Administrative and Communications Assistant - CLOSES: Thursday October 13, 2022

An Opportunity to Join Our Dynamic Team … in a Dynamic City

The Corporation of the City of St. Thomas - 

Offices of Mayor and City Manager have a position for an:

Administrative and Communications Assistant

(Permanent, Full-Time)

St. Thomas is a community growing in size and strength and is home to about 40,000 people.  Conveniently located close to Port Stanley, London, and Highway 401, it's the perfect location in Southwestern Ontario. With a rich heritage but a modern atmosphere, there is nowhere better to thrive than St. Thomas.

Job Posting #600-09-22

POSITION SYNOPSIS AND PURPOSE:

This non-union position, reporting to the City Manager, and working closely with the Mayor, provides accurate and efficient administrative and communications support to the Mayor and City Manager’s offices,  as well as assistance to the Council, community stakeholders, public and City staff. As a point of contact for the Mayor/ City Manager’s  offices, this position will have considerable independence in judgement when providing information, coordinating and administering tasks and establishing priorities as necessary in order to meet operating requirements and established objectives. Overall, this position plays an integral role in the smooth operation of the Mayor’s office and supports the Corporation’s communication activities. Duties will involve access to and possession of confidential and sensitive information or documents.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES/ACCOUNTABILITIES:

General Office Administration (35%)

• Provides telephone, electronic, and face-to-face service to the public, other community stakeholders and staff.
• Prepares agendas, attends meetings, records and prepares accurate and detailed minutes and distributes to appropriate personnel.
• Organizes and maintains general department files and filing systems, including ensuring accurate records retention practices.
• Maintains the City Managers’ portions of the City’s intranet and internet sites, coordinating and sharing updates, as required.
• Receives and processes mail, both inter-office and external.
• Administers the department’s purchases and inventory control process and assesses departmental needs for supplies, products, and equipment, including the invoicing and payment process, shipping and receiving, all associated records, and allocating funds to/from the appropriate account(s).
• Submits monthly Visa statement and receipts for payment.
• Performs other administrative related duties as may be assigned.

Administrative Support to Mayor, City Manager and Council (30%)

• Oversees the Mayor’s office, providing administrative support and managing the Mayor’s calendar including requests for meetings and engagements and preparing written correspondence on behalf of the Mayor and City Manager.
• Composes correspondence/e-mail, reports, presentations, speeches, greetings/ certificates, memos and press releases to be distributed from the Mayor and Members of Council.
• Acts as primary greeter for Civic events and meetings for the Mayor, City Manager, Council and other civic leaders, organizing participants and ensuring meeting arrangements including accommodations and agendas are completed.
• Acts as a primary conduit to the offices of the MP, MPP, the County warden and other municipalities for outreach on behalf of the Mayor.
• Drafts the City Proclamation and coordinates the Flag Raising process with the Clerk’s office ensuring effective communication and tracking for all events.
• Arranges all training, conference and seminar attendance.
• Organizes and implements the Civic Awards Program, posting information, reviewing applications, creating recommendation reports and arranging award presentation events.
• Manages Civic Crested Clothing procurement process.
• Acts as a resource in assisting the Mayor in formulating and implementing programs and special projects related to Mayor’s office involvement in community issues.
• Oversees and manages the City’s involvement in community events including Home Show, Chamber of Commerce events and others.

Corporate Communications (30%)

• Provides communication assistance and supports the implementation of the City’s corporate communication strategy and associated communications activities, working with the Mayor, City Manager, Strategic Initiatives Manager, Clerk and other city staff.
• Drafts, edits, posts and shares communications (e.g. press releases, publications, social media posts).
• Maintains web content and assists in executing social media strategies.
• Identifies opportunities and attends at events to photograph and create communications.
• Supports the creation of videos and other resources for public sharing.
• Updates databases and media lists.
• Tracks projects and media exposure.
• Facilitates effective internal and external communications.

Employee Engagement (5%)

• Assists with and supports corporate engagement and fundraising initiatives as required.
• Assists with planning and coordinating City employee recognition events i.e.Years of Service Event.
• Participates as a member in the Employee Engagement Committee and other committees as appropriate.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Minimum two year Post Secondary Diploma in Office Administration, Public Administration, Business Administration, Communication/Public Relations or a related discipline.
• Minimum three years’ experience in senior-level administrative support role, in a public service setting.
• Experience in creating communications and written materials at an executive level.
• Experience taking meeting minutes.
• Experience working in a computerized environment including knowledge of word processing, social media and website oversight including posting, data base systems, file management, inter and intranets and electronic mail is required.
• Demonstrated ability to manage all administrative functions of a combined office.
• Developed skills in communications/ public relations, writing, social media content, graphic design and issues management.
• Understanding of and ability to provide effective administrative and communication supports within an interactive public service environment.
• Ability to manage and effectively respond to stressful situations.
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality.
• Able to work in an environment where multitasking is required and accuracy and attention to detail are essential.
• Highly organized with a demonstrated ability to prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Strong planning, organizing, and time management skills.
• Demonstrated superior interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Publisher) or related software.
• Ability to effectively deal with members of Mayor, Council, staff, and the general public.
• Strong team player and ability to work with minimal supervision.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Diploma in Corporate Communications, Marketing Communications or similar.
• Diploma in Communications Management.
• Municipal Administration Program (MAP).
• Local Government Diploma Program (LGDP).
• Municipal Government experience would be considered an asset.
• Enhanced knowledge of social media and website operations including posting.

REQUIRED TRAINING:

• Administrative and Office Oversight/ Management Training.
• Orientation, Health & Safety and AODA training.
• Information & Communications Training.
• Report writing and effective writing training.
• Local Government operations training/ understanding – to be acquired through both training and job shadowing.
• Attends training, workshops and seminars where appropriate and as required.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT:

• Satisfactory criminal record check (Judicial Matters).
• Valid Class G driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.
• May be required, on occasion to work beyond the normal hours of work and off site.

REMUNERATION RANGE: $30.29 - $37.87 per hour working 35 hours per week plus a comprehensive benefit package.

Applications must be received no later than Thursday October 13, 2022 at 11:59 p.m.