Councillor's Assistant, Office Manager

JOB SUMMARY

We are a collaborative, team-oriented office supporting the Councillor for Ward 9 (Knoxdale-Merivale), Sean Devine. The Councillor’s Assistant, Office Manager, focuses primarily on supporting the Councillor in keeping his office running smoothly, but also assists with the Councillor’s stakeholder relations efforts. This is an excellent opportunity for someone interested in applying their skills to public service administration while working in a hands-on, people- and policy-oriented environment.

DESCRIPTION OF RESPONSIBILITIES

The Office Manager is responsible for keeping the Councillor’s schedule, email inbox, and office finances in order, while also supporting the Councillor’s interactions with local Community Associations.

Responsibilities include: monitoring and triaging the Councillor’s email inboxes; scheduling and organizing meetings; answering calls and responding to inquiries from residents; managing and maintaining the office financial records; verifying and processing expenditures;  providing support in organizing occasional community events; communicating with city staff; and, various other administrative duties including contributing to the Councillor’s bi-weekly newsletter and assisting with upkeep of social media accounts.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Either a post-secondary diploma in an applicable field (e.g., Office/Business Administration, Accounting, Legal Studies, Political Studies, or any other applicable subject area requiring well-tuned organizational skills) AND/OR several years of relevant, on-the-job experience.

Experience providing support to an elected official is beneficial but not necessary.

KNOWLEDGE

• General administrative and financial processes.
• Standard office software programs (e.g, Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.).
• Knowledge of and comfort with administrative structures sufficient to obtain information in response to inquiries from constituents, and to obtain policy information and documentation.
• Some knowledge of the mandate and structure of City Council and its committees.

COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage tasks and responsibilities towards timely completion.
• Ability to organize an office efficiently and effectively.
• Demonstrated initiative, requiring general direction, only.
• Ability to handle challenging situations (i.e., fielding calls from frustrated residents).
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively work independently and within a team.
• Strong organizational skills.