City Manager & Communications Assistant

Supervision Received:

Work is performed under the direction of the City of Ypsilanti City Manager and the Communications Manager. The job requires a commitment to occasional evenings and weekends as needed.

Essential Job Functions:

An employee in this position may be called upon to assist with any or all of the following essential duties. While this does not include all the duties that the employee may be expected to perform, the individual should be able to accomplish each essential function satisfactorily.

• Carry out necessary administrative actions to support the City Manager and Communications Manager including but not limited to preparation of agendas, reports, minutes and recommendations for meetings; maintain minutes, files and records, budget preparation; and purchasing, accounting, invoicing, notices and correspondence on behalf of the City.
• Answering phone and emails for the City.
• Drafts press releases, responds to media inquiries, and coordinates interviews for city officials.
• Assist in transcribing minutes from various board and commission meetings.
• Assists with special projects, research, and policy analysis to support city initiatives.
• Responds to resident concerns, tracks issues, and ensures timely follow-up with appropriate departments.
• Helps organize public meetings, open houses, and forums to facilitate community dialogue and gather feedback.
• Assist with the development and implementation of the Communications Strategy.
• Assist the City Manager and Communications to keep City Council and other organizations informed on the progress of the work program through verbal and/or written updates, e-newsletters, and presentations.
• Other duties may be assigned by the City Manager and The Communications Manager.

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, abilities and minimum qualifications necessary to perform the essential functions of the position.

Education and Experience:

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Education or experience in any of the following areas as possible: 1) marketing, 2) finance, 3) business, 4) grant writing, 5) public relations.

Necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Impeccable writing and grammar skills.
• Must be entrepreneurial, self-starting, energetic, imaginative, and can prioritize tasks and assignments; must be an organizer capable of functioning effectively in a very independent environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with property owners, business operators, supervisors, volunteers, employees, and the general public.
• Knowledge of modern office procedures and practices.
• Must be extremely proficient with word processing, spreadsheet, database, and presentation software, as well as other programs determined to be essential to efficient and effective job performance. Must be able to maintain the city website and know applicable software to manage the site-proficiency in design software, either Adobe Creative Suites or Canva.
• Skill in maintaining effective working relations with co-workers, merchants, property owners, public officials and the general public.
• Ability to deal effectively with stress and deadlines.

Physical Demands and Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate with others in person and on the telephone. The employee is frequently required to create, type, and review computer documents and sit for long periods of time at a computer. Employment may be required to travel to other locations, drive a car, and to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items of light to moderate weight.

While performing duties of this job, the employee usually works in a business office setting. The noise level in the work environment is usually low, but dependent on location, it can range from moderate to high.

This position requires monthly availability after regular business hours for public meetings and/or events.

BACKGROUND & DRUG SCREEN DISCLAIMER

The City of Ypsilanti is committed to providing a safe and productive work environment for all employees. As part of our hiring process, we conduct background checks and drug screenings to ensure the integrity of our workforce and the safety of our workplace.

Background checks may include verification of employment history, education, professional licenses, and any criminal records. Drug screenings may involve testing for illegal substances, prescription medications, and other controlled substances.

By applying for a position with the City of Ypsilanti, if selected, you consent to undergo background checks and drug screenings as part of the hiring process. Please note that refusal to participate in these screenings may result in disqualification from consideration for employment.

Please be assured that all information gathered during background checks and drug screenings will be treated confidentially and used solely for employment-related purposes.

If you have any questions or concerns about our background check and drug screening procedures, please feel free to contact our Human Resources department for clarification.

Human Resources Department

City of Ypsilanti