The Chief Administrative Officer provides high level administrative support to the mayor on 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 the liaison among the Mayor’s Office, city departments, City Council, and state and federal officials.

PRIMARY DUTIES

The 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.

Administrative Management

• Meets with mayor daily to review city operations.

• In consultation with and at the direction of the mayor, identifies and develops strategic initiatives, capital improvements, major projects; develops and implements policies and procedures for routine city operations.

• At the direction of the mayor, works with departments and members of the City Council on specific issues; works with City boards and commissions in an advisory capacity, and represents city at selected public functions.

• Provides guidance and advice to mayor for maintenance of wage administration; equal employment opportunity, recruiting, testing, selection, placement, and employment procedures; workers’ compensation; labor relations; benefits administration; evaluations; leaves of absence; resignations, retirements, terminations, and various other personnel-related actions.

• Serves as Records Access Officer (RAO) for the city, responsible for receiving, tracking, and responding to public records requests.
• Coordinates media relations on the mayor’s behalf, including but not limited to preparing and issuing press releases across multiple platforms.

Department Management

• Provides administrative and operational support to all departments through reviews of priorities, staffing needs, and capital expenditure requests by Mayor.
• Researches and reports to the mayor and/or department heads on current issues and initiatives at the local, state and federal levels. Identifies projects which might be useful and cost effective.

• Monitors follow up on status of projects and other items by department heads; provides updated information to mayor.

• Assists permanent, as well as project focused organizations; serves as City representative to boards and committees (e.g., Airport Commission, Hoosac Water Quality District, Parks and Recreation) as well as to facilities including the library, senior center, skating rink, and transfer station.
• Performs other duties and special projects as assigned.

Fiscal Management

• Monitors city’s budget performance throughout the entire fiscal year in order to ensure expenditures and revenues are performing as estimated and expected; monitors trends from fiscal year to fiscal year to inform decision making.
• Provides guidance and advice to mayor on all matters relative to city’s financial position, ability to afford provision of city services and provide for city’s capital needs; provides guidance on all long-term planning for fiscal stability.
• Serves as Chief Procurement Officer and reviews major purchases and/or contracts/RFP’s with department heads and mayor.
• Writes grants and oversees implementation and reporting.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s Degree

Experience: Demonstrated management and/or supervisory experience and knowledge of government operations or sufficient combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Education and Experience: Master’s Degree in Public Administration preferred and 5 years of progressively responsible experience or any equivalent combination of education, training, certification and experience.

MCPPO certified.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Knowledge of City of North Adams and the organization of its government; knowledge of public administration and its principles and practices; knowledge of the purposes, functions, policies and operating needs of the city’s government.
• Ability to research and interpret provisions of the Massachusetts General Laws and city ordinances; ability to maintain effective working relationships with public officials, employees and the general public; ability to represent the mayor when communicating both verbally and in writing; ability to analyze and develop solutions to a variety of administrative issues.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing. Demonstrated ability to analyze, problem solve, and set priorities.
• 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.
• Demonstrated ability to work with co-workers, the public, professionals and with groups and/or individuals who have conflicting opinions or objectives, diverse points of view or differences where skillful negotiating and achieving compromise are required to secure support, concurrence and acceptance or compliance.
• Demonstrated organizational and managerial skills in order to represent the city in a professional manner.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to changing environment which may be in the form of administrative or organizational policies, general principles, legislation or directives that pertain to a specific department or functional area.
• Demonstrate judgment and ingenuity required to develop new or adapt existing methods and approaches for accomplishing objectives or to deal with new or unusual requirements within the limits of the guidelines or policies.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The work is performed in an office environment. The work may require motor skills for activities such as using office equipment, including but not limited to telephones, personal computers, handheld technology, and other office equipment. May be required to lift objects such as files, boxes of papers, office supplies, and office equipment weighing up to 30 pounds. Essential position functions require ability to routinely read materials for general understanding and analytical purposes and ability to view documents on a computer screen.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Review of applications will begin immediately. Interested candidates are invited to submit an application along with cover letter, resume, and references to:

Mayor Jennifer A. Macksey

City Hall

10 Main Street, North Adams, MA 01247

or by email to dstevens@northadams-ma.gov

The City of North Adams, Massachusetts, is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer.