Mayor's Special Assistant

Salary: $65,000 - $80,000

Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments or projects.*

Work Location: City Hall, 101 E. 11th Street, Chattanooga

FLSA Status: This is a APPOINTED Exempt position.

Department: Office of the Mayor

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:

The Office of the Mayor is seeking a highly professional and dependable Special Assistant to support Mayor Tim Kelly during events. This key role will act as the Mayor’s right-hand at public functions, community engagements, and other appearances. The aide will anticipate the Mayor’s needs, ensure seamless coordination, and represent the mayoral office with discretion, tact, and poise.

SERIES LEVEL:

The Mayor's Special Assistant is a stand alone position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:
( The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Attend events and appearances alongside the Mayor, providing direct support throughout the engagement.

Anticipate immediate needs (e.g., briefing materials, introductions, scheduling changes, hydration/snack needs, equipment or badge retrieval, parking and vehicle needs) to ensure the Mayor’s appearance runs smoothly and professionally.

Coordinate with event organizers, mayoral staff, and venue staff to ensure successful execution of logistical details.

Work closely with the Executive Assistant, Communications team, and other Mayoral staff to plan and execute arrival/leaving timing, speaker introductions, photo opportunities, and wrap-up.

Carry, organize, and maintain any materials the Mayor may need during the event (talking points, agenda, business cards, water, etc.).

Act as the immediate liaison between the Mayor and staff or external parties during appearances: making sure communications flow, needs are met, schedule is adhered to and unforeseen issues are handled.

Exhibit high discretion and professionalism — handling confidential or sensitive information appropriately and maintaining a polished presence at all times.

Assist with post-event debrief or follow-through: ensuring any items needing follow-up are communicated to the mayoral staff team.

Uphold the Mayor’s public image: dress professionally, display courteous demeanor, adapt to changing circumstances, and ensure the Mayor’s comfort and readiness.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Must meet regular attendance requirements.

Performs other duties as assigned.

DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any): N/A

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

REQUIRED:

Bachelor's degree or equivalent and one (1) - two (2) years experience as a personal assistant, aide, executive assistant, staffer or other relevant experience.

Proven experience in a personal-assistant, executive-assistant, aide-to-public-figure or similar role; experience supporting a high-profile individual is a plus.

Excellent organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and to react calmly under pressure (especially during live public events).

Strong interpersonal and communication skills — able to interact with elected officials, event organizers, media, constituents and staff.

Demonstrated discretion, trustworthiness and professionalism in handling confidential matters and representing a public office.

Flexible availability: Must be able to work evenings, weekends and irregular hours, as event schedules dictate.

Comfortable in public settings, able to adapt to changing event environments, sometimes shifting onsite handling of logistics or materials.

PREFERRED:

Familiarity with local Chattanooga community and civic events.

Familiarity with Chattanooga community, civic and business leaders.

Proficiency with digital tools (Google Suite, smartphone, Google Calendar, GMail/GChat, Monday.com).

Experience working in a political, governmental or public-service environment.

Possesses a calm and proactive presence—someone who “thinks ahead” rather than being reactive, anticipating needs, managing schedule, ensuring smooth execution.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS: N/A

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS: N/A

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Positions in this class typically require climbing, balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, reaching, standing, walking, pushing, pulling, lifting, fingering, grasping, feeling, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including, including the human body.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourage both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

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