Special Assistant to the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services - Mayor's Office

Special Assistant To The Deputy Mayor Of Health And Human Services

Salary Range: $81,097.00 - $129,584.00 Annually

Hiring Salary Range: $81,097.00 - $105,000.00 Annually

Job Summary

The Special Assistant to the Deputy Mayor of Health and Human Services serves as a critical strategic partner and operational anchor for the HHS cluster of agencies. This high-visibility role demands an exceptionally organized, politically astute, and mission-driven professional who can seamlessly represent the Mayor's priorities as it relates to HHS across Baltimore City government, with community partners, and in public-facing settings. The Special Assistant will operate at the intersection of executive administration, policy, and program management, balancing day-to-day operational demands with longer-horizon strategic initiatives. This role requires a detail-oriented, highly organized individual with excellent judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate has experience supporting senior-level executives, understands the nuances of government operations, and excels at project management, coordinating logistics and preparing executive-level written materials.

Essential Functions

• Executive Administrative Support and Calendar Management
• Manage and coordinate the Deputy Mayor's calendar, including scheduling internal and external meetings, briefings, site visits, and events.
• Track and prepare briefing materials and agendas for daily engagements, ensuring the Deputy Mayor or Mayor is well-prepared and informed.
• Organize and maintain files, documents, and correspondence related to the HHS portfolio.
• Anticipate scheduling conflicts and proactively resolve them, balancing competing demands across the HHS cluster and broader City government.

• Meeting/Event Planning and Coordination
• Conceptualize, design, and manage events including interagency convenings, team meetings, and policy briefings.
• Oversee all logistical dimensions of events including venue, catering, AV, speakers, programming, materials, and post-event follow-up.
• Ensure events reflect the Mayor's priorities, and commitment to community engagement with professionalism and cultural competency.

• Meeting Representation & Facilitation
• Attend internal and external meetings in place of the Deputy Mayor as an authorized representative of the HHS cluster, actively participating in discussions and exercising informed judgment on behalf of the DM and HHS cluster
• Capture comprehensive meeting notes, identify action items, and ensure timely follow-through by relevant parties.
• Lead and facilitate team meetings within the Deputy Mayor's Office and across HHS agencies, driving agendas, managing time, and synthesizing outcomes.

• Special Projects & Strategic Initiatives
• Lead cross-agency special projects from inception to completion, applying rigorous project management methodologies to scope, plan, execute, and evaluate initiatives aligned with the Mayor's strategic priorities.
• Develop and maintain project charters, work plans, timelines, and performance dashboards to ensure accountability and transparency.
• Coordinate with agency leads, program directors, and external partners to advance priority initiatives, resolve implementation barriers, and sustain momentum
• Prepare executive-level reports and status updates for the Deputy Mayor, Mayor's Office, and relevant stakeholders.

• Legislative & Policy Support
• Track and analyze local and state legislation relevant to the HHS portfolio, preparing summaries, impact analyses, and recommended positions for the HHS cluster.
• Support the Deputy Mayor's engagement with the Baltimore City Council and Maryland General Assembly, including preparation of testimony, briefings, and legislative correspondence.
• Coordinate agency responses to legislative inquiries and help manage the Office's relationships with legislative staff and elected officials' offices.

• Communications and Memo Preparation
• Draft high-quality memos, letters, talking points, meeting summaries, and other written communications on behalf of the Deputy Mayor.
• Prepare concise summaries of meetings and policy updates for internal and external distribution.
• Ensure that all written materials align with the Mayor's policy priorities and the Deputy Mayor's messaging tone.
• Monitor, triage, and respond to the Deputy Mayor's email on her behalf, ensuring timely acknowledgment, appropriate escalation, and professional representation of the Office.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, building and maintaining trusted relationships across agencies, elected offices, and community organizations.

Minimum Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in public administration, communications, political science, public health, or a related field.

AND

Experience: At least 35 years of experience providing administrative or executive support to a senior leader, preferably in a government or public service setting.

OR

Equivalency Notes: Have an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Excellent written and oral communication skills with demonstrated experience drafting executive-level correspondence and briefing materials.
• Exceptional organizational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize, and meet tight deadlines.
• Professional discretion and the ability to handle confidential information with integrity.
• Demonstrated project management experience with the ability to manage multiple concurrent complex initiatives under deadline.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft polished correspondence and synthesize complex information quickly.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the demonstrated ability to build effective relationships across diverse stakeholders.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams) and collaborative platforms.

Preferred:

Advanced degree (MPA, MPH, MBA, JD, or equivalent) strongly preferred

Experience working in a government, public sector, or complex multi-stakeholder environment.

Familiarity with Baltimore City government structure, health and human services landscape, and relevant policy areas.

Formal project management training or certification (PMP, Lean, or similar) is a plus.

Experience supporting or navigating legislative or regulatory processes at the local or state level.

Additional Information

Background Check

Eligible candidates under final consideration for appointment to positions identified as positions of trust will be required to complete authorization for a Criminal Background Check and/or Fingerprint screening, and must be successfully completed.

Probation

All persons, including current City employees, selected for this position must complete a 6-month mandatory probation.

Financial Disclosure

This position is required to complete a Financial Disclosure pursuant to Sections 7-7, 7-8, and 7-9 of the City Ethics Law. The initial financial disclosure must be submitted within 30 days of hire.

Baltimore City Government is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer, and we are committed to a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City of Baltimore prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, ancestry, creed, national origin, disability status, genetics, marital status, military service, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Applicants requiring accommodation during the hiring process should contact the Department of Human Resources directly. Requests for accommodation should not be attached to the application.

BALTIMORE CITY IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER