MPTA Executive Special Assistant

Department: Charlotte Area Transit System Department

Salary: $81226.00 - $116762.94 Commensurate with Experience

Thank you for your interest in joining the team that keeps Charlotte moving at a very exciting time for our organization. At the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) were committed to delivering safe reliable and innovative transit services for our growing community and we value employees who bring professionalism passion and a commitment to public service.

This position is currently employed by CATS a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last years sales tax referendum CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance improve accountability and support longterm investment in mobility. Its an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region.

Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31 2026 and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027 with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties reporting structure and daily responsibilities will remain consistent with no break in service. If anything delays the transition your City employment including compensation and benefits will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs.

The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern sustainable and efficient transit system one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. Were excited about whats ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it.

SUMMARY

The Executive Special Assistant provides highlevel strategic support to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) serving as a trusted advisor in managing executive priorities complex initiatives and sensitive organizational matters. They coordinate and advance multifaceted projects communications and stakeholder relationships while overseeing executive office operations with exceptional judgment discretion and political awareness.

This role ensures the CAO and CEO are fully supported and prepared by managing competing demands; organizing highvisibility meetings briefings and executive materials; and independently driving followthrough on issues requests and action items. The Executive Special Assistant is expected to anticipate needs uphold confidentiality manage sensitive information responsibly and help maintain alignment across strategic initiatives and organizational commitments.

Characterized by strategic coordination independence and trusted-advisor engagement this role plays a critical part in sustaining effective executive decision support issue management and stakeholder continuity for the organization.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Executive Support

• Provide highlevel strategic support to assigned executives ensuring administrative operational and communication activities align with organizational priorities and leadership expectations.
• Manage executive priorities scheduling demands commitments and workflow with strong foresight anticipating needs and proactively preparing required materials.
• Prepare refine and coordinate polished executive correspondence presentations briefings talking points reports and other strategic materials.
• Ensure executives are fully informed equipped and supported for meetings decisions public engagements and internal leadership interactions.

Complex Project and Issue Coordination

• Coordinate and support highly complex highvisibility assignments projects initiatives and followup actions on behalf of executive leadership.
• Track deadlines commitments decision points major initiatives and deliverables requiring executive attention or organizational followthrough.
• Gather context data and insights from departments leaders and stakeholders to support issue resolution and inform executive decisionmaking.
• Independently advance assigned matters navigating barriers and resolving issues within delegated authority while maintaining alignment with expectations.

Executive Communications and Workflow Management

• Oversee and prioritize executive-level communications including emails correspondence requests and scheduling matters ensuring clarity and responsiveness.
• Identify and elevate urgent sensitive highimpact or politically relevant issues requiring timely executive awareness or action.
• Draft refine and coordinate routine and semiroutine communications ensuring professional tone and accuracy.
• Serve as a trusted gatekeeper for the executive office managing access maintaining communication flow and ensuring appropriate followup.

Stakeholder and Relationship Coordination

• Coordinate interactions with internal leaders board-related functions external agencies regional partners vendors and community organizations to support executive relationships and priorities.
• Maintain continuity and professionalism in executive relationships by tracking followup items commitments and stakeholder concerns.
• Represent the executive office with credibility and diplomacy in communications scheduling and coordination activities.
• Ensure stakeholder inquiries concerns and requests are organized monitored and addressed promptly and appropriately.

Board Leadership and Executive Office Support

• Coordinate materials agendas logistics and followup for board-level leadership and executive meetings ensuring accuracy clarity and readiness.
• Organize records calendars executive files tracking tools and reference materials to maintain a high-functioning executive office.
• Support administrative processes related to reporting cycles special initiatives leadership meetings and executive operational controls.
• Maintain structure consistency and accountability across executive office operations by ensuring alignment and documentation integrity.

Confidential and Sensitive Administrative Support

• Manage confidential politically sensitive legal financial personnel and operational information with exceptional discretion and sound judgment.
• Exercise professionalism and maturity when handling sensitive communications or highrisk matters requiring careful navigation.
• Identify reputational operational or organizational risks early and respond appropriately through coordination communication or escalation.
• Uphold confidentiality integrity and professionalism in every facet of executive support and information management.

