Chief of Staff

The City’s Chief of Staff is responsible for providing high level support to the Mayor in all aspects of City operation, including coordinating with City officials and private and public sector representatives on City programs; following up on questions, concerns, and requests from the public; and acting as a liaison among the Mayor’s Office, City departments, City Council, legal counsel, and state and federal officials.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as examples of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Develop and implement policies and procedures for routine City operations.
• Identify and develop strategic initiatives, capital improvements, and major projects in consultation with and at the direction of the Mayor.
• Work with members of the City Council on specific issues, advise City boards and commissions, and represent the City at selected public functions.
• Investigate problem situations in City operations, independently taking necessary actions to resolve issues. Inform the Mayor on matters requiring their attention and recommend an appropriate course of action. Arbitrates in situations of departmental conflict, alerting the Mayor to serious situations.
• Investigate complaints to the City. Make an on-site investigation and determine the necessary action. Refer matters to the appropriate City department and maintain follow-up to ensure corrective action is taken. Alert the Mayor to serious problems and present recommendations for resolution. Follow up on all actions required for resolution.
• Ensure that communications received by the Mayor’s Office are responded to promptly and accurately.
• Provide guidance, in collaboration with the Human Resources Director, for maintenance of wage administration; equal employment opportunity; recruiting, employment policies and procedures; workers’ compensation; union negotiations and labor relations; benefits administration; evaluations; leaves of absence; resignations; retirements; terminations; and various other personnel-related actions.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Departmental Management

• Provide administrative, supervisory, and operational support to all departments through the review of priorities, staffing needs, and capital expenditure requests by department heads.
• Research and report to the Mayor and/or department heads on current issues and initiatives at the local, state, and federal levels. Identifies projects that might be useful and cost-effective.
• Monitor follow-up on the status of projects and other items by department heads and provide updates to the Mayor.
• Review various collective bargaining issues and employee grievances with the Mayor and Human Resources.
• Work with outside legal counsel to identify and address legal and liability issues, coordinate, document, and prepare all City litigation.

Fiscal Management

• Assist in the development of the City’s capital budget.
• Assist in the development of the City’s annual operating budget for the general fund.
• Review major purchases and/or contracts/RFP’s with department heads and the Mayor.
• Prepare presentations and information for the City Council, school department, and public to accurately communicate the City’s budget information and financial position in a clear and easily understandable way to the general public.
• Develop the Mayor’s Office budget and monitor budget performance throughout the entire fiscal year, in order to ensure expenditures and revenues are performing as estimated and expected, and monitor trends from the previous fiscal year to influence decision-making.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Minimum of a bachelor’s degree (preferably a Master’s Degree) in Political Science, government, urban affairs, or a related field. Demonstrated management and/or supervisory experience and knowledge of government operations. 5-10 years’ experience in government or related field, or a combination of experience, training, and education.

Required Skills and Qualities:

• Knowledge of the City of Amesbury and the organization of its government; public administration and its principles and practices, and of the purpose, functions, policies, and operating needs of the City’s government.
• Ability to research and interpret provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws and City ordinances.
• Proficient in computer, word processing, Excel, social media, and other standard office equipment.
• Valid Driver’s License and reliable transportation.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality on a large scale across departments, due to this position having access to extensive amounts of confidential information, which may include official personnel files, city-wide litigation, collective bargaining, and disciplinary records.
• Clear, effective, and persuasive communications skills, both orally and in writing.
• Ability to represent the Mayor effectively in meetings and interactions in person, by telephone, email, and social media with a wide range of constituencies.
• Demonstrated organizational and managerial skills in order to represent the City in a professional manner.
• Ability to establish and maintain highly effective working relationships with the Mayor, City Council members, other elected officials, committee members, department heads, staff, residents, representatives of civic and community groups, the media, the public, and others encountered in the course of performing job duties.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements: The physical demands described here 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 position's essential functions.

This position is generally sedentary. Employees must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.

This position requires the employee to communicate, detect, converse with, discern, express oneself, and exchange information. The ability to communicate information and ideas so others will understand. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.

This position requires the employee to detect, determine, perceive, identify, recognize, judge, observe, inspect, estimate, and assess. The ability to observe details at close range within a few feet of the observer.

This employee frequently moves boxes up to 20 pounds across office areas for various needs, including having to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects.

This position is primarily conducted indoors.

Full-time, 35 hours per week, Monday through Friday. Chief of Staff is expected to work after normal business hours for City Council meetings and other meetings/events as requested by the Mayor.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $85,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $85,000 - $95,000