Travis County: Business Office Manager

Travis County: Business Office Manager

The Business Office Manager plays a critical role in overseeing the daily operations of the department, ensuring efficient and effective management of administrative functions. Key responsibilities include assisting the County Judge and Chief of Staff with budget development, managing human resources and payroll processing, and coordinating compliance with reporting and credentialing requirements. This position requires meeting strict deadlines, advising leadership on important issues, and handling Public Information Act requests in collaboration with various county departments. The manager will also hire and train interns, developing schedules and budgets to optimize support for office staff. In addition, the role encompasses oversight of Commissioners Court operations, including planning for and coordinating Commissioners Court meetings and interfacing with other county offices. Responsibilities extend to financial management, where the manager will assist in budget preparation, compile financial reports, and oversee purchasing and contract management. Furthermore, the Business Office Manager will engage with the community and provide vital administrative assistance, attending meetings, supporting public engagement events, and fulfilling ad hoc duties as assigned. This role demands strong leadership and organizational skills to facilitate growth and development within the department while maintaining a high standard of service.

Distinguishing Characteristics

This is a job classification within the Management job family. Incumbents in this classification are responsible for directing the administrative and operations functions within the County Judge's office. Responsible for development of strategic plans and program initiatives to facilitate efficiency and effectiveness. Typically directs the human resources management, finance, budgeting, information systems, facilities and other administrative and operational functions through subordinate managers and administrative staff.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Oversee Daily Operations: Manage and facilitate daily administrative functions within the department, including helping the Judge and Chief of Staff to develop the office budget, and processing purchasing, human resources, payroll, records management, information technology, and other office requirements.

• Meet Deadlines: Ensure operations are managed effectively to meet deadlines.

• Advise Leadership: Provide updates and advice to the County Judge and Chief of Staff on pertinent issues.

• Bonds: Process Bonds for elected and appointed officials

• Reporting & Training: Ensure compliance for the Judge and office staff with reporting and credentialing requirements

• Public Information Act: Coordinate with the Chief of Staff, County Attorney's office, and other county departments to respond to Public Information Act Requests within statutory deadlines

• Intern Program: Hire and train intern staff, develop annual intern budget, schedule hours and coordinate intern work to support office staff

• Substitute Coverage: Schedule substitute coverage and act as back-up for all staff as necessary.

• Facilitate Growth: Identify opportunities for staff improvement, learning, and development; address conflicts and issues.

• Commissioners Court Management

• Court Operations Oversight: Manage, plan, delegate, coordinate, monitor, and evaluate staff work, including of other offices and departments within the county, following well-defined procedures to support the efficient and transparent operations of Commissioners Court meetings and support of the County Judge

• Interact with County Offices: Interface with the County Clerk's Office, County Attorney's Office, and TCTV as needed during Court meetings and assist the County Judge.

• Court Trainings: Develop, implement, and monitor trainings for county departments and elected officials to participate in and submit items for Commissioners Court consideration

• Commissioners Court Approved Board & Committee Appointments: Maintain and manage databases and tracking/reporting systems for Commissioners Court-appointed boards, commissions, and constituent communications.

• County Code: Facilitate and maintain updates to the Travis County Code

• Financial Management

• Budget Preparation: Prepare financial documents and assist with annual budget preparation, developing systems for accounting and fiscal oversight to monitor and protect budgetary resources.

• Compile Reports: Establish budgetary needs and forecast service revenue; compile and produce comprehensive reports.

• Purchasing and Contract Management

• Manage Purchasing Functions: Oversee and maintain all purchasing activities, monitoring personal services and operational budget expenditures.

• Ensure Compliance: Verify that contracting and purchasing procedures are followed; may prepare purchase orders and order necessary equipment and supplies.

• Manage Travel: Collaborate with office staff and the County Judge on all office related travel, including timely submission of reimbursement and travel approvals

• Statistical Reporting: Collaborate with agencies on statistical reporting and inquiries.

• Public Engagement and Administrative Support

• Attend Meetings: Participate in weekly internal staff meetings, pre-agenda meetings with the County Judge and Chief of Staff and provide administrative support during agenda-setting meetings.

• Engage with the Community: Communicate with the public through phone, email, and in-person interactions. Organize, support, and participate in community engagement events with the Judge's office. Staff the County Judge at public events.

• Administrative Assistance: Perform selected administrative tasks for the County Judge's Office as required.

• Ad Hoc Duties: Complete other job-related duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience:

Bachelor's degree and 5 years of experience.

OR,

Any combination of education and experience that has been achieved and is equivalent to the stated education and experience and required knowledge, skills, and abilities sufficient to successfully perform the duties and responsibilities of this job.

Licenses, Registrations, Certifications, or Special Requirements:

None required.

Preferred:

Fluent Spanish speaker and writer

Knowledge of:

• Management and supervision practices and techniques.

• Federal, State, Local and County applicable laws, rules, regulations and guidelines.

• Policies, practices, procedures and terminology of assigned function.

• Filing and reporting requirements.

• Legal research procedures.

• Accounting, purchasing and budgetary theory, principles and practices.

• Computer equipment to include word processing, spreadsheets, databases and a variety of software packages.

• Business letter writing, grammar and punctuation, and report preparation.

Skill in:

• Supervising others, making presentations and evaluating programs.

• Problem-solving and decision-making.

• Developing databases and conducting research.

• Both verbal and written communication.

Ability to:

• Train and supervise office personnel.

• Plan, assign, motivate and coordinate work of support staff.

• Compile and analyze data, and to write clear and comprehensive reports.

• Assist in monitoring a budget, implementing and maintaining filing and accounting systems.

• Research, compile, analyze, interpret and prepare a variety of fiscal, statistical, legal, and

• administrative reports.

• Manage time well, perform multiple tasks and organize diverse activities.

• Perform in a stressful environment, while maintaining a professional manner.

• Independently prepare correspondence, memorandums and other materials.

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with departmental clientele, attorneys, judges,

• representatives of outside agencies, other County employees and officials, and the general public.

Work Environment & Other Information

Physical requirements include the ability to lift/carry up to 20-50 pounds occasionally, visual acuity, speech and hearing, hand and eye coordination and manual dexterity necessary to operate a computer and office equipment. Subject to standing, walking, sitting, repetitive motion, reaching, climbing stairs, bending, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, pushing, pulling, balancing, client