Executive Assistant

Executive Assistant

Provides highly responsible, complex, and sensitive administrative and technical support to the City Manager, staff, Mayor, and City Council. Coordinates administrative operations within the City Manager's and Mayor's offices and serves as a key liaison between the City Manager, executive leadership, City departments, elected officials, employees and community members. The Executive Assistant manages complex calendars and schedules, coordinates meetings and executive activities, prepares correspondence, and other official documents, and ensures timely follow-up on priorities and assignments. The position routinely handles highly confidential and sensitive information and requires exceptional judgement, discretion, diplomacy, and professionalism.

The City Manager is the chief executive of the City. In addition, the City Manager's Office has operational responsibility for economic development, neighborhood partnerships, community services, constituent services, and communications and media relations.

The ideal candidate is a collaborative and service-oriented professional who demonstrates judgment, discretion, and diplomacy. The ideal candidate is highly organized and adaptable, with the ability to manage competing priorities and handle sensitive and confidential matters with professionalism. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and a commitment to responsible, respectful, and equitable public service is essential to the success in this role. Bilingual applicants strongly encouraged to apply.

Essential Duties

What you will do: Duties may include but are not limited to the following: Performs a wide variety of executive assistant and administrative duties related to daily operations in the City Manager's and Mayor's offices. Represents the City to the public, business community, and other agencies at the request of the City Manager, the Assistant City Manager, or the Mayor. Interprets City policies, procedures, laws, and regulations in response to inquiries and complaints; refers inquiries as appropriate, follows up to resolution and responds to person making initial inquiry, if appropriate. Manages the City Manager's, Mayor's, and Assistant City Manager's calendars; uses judgment in scheduling and adjusting appointments; assures logistics are in place and confirmed. Participates and assists in the administration of the City Manager's and Mayor's offices; recommends organizational or procedural changes affecting support activities;; assures the proper handling and storage/filing of records and documents. Reviews and summarizes miscellaneous reports and documents; prepares background documents as necessary. Researches and analyzes routine administrative projects for the City Manager's and Mayor's offices; prepares first-draft reports. Screens calls, visitors, and mail; responds to sensitive requests for information and assistance; resolves citizen concerns and complaints. Provides follow up on assignments given executive and management staff by the City Manager; provides status reports to the City Manager and Assistant City Manager. Independently responds to letters and general correspondence of a routine nature. Makes travel arrangements; arranges meetings, conferences and civic functions Orders and maintains office supplies, stationary, business cards, and supplies for administrative office staff Initiates and maintains a variety of files and records for information related to the City Manager's and Mayor's offices; maintains manuals and updates resource materials. Performs related work as necessary.

Core Competencies

Knowledge of:

• Organization, procedures and operating details of the City Manager's and Mayor's offices.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Modern office procedures and methods.
• Computer equipment, software, and related automated office equipment such as scanners and copiers.
• Principles and methods of business letter and report writing.
• Principles and procedures of record keeping.
• Principles of professional communications with the public.

Ability to:

• Interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
• Work cooperatively with other departments, City officials, and outside agencies.
• Perform responsible and difficult secretarial work involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Analyze situations carefully and adopt effective courses of action.
• Compile and maintain records and prepare routine reports.
• Maintain confidential data and information for executive staff. Independently prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Work independently in the absence of supervision.
• Operate and effectively use modern office equipment including a computer and related software usual to a modern public agency including but not limited to word processing, spreadsheets, basic publishing software, and charting software.
• Learn and effectively utilize software systems unique to the City of Hayward.
• Understand basic functions of a website, and perform the fundamental user-maintenance tasks of social media and similar web-based tools.
• Schedule and coordinate projects; set priorities; adapt to changing priorities.
• Research, analyze and summarize data.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work including elected officials, City officials, management staff employees, and the general public.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Utilize a keyboard and mouse accurately at an effective word processing speed of 50 words per minute.

Minimum Qualifications

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 years of increasingly responsible administrative support or personal assistant work for an executive, high level manager, or elected official, including some supervisory or lead responsibilities. Education: Equivalent to completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by an Associate's Degree and/or advanced office management/secretarial course work and computer technology classes. A Bachelor's degree is desirable.

Supplemental Information

Benefits and rewards may include: Alternative Work Schedule and/or Telecommuting, Vacation - 80 hours minimum, 15.5 Paid Holidays, Generous employer contribution for Health, Dental and Vision coverage, CalPERS Defined Benefit Retirement Plan, Life and Disability Insurance and Paid Leave, Flexible Spending Accounts, Tuition Reimbursement, Health and Wellness Reimbursement, Professional Development Reimbursement, 457 Deferred Compensation Plan (employee paid).

Selection procedure includes: Application Review, Job Related Testing, Department Interviews. Candidates are encouraged to apply online at under the Current Vacancies tab or at Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hayward City Hall located at 777 B Street, Hayward, CA 94541 or via phone View phone number on click.appcast.io.