Executive Assistant to the City Manager

Executive Assistant to the City Manager

The City Manager's Office is the organizational head of the City and is responsible for administering the policy goals of the City Council and coordinating high-quality, efficient City services to the community through all departments. This six-member office maintains a high ethos of service and responsiveness to the community. It is the hub for Council policy and programs, the community's cultural vibrancy and citywide communications. The City Manager's Office is a highly professional, dynamic environment focused on creative problem-solving and excellent results.

In addition to public communications, cultural arts, community special events management, and citywide coordination of policy and projects, the City Manager's Office coordinates interagency activities and special projects with external organizations such as the San Diego Unified Port District, Coronado Unified School District, U.S. Navy, San Diego Association of Governments, Metropolitan Transit System, the County of San Diego, and all cities in the region. This office manages the City's legislative program including coordination with state and federal regulators, the City's legislative advocate, and the League of California Cities.

The Executive to the City Manager reports to the City Manager. This position provides highly responsible, confidential, and complex executive-level administrative support to the City Manager's Office, serving as a trusted staff member to the City Manager, Mayor, and City Council. The selected candidate will coordinate a wide range of administrative operations, manage executive calendars and meetings, prepare correspondence and City Council reports, oversee records management, and serve as a key liaison with City departments, elected officials, outside agencies, and the public. This position also coordinates special events, administers departmental payroll and accounts payable functions, and supports special projects requiring independent research, analysis, and sound judgment.

Success in this role requires exceptional organizational and communication skills, discretion in handling sensitive information, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. The selected candidate will exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment while ensuring compliance with City policies, maintaining accurate records, and delivering outstanding customer service to internal and external stakeholders.

The ideal candidate is an experienced executive administrative professional who thrives in a dynamic public sector environment. They possess exceptional organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills and communicate effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization. They demonstrate professionalism, diplomacy, tact, and sound judgment when handling confidential and sensitive matters, while maintaining the highest level of integrity and discretion.

The successful candidate is detail-oriented, customer-focused, adaptable, and capable of managing competing priorities with confidence and efficiency. They excel at building collaborative working relationships with elected officials, City staff, community members, and external partners, and are committed to providing responsive, high-quality service while supporting the City's executive leadership team.

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Five (5) years of increasingly responsible professional-level administration or analytical experience. Proficiency in Microsoft Word and Excel is required. Experience in a government setting with elected and appointed officials is highly desirable.

Education/Training: Equivalent to a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business administration, public administration, communications, or a related field.