Deputy City Manager - Operations

AFE; Columbus (GA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

AFE is seeking an executive leader to guide Public Works, Parks and Recreation, DOT/METRA, Workforce Investment, the 311 Service Center, and other city entities. You will coordinate with department heads to drive strategy, budget, and community engagement, ensuring efficient service delivery.

The role involves interaction with boards, council members, and the City Manager, requiring strong budgeting, negotiation, and communication skills. A Master's degree is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics or related field.
• 3–5 years of related experience directing and coordinating work within a department.
• Possession of or ability to obtain a valid Georgia driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and coordination to multiple city departments via Department Heads.
• Support effective operations, service delivery, strategic priorities, and goals.
• Coordinate with boards, authorities, and entities to support city operations.
• Ensure city operations are conducted in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
• Improve internal and external operations and processes.
• Assist City Manager with annual budget, capital programming, public issues, and council issues.
• Handle legislative agenda issues and communicate with legislators and officials.
• Assess organizational structure and staffing to meet service requirements.
• Engage with community groups about city services and initiatives.
• Attend city council meetings and interact with council members as needed.
• Develop strategic planning to anticipate opportunities and issues.
• Chairs boards and committees supporting city initiatives.
• Attend community events to present proclamations and greetings.
• Coordinate film location requests and related agreements.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Skills

Management techniques

Supervision

Planning

Budget development

Negotiation

Interpersonal relations

Oral and written communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration

Master's degree preferred

Job description

This position provides executive leadership, guidance, and coordination for Public Works, Parks and Recreation, the Department of Transportation/METRA, Workforce Investment, the 311 Service Center, Keep Columbus Beautiful, Family Connection, and Facilities Maintenance.

• Provides executive leadership, guidance, and coordination to assigned CCG departments and functions through their respective Department Heads.
• Supports effective operations, service delivery, strategic priorities, and organizational goals.
• Coordinates and collaborates with boards, authorities, and other entities as needed to support city operations and initiatives.
• Conducts city operations in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
• Works to improve internal and external operations.
• Assists the City Manager in the execution of his or her office, including the annual budget, capital programming, public issues, and council issues.
• Handles legislative agenda issues; communicates between legislative representatives, legislators, city management, and elected officials regarding introduced and
• pending legislation.
• Assesses organizational structure, effectiveness, and staffing levels to meet current and future service requirements.
• Works with community groups regarding community affairs and interest in city services.
• Attends city council meetings and participates as necessary.
• Deals with council members on various issues; makes recommendations concerning the affairs of the city as necessary.
• Develops strategic planning practices to anticipate future opportunities, issues, and concerns.
• Chairs various boards and committees in support of city initiatives.
• Attends community events to present proclamations and to bring greetings on behalf of the city as required.
• Coordinates requests for movie and film productions, including Film Location Agreements.
• Performs other related job duties as assigned

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of management and supervisory techniques.
• Knowledge of planning and organizational techniques.
• Knowledge of the methods of reviewing and evaluating work.
• Skill in developing and implementing a budget.
• Skill in negotiation.
• Skill in dealing with elected officials and the public.
• Skill in interpersonal relations.
• Skill in oral and written communication.

Minimum Educational and Training Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics or related field is required; a Master's degree is preferred. Experience sufficient to thoroughly understand the diverse objectives and functions of the subunits in the department in order to direct and coordinate work within the department, usually interpreted to require three to five years of related experience. Possession of or ability to readily obtain a valid driver's license issued by the State of Georgia for the type of vehicle or equipment operated.

Physical Requirements:

The work is typically performed while sitting at a desk or table with intermittent standing, walking, or stooping. Additionally, the following physical abilities are required:

• Feeling – perceiving attributes of objects by touch with skin, fingertips.
• Grasping – applying pressure to object with fingers, palm.
• Handling – picking, holding, or working with whole hand.
• Hearing 1 – perceiving sounds at normal speaking levels, receive information.
• Hearing 2 – receive detailed information, make discrimination in sound.
• Kneeling – bending legs at knee to come to rest at knees.
• Lifting – raising objects from lower to higher position, moving objects side to side, using upper extremities, back.
• Manual Dexterity – picking, pinching, typing, working with fingers rather than hand.
• Mental Acuity – ability to make rational decisions through sound logic, deductive reasoning.
• Reaching – extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Repetitive Motion – substantial movements of wrists, hands, fingers.
• Speaking – expressing ideas with spoken word, convey detailed, important instructions accurately, concisely.
• Standing – for sustained periods of time.
• Stooping – bending body downward, forward at waist, with full motion of lower extremities and back.
• Talking 1- expressing ideas by spoken word.
• Visual Acuity 1 - prepare, analyze data, transcribing, computer terminal, extensive reading.
• Visual Acuity 2 - color, depth perception, field of vision.
• Visual Acuity 3 - determine accuracy, neatness, observe facilities/structures.
• Walking - on foot to accomplish tasks, long distances, or site to site.

The work is primarily performed in an office setting, with occasional community engagement during and outside of regular business hours.