Senior Executive Administrative Assistant - City of Somerville

Statement of Duties 

The Senior Executive Administrative Assistant manages the front office of the Mayor of the City of Somerville. This is a supervisory administrative support position.  The Senior Executive Administrative Assistant is a highly confidential position, with a central, proactive role in anticipating and solving problems and streamlining office operations. The position requires exemplary customer service and diplomacy in all interactions with internal and external stakeholders on behalf of the Mayor.  

Essential Functions 

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type 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. 

• Supervises the Executive Administrative Assistant in the efficient operations of the Mayor’s Office, and ensures that all administrative staff are fully cross-trained in office policy and procedures 
• Point person for coordination and assignment of all office workflow, including schedules, meetings, and events  
• Manages and updates calendars and appointments for the Mayor; may coordinate for other executive staff as requested  
• Answers the Mayor’s Office telephone and checks voice mail; opens, sorts, triages and replies to email and paper correspondence; coordinates with other City departments to respond to constituent concerns in appropriate timeframe  
• Greets scheduled visitors and guides them to appropriate location  
• Assists public with inquiries; connects them with City staff and follows up as necessary  
• Assists with decision-making processes and provides support to administrative staff  
• Plans, prepares and hosts events for the Mayor’s Office, ranging from holiday and cultural celebrations to important receptions and ceremonies; proactively coordinates with City Departments and outside groups to ensure smooth event booking, communications and flow; receives and integrates public feedback for future events 
• Creates and maintains all manual and digital office filing systems; serves as Custodian of Records for the Mayor’s Office  
• Works with the Chief of Staff to create and manage the Executive Administration budget, generate spreadsheets, presentations, and other reports 
• Coordinates all accounts payable and payroll functions for Mayor’s Office: point person for vendor research and contract entry with City’s Procurement and Contracting Services Department; generates purchase orders, reviews invoices for appropriate documentation and enters bill rolls for payment; prepares Mayor’s Office weekly payroll for review 
• Vets and prepares documentation for Mayor’s signature  
• Coordinates travel arrangements for Executive staff 
• Manages calendars and appointments for City meeting rooms in collaboration with other departments  
• Responsible for all Mayor’s office operational functions, including equipment maintenance and organization of copy areas, kitchen, and supply rooms  
• Maintains and organizes office supply stock; monitors inventory and initiates reorders 
• Performs other special projects and duties as required.   

Recommended Minimum Qualifications:  

Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree and/or five to seven (5-7) years of related executive office administrative and supervisory experience; or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job.  

Knowledge, Abilities and Skill 

Knowledge: Expert knowledge of executive-level standard office procedures and practices; working knowledge of municipal government, including basic functions of various City departments, executive and legislative branches, and community organizations. 

Abilities: Ability to establish and maintain effective and harmonious working relationships with city officials and departments, state agencies and the general public; ability to communicate effectively in written and oral form; ability to establish and maintain complex record keeping systems; ability to operate a telephone, computer and other standard office equipment; ability to  master City’s financial software programs for budget, accounts payable and payroll functions; ability to handle confidential information with discretion; ability to think critically, assess and streamline office procedures and serve as a key strategic partner in office operations and responses.  Ability to supervise and cross-train other administrative staff and part-time student program employees. 

Skills: Skill in software applications (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite, Munis, Legistar, ClearGov); excellent customer service skills, including triaging daily influx of telephone, email, written correspondence and in-person visits, assigning work and monitoring responses. Strong writing and multi-channel communication skills essential. Public speaking, leadership, time management, and networking skills are all necessary for success in the position.  Multilingual language skills in Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Kreyol, Nepali, or Chinese highly preferred. 

Work Environment

The work environment involves everyday discomforts typical of offices, with occasional exposure to outside elements. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting, but conditions are generally not unpleasant. Employee may be required occasionally (mainly during budget season) to work beyond normal business hours to attend evening meetings or complete work assignments.

Physical and Mental 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. 

Physical Skills 

Little or no physical demands are required to perform the work. Work effort principally involves sitting to perform work tasks, with intermittent periods of stooping, walking, and standing. There may also be some occasional lifting of objects such as books, office equipment and computer paper (up to 30 lbs.) 

Motor Skills 

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, operating a telephone system, computer and/or most other office equipment, typing and/or word processing, filing, and sorting. 

Visual Skills 

Visual demands include constantly reading documents for general understanding and for analytical purposes and routinely reviewing maps and blueprints with a need for color vision. 

Hours: Full-time, City Hall Hours
Salary: $82,806.06 annualized benefits
Union: Non-Union
FLSA: Exempt
Date Posted: November 14th, 2024

City of Somerville residents are especially encouraged to apply.

The City of Somerville is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, age, national origin, disability or any other protected category. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Auxiliary aids and services, written materials in alternative formats, and reasonable modifications in policies and procedures will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities free of charge, upon request. Persons with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication (i.e., CART, ASL), written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures in order to access the programs, activities, and meetings of the City of Somerville should please contact Adrienne Pomeroy at 617-625-6600 x 2059 or apomeroy@somervillema.gov.

Please Note: The below details do not apply to any Mayor Student Jobs programs OR youth workers with the city.

Pre-Employment Requirements for All Employees:

• MA Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) clearance
• Completion of Conflict-of-Interest Law Education training for municipal employees

Overview of Total Rewards:

• 4 weeks annual vacation (for non-union positions) union positions vary by contract
• Medical insurance through the Group Insurance Commission (GIC) - 80% of premium costs paid by City
• Dental coverage low and high plans through Cigna
• Vision care through Vision Service Plan (VSP)
• Long term disability through Sun Life
• Group and voluntary life insurance through Boston Mutual
• Health Care and Dependent Care flexible spending through Benefit Strategies
• Deferred compensation plans through a choice of three vendors
• Free, confidential services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provided by E4Health
• Annual cancer screening & wellness release
• Somerville Retirement Pension System
• Tuition reimbursement
• MBTA pass program
• FREE Blue Bikes membership
• Eligible employer for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)

Benefits listed are for benefits-eligible positions and the above information is meant to be a general overview of the benefit programs offered by the City of Somerville and not a binding contract.

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