What are the responsibilities and job description for the Office Manager - Rail position at Tacoma Public Utilities?
Position Description
Tacoma Rail recruiting for an Office Manager to support the Rail Superintendent and Rail Senior Leadership Team, providing executive-level support in a dynamic and highly confidential environment. This position manages the day-to-day administrative operations and workflow of the Rail office while ensuring efficient coordination of executive priorities, communications, and organizational activities.
The Office Manager exercises a high degree of independent judgment and discretion in relieving the Rail Superintendent of administrative details and managing sensitive and confidential matters. The role requires comprehensive knowledge of City policies, procedures, Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC), Charter requirements, and Rail-specific policies and practices.
This position operates with significant autonomy and is expected to proactively anticipate executive and organizational needs, prioritize competing demands, and maintain effective office operations in support of Tacoma Rail’s strategic and operational objectives. The Office Manager serves as a key point of coordination and communication for leadership, staff, and external stakeholders, demonstrating professionalism, sound judgment, adaptability, and integrity at all times.
Successful performance in this role requires exceptional organizational and time management skills, strong written and verbal communication abilities, attention to detail, confidentiality, and the ability to manage complex administrative functions in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities Include
Qualifications
Minimum Education*
High School Diploma or GED
Minimum Experience*
6 years including 2 years of prior advanced senior-level or lead experience
Licensing, Certifications And Other Requirements
Some positions may require a Washington State Driver's License
This recruitment is being managed by Kye Merritt, if you would like to be notified of similar opportunities or stay connected with things going on at Tacoma Public Utilities and the City of Tacoma, connect with me on LinkedIn!
Compensation & Benefits
Pay Details:
Annual Salary: $85,051.20- $119,745.60
Rail-Specific Benefits
Rail employees do NOT participate in TERS, the city’s standard retirement plan.
Post-1995 hires: Employees are vested after 5 years (60 months) of service.
Retirement Eligibility
City of Tacoma’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A Commitment to Equity & Diversity
At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.
If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.
The Community
Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.
Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.
With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!
View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI
Application Process
Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process. Applicants who have the strongest backgrounds related to the responsibilities of this position may be invited to participate in the interview process, which may include a work problem. Appointment is subject to passing a background check.
Get Assistance
For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.
For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.
Communication with the City of Tacoma
We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.
Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.
Tacoma Rail recruiting for an Office Manager to support the Rail Superintendent and Rail Senior Leadership Team, providing executive-level support in a dynamic and highly confidential environment. This position manages the day-to-day administrative operations and workflow of the Rail office while ensuring efficient coordination of executive priorities, communications, and organizational activities.
The Office Manager exercises a high degree of independent judgment and discretion in relieving the Rail Superintendent of administrative details and managing sensitive and confidential matters. The role requires comprehensive knowledge of City policies, procedures, Tacoma Municipal Code (TMC), Charter requirements, and Rail-specific policies and practices.
This position operates with significant autonomy and is expected to proactively anticipate executive and organizational needs, prioritize competing demands, and maintain effective office operations in support of Tacoma Rail’s strategic and operational objectives. The Office Manager serves as a key point of coordination and communication for leadership, staff, and external stakeholders, demonstrating professionalism, sound judgment, adaptability, and integrity at all times.
Successful performance in this role requires exceptional organizational and time management skills, strong written and verbal communication abilities, attention to detail, confidentiality, and the ability to manage complex administrative functions in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities Include
- Provide executive-level administrative support to the Rail Superintendent and Rail Senior Leadership Team, including management of complex calendars, scheduling, priorities, and confidential matters.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for the Rail Superintendent by screening and prioritizing communications, responding to inquiries, and coordinating with internal and external stakeholders.
- Prepare, edit, proofread, and manage confidential correspondence, reports, presentations, contracts, personnel documents, Board materials, and other executive-level documents.
- Coordinate and support Public Utility Board processes, including preparation and submission of Board materials, tracking follow-up actions, and maintaining official records and documentation.
- Organize and facilitate meetings, leadership sessions, and special events by scheduling participants, preparing agendas and materials, recording meeting minutes, and tracking action items.
- Support Rail Senior Leadership Team operations through meeting coordination, document management, Teams and Smartsheet administration, and cross-functional communication.
- Perform financial and budget-related administrative functions including procurement card reconciliation, expenditure tracking, budget monitoring, and assisting with budget recommendations.
- Serve as a liaison with City departments, regulatory agencies, partner organizations, employees, and the public while exercising professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, and confidentiality.
Qualifications
Minimum Education*
High School Diploma or GED
Minimum Experience*
6 years including 2 years of prior advanced senior-level or lead experience
Licensing, Certifications And Other Requirements
Some positions may require a Washington State Driver's License
- Equivalency: 1 year of experience = 1 year of education
- Experience in office administration, public administration, or municipal operations
- Background coordinating schedules, meetings, and departmental communications
- Familiarity with government processes, policies, or public-sector reporting
- Experience handling confidential and sensitive information with discretion
- Ability to support operational teams, supervisors, and department leadership
- Demonstrated ability to manage records, including proper record retention and compliance with city and state requirements
- Proficiency with office software, scheduling systems, and document management tools
- Strong organizational and multitasking abilities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong knowledge of record retention practices, file management, archiving, and retrieval
- Understanding of municipal processes, policies, reporting requirements, and workflow
- Clear and professional verbal and written communication
- Strong organizational, multitasking, and time-management abilities
- Customer service and interpersonal skills for working with staff, contractors, and the public
- Ability to prepare reports, presentations, and operational documents
- Skills in prioritizing issues for leadership and supporting project coordination
- Ability to work effectively in fast-paced or emergency-driven environments
This recruitment is being managed by Kye Merritt, if you would like to be notified of similar opportunities or stay connected with things going on at Tacoma Public Utilities and the City of Tacoma, connect with me on LinkedIn!
Compensation & Benefits
Pay Details:
Annual Salary: $85,051.20- $119,745.60
Rail-Specific Benefits
Rail employees do NOT participate in TERS, the city’s standard retirement plan.
Post-1995 hires: Employees are vested after 5 years (60 months) of service.
Retirement Eligibility
- Full Retirement (Unreduced Benefits)
- Age 60 with 30 years of service: Eligible for full Tier I and Tier II Railroad Retirement benefits.
- Early Retirement (Reduced Benefits)
- Age 62 with at least 10 years of service: Eligible to retire early, though both Tier I and Tier II benefits will be reduced.
- Full Retirement Age (Aligned with Social Security)
- Approximately age 65–67 with at least 10 years of service: Eligible for full, unreduced benefits if you have not already retired early.
City of Tacoma’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A Commitment to Equity & Diversity
At the City of Tacoma, we're on a mission to make our workforce as diverse and inclusive as the community we serve. We actively seek out candidates from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures. Join our team at the City of Tacoma and help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and equitable community for all.
If you have a less traditional background, we want to hear about your transferrable skills and experience. We value a variety of perspectives and are excited to see what you bring to the table.
The Community
Tacoma is centrally located just 32 miles south of the city of Seattle and 31 miles north of the state capital, Olympia. The City of Tacoma is also home to the Port of Tacoma, which is among the largest container ports in the United States. Like most cities in the northwest, Tacoma is surrounded by beautiful nature, offering residents many opportunities for outdoor adventures.
Largely suburban in nature with a small, but dense, urban core, Tacoma is home to numerous institutes of higher learning that attract students from across the country. The University of Washington Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University, University of Puget Sound, a satellite campus of the Evergreen State College, three community/technical colleges, and several trade and business schools are within Tacoma's geographic area. Downtown's Cultural District is the site of the Washington State History Museum, Museum of Glass, the Tacoma Art Museum, and America's Car Museum.
With its affordable housing and distinctive neighborhoods and business districts, the city has been recognized numerous times as a best city to live in the nation. To see a few of the great things Tacoma has to offer, view this YouTube Video!
View this exciting video to learn more about the City of Tacoma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n5MWl8KFvI
Application Process
Interested individuals should apply online by completing the application and attaching a resume and cover letter by the closing date and time listed on the job announcement. Applications received without attaching the required materials may not progress in the selection process. Applicants who have the strongest backgrounds related to the responsibilities of this position may be invited to participate in the interview process, which may include a work problem. Appointment is subject to passing a background check.
Get Assistance
For assistance with the application process or questions regarding this job announcement please contact the Human Resources office at (253) 591-5400 by 4:00 p.m. of the closing date of the job announcement.
For technical difficulties using the NEOGOV system, call the applicant support line at 1-855-524-5627 between 6:00a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. This will allow us to assist you before the job announcement closes.
Communication with the City of Tacoma
We primarily communicate via email during the application process. Emails from Tacoma.gov and/or governmentjobs.com should be placed on your safe domain list to ensure that you receive notifications in a timely manner. As a precaution, you may also want to check your junk email folders.
Note: The provisions of this job announcement do not constitute an expressed or implied contract. Any provision contained herein may be modified and/or revoked without notice.
Salary : $85,051 - $119,746