Commissioner Aide

Alachua County; Gainesville (FL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Alachua County is seeking a highly responsible professional to support the Board of County Commissioners with legislative research, constituent services, and administrative duties. The role serves as a liaison between commissioners, county departments, and community stakeholders, preparing briefing materials and reports for meetings and public events.

A Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, political science, or a related field plus at least one year of professional experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and one year of professional experience in administrative support, legislative research, or related government work.
• Applicants within six months of meeting the minimum education/experience may be considered for trainee status.

Responsibilities

• Researches and analyzes proposed legislation, policies, and Board actions.
• Prepares reports, briefing materials, and summaries for commissioners and staff.
• Supports constituent services and addresses inquiries with professionalism.
• Acts as liaison between commissioners, departments, agencies, and community organizations.
• Attends meetings and prepares meeting notes and follow-up actions.
• Manages multiple priorities with discretion and sound judgment.

Skills

Local government operations

Florida statutes & ordinances

Written communication

Verbal communication

MS Office proficiency

Research & analysis

Time management

Discretion & confidentiality

Public liaison & stakeholder comms

Education

Bachelor's degree in public administration or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Bachelor's degree in public or business administration, political science, or a related field and one year of professional experience in administrative support, legislative research, constituent services, government operations; or any equivalent combination of related training and experience. Applicants within six months of meeting the minimum education/experience requirement may be considered for trainee status.

Successful completion of all applicable background checks pre-hire and ongoing are required.

This is highly responsible professional work providing legislative, administrative, research, constituent-service, and project support to one or more members of the Board of County Commissioners. The position serves as a liaison between commissioners, constituents, stakeholders, County departments, governmental agencies, and community organizations.

An employee assigned to this classification researches and analyzes proposed legislation, policies, Board actions, and special initiatives; prepares reports and briefing materials; responds to constituent concerns; coordinates follow-up with appropriate departments and agencies; and supports commissioners at meetings, public events, and outreach activities. This position requires sound judgment, strong research and communication skills, political awareness, discretion, responsiveness, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a public-service environment.

Work is performed independently under the general direction of a higher-level supervisor and is reviewed through reports, conferences and observation of results obtained.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

This is an emergency essential classification. Upon declaration of a disaster and/or emergency, all employees in this classification are required to work.

Exudes a positive customer service focus.

Advocates building organizational culture through aligning decisions with the County's core values.

• Monitors and researches proposed and upcoming legislation at the county and state levels; analyzes the potential fiscal, operational, regulatory, and community impacts of proposed legislation on the County; and prepares concise legislative summaries, briefing documents, reports, and other materials for commissioners and appropriate administrative staff.
• Researches and analyzes proposed policies, special initiatives, Board actions, projects, and related information and data from the County and comparable counties to support policy development and advance commissioner priorities.
• Prepares detailed reports, summaries, findings, and recommendations for commissioners, administrative staff, and other involved officials.
• Maintains a general understanding of Florida Statutes, local ordinances, County policies, and governmental processes to support accurate and well-informed analysis and decision-making.
• Assists commissioners in managing constituent and stakeholder matters and supporting effective time management by reviewing, researching, prioritizing, and routing correspondence, requests, documents, and other information; coordinating with appropriate County departments, governmental agencies, and outside organizations to address and resolve complaints, concerns, requests, and inquiries; responding promptly and professionally through telephone, email, written correspondence, and in-person contact; tracking matters through completion; and providing timely status updates to the commissioner and involved parties.
• Monitors the work of community organizations that are relevant to the work being championed by the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC).
• Serves as a liaison between the commissioner and governmental agencies, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Monitors and tracks departmental or agency progress in responding to Board motions involving constituent concerns, stakeholder issues, projects, or policy matters.
• Attends meetings, hearings, workshops, and other proceedings as assigned; takes notes and provides summaries of discussions, decisions, and required follow-up actions.
• Supports commissioners in preparing for meetings, events, decisions, and public communications by reviewing agendas, supporting documents, correspondence, reports, and other materials; identifying and prioritizing matters requiring attention; researching, collecting, organizing, and analyzing relevant information; routing time-sensitive correspondence and requests to the appropriate County department, agency, staff member, or official; and preparing briefing materials, background information, issue summaries, talking points, meeting notes, presentations, correspondence, reports, memoranda, and other written materials for the commissioner’s review or use.
• Coordinates with administrative staff to ensure deadlines, meeting requirements, action items, and follow-up responsibilities are completed.
• Assists the commissioners at public events, community meetings, civic functions, workshops, and outreach activities; represents the commissioners at meetings or events when directed and provides summaries of relevant discussions, concerns, and follow-up items.
• Maintains organized and accurate records of proposed legislation, bill positions, policy matters, stakeholder contacts, constituent concerns and correspondence, departmental referrals, responses, resolutions, research materials, reports, other documents associated with the commissioner’s policy portfolio and outstanding follow-up items.
• Organizes information in a manner that permits timely retrieval and supports continuity of commissioner priorities and projects.
• Handles and maintains records and information in accordance with applicable County policies, public-records requirements, retention schedules, and confidentiality requirements, exercising discretion, sound judgment, professionalism, and political awareness when managing sensitive, privileged, personnel-related, constituent, and pre-decisional information.
• Exercises appropriate judgment when communicating information to constituents, stakeholders, County employees, governmental representatives, and members of the public.
• Maintains professional, positive, and effective working relationships with constituents, community organizations, elected officials, County employees, governmental representatives, and other stakeholders while demonstrating neutrality, respect, and professionalism when addressing diverse interests, concerns, and viewpoints.
• Performs the duties listed, as well as those assigned, with professionalism and a sense of urgency.

NOTE: These examples are intended only as illustrations of the various kinds of work performed in positions allocated to this class. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of local government operations and public administration.
• Knowledge of Florida Statutes, local ordinances, County policies, legislative processes, and governmental procedures.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear, concise, accurate, and well-organized reports, briefing documents, correspondence, summaries, and presentations.
• Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with elected officials, employees, constituents, stakeholders, governmental agencies, and members of the public.
• Proficient skills in Microsoft Office applications and other communication, research, records-management, and project-tracking systems.
• Ability to research, read, interpret, analyze, and summarize proposed legislation, policy documents, ordinances, regulations, reports, and complex information.
• Ability to assess the potential impact of legislative and policy proposals on County operations, finances, services, programs, and residents.
• Ability to respond to constituent concerns with professionalism, patience, empathy, tact, and sound judgment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with County departments, community organizations, governmental representatives, and diverse members of the public.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, competing priorities, sensitive issues, and time-sensitive deadlines with limited supervision.
• Ability to exercise discretion and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to collect, organize, analyze, and present information and data.
• Ability to monitor projects, maintain accurate records, track action items, and follow assignments through completion.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach and be mobile.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus associated with the constant use of computer monitors.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The 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 the essential functions.

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.