements: Minimal physical effort required in performing duties under typical office conditions. Ability to operate a keyboard and carry a laptop. Ability to occasionally move bulky City Council materials required. Ability to operate a motor vehicle; MA Driver’s license required.