Administrative Assistant - City Clerk's Office

City-of-Gaithersbur; Observatory Heights (MD); Hybrid; USD 57,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement contributions

Paid time off

Job summary

City of Gaithersburg is seeking an Administrative Assistant III to support the City Clerk and elected officials. The role involves preparing materials for Mayor & City Council meetings, managing records, handling MPIA requests, and assisting in the election process.

Ideal candidates have strong organizational and communication skills, ability to work under deadlines, and proficiency in Microsoft Office 365.

Qualifications

• Experience in office assistance or administrative support.
• Knowledge of municipal government operations or public records is desirable.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Assist in day-to-day operations of the City Clerk's Office and support City programs and policies.
• Prepare and publish meeting agendas, minutes, notices, and related documents for Mayor & City Council.
• Attend meetings to provide administrative support and perform follow-up tasks as needed.
• Manage official City records including organization, archival and destruction.

Skills

Administrative support

Records management

Meeting preparation

Public records requests

Written & verbal communication

Microsoft Office 365

Education

Associate degree or some college coursework desirable

Job description

The City Clerk's Office in the Office of the City Manager is accepting applications for an experienced, organized, and detail-oriented Administrative Assistant III to assist the City Clerk in providing highly responsible administrative support for elected and appointed City officials and other key staff. Working under the direction of the City Clerk and collaboratively with other administrative staff in the City Clerk's Office, responsibilities include preparing materials for Mayor & City Council meetings, including resolutions, ordinances, proclamations, agendas, notices, meeting minutes, and other supporting documents and correspondence; records management; public record requests; filing and document retrieval; assisting in the municipal election process; conducting research and preparing reports; assisting visitors and callers; and other administrative work as assigned.

The ideal candidate will possess strong organizational, customer service, writing, and multi-tasking skills, have excellent attention to detail, and exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to interact with elected and appointed officials, staff at all levels, residents, and other stakeholders. The ability to accomplish tasks under pressure and before deadlines on a consistent basis and proficiency in leveraging technology to enhance efficiency are essential. Must be able to anticipate and address issues and exercise appropriate judgment when executing tasks in the City Clerk's absence, and proactively provide assistance and support whenever and wherever needed. Must be customer focused, flexible, and resourceful to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines, and able to handle last-minute changes with composure and confidence.

Starting salary for this position is negotiable within the target hiring range ($57,000 to $63,000) and will be offered at a level consistent with the experience and qualifications of the candidate. We provide comprehensive insurance benefits (medical, dental, vision, life), paid time off, generous retirement contributions, health and wellness programs, tools to assist with paying down student loan debt and managing student loans, training and professional growth opportunities, and excellent work/life balance.

What you will do with us

• Assist in the day-to-day operations of the City Clerk's Office, including performing a variety of highly responsible professional administrative tasks in support of a wide range of City programs, operations, services, and policies.
• Assist with preparation and publication of Mayor and City Council meeting agendas and packet materials, minutes, notices, announcements, legal advertisements, and transcripts.
• Attend and provide administrative support for meetings of the Mayor and City Council and other public meetings as assigned; perform follow-up activities as needed.
• Assist with management (organization, maintenance, archival, and destruction) of official City records.
• Assist with facilitating accurate and timely processing of legal documents including agreements, contracts, deeds, resolutions, and ordinances.
• Assist the City Clerk with preparing for and conducting City elections in accordance with the City Code.
• Assist with updating and maintaining the City Code and Charter.
• Support the Mayor and City Council's appointment process for City boards, commissions, and committees and provide support to staff liaisons in accordance with the Maryland Open Meetings Act.
• Assist the City Clerk with processing Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) requests, including locating responsive records, organizing documentation, tracking deadlines, and coordinating with departments as needed.
• Provide technical assistance, user support, training, and troubleshooting related to the City's meeting management software system, records repository, and software used for public information requests.
• Respond to inquiries, complaints, and requests and provide information and assistance to the internal and external customers, in person, by telephone, and by email.
• Conduct and analyze research; write, edit, proofread, and prepare correspondence, reports, agendas, minutes, meeting materials, and other documents and materials.
• Maintain databases, records, systems, and filing systems to specifically include electronic records, document/records management systems, meeting management systems, and public record request systems.
• Maintain calendars and schedule meetings and appointments for elected officials.
• Assist the City Clerk with budget and other operating details; monitor expenditures.
• Participate in the development, implementation, and maintenance of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and priorities for assigned programs and projects in the City Clerk's Office.
• Provide outstanding service, pursue continuous improvement, and exceed expectations.

The classification description indicates the full salary range established for this position to provide opportunity for growth and development (Grade 104 in the City's FY 2027 Schedule of Salary Ranges).

What you will need to be considered

• At least 5 years of experience in office assistance/administrative support work; previous professional work experience in a local government setting, City Clerk's Office is preferred.
• Associate degree or some college level coursework desirable.
• Knowledge of municipal government operations, public record requirements, records management, legislative/meeting processes, or public sector administrative practices is desirable.
• Strong and effective interpersonal, organizational, customer service, time/resource management, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Detail oriented and accurate, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize workload, and work quickly and accurately under firm deadlines.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment in prioritizing assignments, resolving routine issues, protecting confidential information, and escalating matters requiring City Clerk review.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 and other relevant software programs, as well as web-based applications; prior experience with meeting management software is preferred.
• Or any acceptable equivalent combination of education, experience, and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to satisfactorily perform job duties.

40 hours per week, Monday through Friday; flexibility to attend meetings, programs, or events outside of the standard workday as assigned (evenings, weekends, holidays) is required. A core work schedule will be determined upon hire. The position can accommodate some remote work (at the discretion of the City Clerk and City Manager). This is a full-time, non-exempt position, which means an individual in this position is eligible for overtime compensation under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the City's personnel regulations. Direct deposit of paychecks is a condition of employment for all City of Gaithersburg employees.

The successful candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation. The City has established an alcohol-free, drug-free, and smoke-free workplace which applies to any person employed by, conducting business with, or applying for a position with the City. Each employee, as a condition of their employment, may be required to participate in pre-employment and reasonable suspicion testing. Employees classified as safety sensitive are also subject to immediate post-accident and random testing.

For more information about the position, contact City Clerk Lia Jones at [e-mail] or 240.805.1084. Questions regarding the online application process may be directed to the Department of Human Resources at [e-mail] or 301.258.6327.

This recruitment will establish an eligibility list which will be used to fill the current vacancy and may be used to fill other openings in this classification which occur in the next 12 months.