Executive Administrative Assistant

Somerville is a city that upholds progressive principles for both employees and residents alike. If you are looking for a culture that embraces innovation, empowerment, and collaborative involvement, Somerville not only embraces these talents but encourages them. Creative, hands-on collaboration with passionate dedication are at the core of the City’s workplace culture.  Challenging and fast paced, Somerville also offers a generous benefits package that embodies a strong work-life balance. Not only is it a “Model City”, as termed by The Boston Globe, but it is also a model employer.

Statement of Duties

The Executive Administrative Assistant works for a dynamic Mayor in a fast paced environment and is responsible for greeting visitors and maintaining / coordinating executive staff schedules and appointments. Exemplary customer service and diplomacy must be employed in all interactions. Answer phone calls, take messages and assist constituents with various matters; order supplies; create purchase orders, pay bills and monitor the office budget. Employee is required to perform all similar or related duties.

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. 

• Organize and manage various receptions and citywide events.
• Handle sensitive information and discretion is required.
• Manage calendars and appointments for Executive Staff.
• Manage calendars and appointments for City meeting rooms.
• Coordinate travel arrangements for Executive Staff.
• Answer phone calls; open and sort mail.
• Greet scheduled appointments.
• Assist visitors with inquiries.
• Provide follow up with constituents on various matters and with co-workers.
• Monitor expenditures of office budget.
• Order supplies, and monitor inventory.
• Perform Notary Public services.
• Maintain office equipment.
• Maintain kitchen.

Education and Experience:

Bachelor’s Degree and five to seven (5-7) years of related experience is required.

Knowledge, Abilities, and Skill

Knowledge: Working knowledge of office procedures and practices; some knowledge of city and elected officials; some knowledge of functions of various departments and non-profit 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 and standard office equipment; ability to operate a computer and office software; ability to maintain a positive attitude and use common sense.

Skill: Skill in operating computers and applicable word processing and statistical applications; excellent customer service skills. Bilingual or Multilingual skills 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 to work beyond normal business hours in response 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, set up of events, 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.

Visual demands require constantly reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.

Send your resume and cover letter by Wednesday, July 26th, 2017 to:

City Hall Personnel Office
93 Highland Avenue
Somerville MA 02143
Fax: 617-666-4426
TTY: 1-866-808-4851
Email: employment_opportunities@somervillema.gov

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.