Core Competencies:

Strategic Thinking: Ability to interpret executive priorities organizational dynamics and the broader implications of decisions; align support activities with strategic direction; and anticipate how issues stakeholder interests and timing influence executive outcomes.

• Aligns daily actions communication and workflow with executive priorities and organizational goals.
• Anticipates how issues decisions and emerging trends may impact broader operations and relationships.
• Balances immediate demands with longer-term strategic needs organizing work to support both effectively.

Advanced Problem Solving: Ability to assess complex executive and administrative challenges analyze information identify viable options and independently move issues toward resolution within delegated authority.

• Resolves highcomplexity coordination and operational issues with minimal direction.
• Identifies barriers risks and dependencies taking proactive action to mitigate or resolve them.
• Elevates matters requiring executive attention with thoughtful context options and supporting information.

Project Management: Ability to coordinate and sustain momentum across highstakes multistep initiatives involving multiple contributors tight deadlines and executive decision points.

• Monitors major initiatives commitments deadlines and action items with precision and clarity.
• Coordinates logistics materials communication pathways and followup across complex assignments.
• Maintains continuity and visibility across moving pieces to keep projects organized and progressing.

Stakeholder Management: Ability to build and maintain professional diplomatic and credible relationships with senior leaders internal staff external agencies regional partners vendors and other stakeholders.

• Engages effectively and respectfully with leaders and stakeholders across organizational boundaries.
• Supports continuity and responsiveness in executive-level relationships and interactions.
• Navigates sensitive situations with tact professionalism and sound judgment.

Proactive Decision-Making: Ability to anticipate needs assess priorities and take timely action within delegated authority to prevent delays resolve issues and maintain executive momentum.

• Anticipates executive needs and initiates action without unnecessary prompting.
• Distinguishes urgent matters from routine workflow and responds appropriately.
• Makes informed decisions that sustain executive progress and support uninterrupted operations.

Minimum Qualifications

• Associate degree and seven (7) years of progressively responsible clerical administrative support customer service or general office support experience including at least four (4) years supporting a senior executive chief or other executive-level leader; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in business administration office administration public administration communications political science or a related field.
• Experience supporting executive leadership in a public agency transportation organization or similarly complex operating environment.
• Experience coordinating board-related materials executive briefings leadership communications or high-visibility strategic initiatives.
• Experience serving in a trusted executive support role requiring mature judgment discretion and independent action.
• Experience managing highly sensitive information executive priorities complex scheduling high-level communications and cross-functional coordination.
• Experience supporting complex projects executive follow-up stakeholder interactions and executive office operations with substantial independence.
• Experience using standard office software including word processing email spreadsheets calendar applications presentation software and collaboration tools.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The Citys Background Check Policy requires background checks to be conducted on final internal or external candidate(s) applying for any position with the City of Charlotte. The type of information that will be collected as part of a background check includes but is not limited to: reference checks social security verification education verification criminal conviction record check and if applicable a credit history check sex offender registry and motor vehicle records check.

Background checks must be in compliance with all federal and state statutes such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The checks must be consistent with the guidelines set forth by these laws requiring organizations to obtain a candidates written authorization before obtaining a criminal background report motor vehicle records check or credit report; and to properly store and dispose of information derived from such reports.

Final candidates must pass a pre-employment drug-screening test and physical examination. During the selection process candidates may be asked to take a skills test and/or participate in other assessments.

The City of Charlotte is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race religion color sex national origin marital status age disability sexual orientation political affiliation or on the basis of actual or perceived gender as expressed through dress appearance or behavior.

Our culture is to serve the community honorably.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online.

Federal law requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Please tell us if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job.

You are welcome to visit the City of Charlotte Human Resources Department lobby where self-service application kiosks are available. They are located in our office at 700 East 4th Street Suite 200 Charlotte NC 28202. We are open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (EST) excluding official City holidays.

For questions about your application or the hiring process please email

The City of Charlotte is committed to making our services and programs accessible to all. Upon request auxiliary aids written materials in alternate formats language access and other reasonable accommodations or modifications will be provided. To make a request please fill out the Innovation & Technology ADA request form or call View phone number on us.fitly.work.

BENEFITS

The City of Charlotte provides a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees.

Click hereto learn more about the City of Charlottes benefits.

The City of Charlotte is a drug and alcohol-free workplace.

Required Experience:

Exec