Intake Coordinator (Coordinator I)

City of Portland; Portland (OR); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Portland is seeking an Intake Coordinator in the Auditor’s Office to help community members access Ombudsman services and navigate concerns about City government. Based in the Ombudsman’s Office, the role tracks inquiries, supports intake and referrals, maintains case information, and assists with communications and outreach in a hybrid work setting.

Successful candidates will bring customer service experience, cultural competence, strong organizational skills, and the ability to

Qualifications

• Experience providing efficient and compassionate customer service, assisting with intake or referrals, or helping people navigate services and resolve concerns.
• Expertise in culturally competent, cross-cultural, and accessible communication.
• Sound judgment in following established guidelines, protecting confidential information, and recognizing when to seek guidance.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in maintaining records, coordinating activities, and managing competing tasks.
• Ability to draft, proofread, and format clear, accessible communications and learn tools such as Salesforce and GovDelivery.
• A collaborative approach to supporting colleagues, gathering information, and working with community partners.
• A commitment to government accountability and transparency.

Responsibilities

• Tracking incoming complaints and maintaining case records in Salesforce.
• Conducting complaint intake interviews and explaining Ombudsman services and procedures.
• Assisting with straightforward complaint resolution or referral within guidelines and routing complex cases to the Ombudsman team.
• Answering main phone line and shared email inboxes, responding to routine questions and directing inquiries to appropriate services.
• Identifying opportunities for community outreach to increase awareness of Ombudsman services.
• Drafting communications, formatting and proofreading reports, and supporting newsletters and email communications.
• Coordinating meetings, calendars, and event logistics; and researching information to support investigations and process improvements.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Cross-cultural communication

Organizational skills

Drafting communications

Education

Course work in communication, marketing, business administration, public administration, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

GovDelivery

Job description

The Position

The Auditor’s Office is seeking a thoughtful, service-oriented Intake Coordinator to help community members access Ombudsman services and navigate concerns about City government. Based in the Ombudsman’s Office, this position tracks incoming inquiries, supports complaint intake and referrals, maintains case information, and assists with communications and outreach. The coordinator also provides officewide customer service for the Auditor’s Office. This position is new to the Auditor’s Office and has initially been created as a limited term, 2‑year position with the intent to make it a permanent position.

The Auditor is an elected position, independent of City Council and accountable only to the public. The Auditor’s Office ensures open and accountable government by providing impartial reviews and investigations, access to public information, and services to City government and the public. It employs nearly 50 people across seven divisions.

This position reports directly to the City Ombudsman and supports a team that investigates and informally resolves complaints about City services and promotes fairness, equity, and accountability in City government. Working within established guidelines, the coordinator conducts complaint intake, assists with straightforward complaint resolution or referral, and provides administrative, outreach/communications, and research support. The position refers complaints requiring evaluation or investigation to the Ombudsman team.

Responsibilities Of The Intake Coordinator Include

• Tracking incoming complaints;
• Conducting complaint intake interviews, documenting concerns, and explaining Ombudsman services and procedures;
• Assisting with straightforward complaint resolution or referral within established guidelines and forwarding complaints requiring further evaluation to the Ombudsman team;
• Maintaining accurate case records in Salesforce and obtaining case data for analysis and reporting;
• Answering the Auditor’s Office main phone line and shared email inboxes, responding to routine questions, and connecting people with appropriate services;
• Identifying opportunities for and supporting community outreach to increase awareness of and access to Ombudsman services;
• Drafting communications, formatting and proofreading reports, and supporting officewide newsletters and email communications;
• Coordinating meetings, calendars, and event logistics; and
• Researching information to support team investigations or to support process improvements for the ombudsman function.

Successful Candidates Will Have

• Experience providing efficient and compassionate customer service, assisting with intake or referrals, or helping people navigate services and resolve concerns, including individuals in distress;
• Expertise in culturally competent, cross-cultural, and accessible communication;
• Sound judgment in following established guidelines, protecting confidential information, and recognizing when to seek guidance;
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in maintaining records, coordinating activities, and managing competing tasks;
• The ability to draft, proofread, and format clear, accessible communications and learn tools such as Salesforce and GovDelivery;
• A collaborative approach to supporting colleagues, gathering information, and working with community partners; and
• A commitment to government accountability and transparency.

The Auditor’s Office values a diverse workforce and a culture of equity and inclusion in delivering public services and everyday interactions in the workplace. The Office encourages candidates with experience working with a broad range of individuals and diverse communities to apply.

To Qualify

• Course work from an accredited college or university in communication, marketing, business administration, public administration, or field related to organizational unit or Auditor’s Office; and
• One (1) year of experience providing customer service, coordinating intake or referrals, or supporting programs through communications, research, outreach, or administrative coordination in a public agency or customer service-related setting.

Preferred Qualifications

• Three (3) or more years of public-facing customer service experience involving direct assistance with complaints, referrals, or navigating services in a public agency, nonprofit, or community-based organization.
• Experience directly assisting members of systemically excluded communities in accessing services, including addressing barriers such as those related to language, disability, income, or distrust of government.
• Experience supporting community engagement and outreach, including efforts to build relationships with community-based organizations or to raise awareness of services among systemically excluded communities.

Additional Information

Salary range/Pay equity: Per the Oregon State Pay Equity Law, individual salaries are determined based on the experience and education listed in a candidate’s resume/application. It is strongly encouraged to include any transferable experience (paid or unpaid regardless of how recent) to ensure an offer is reflective of all directly related and equivalent experience.

Represented status: This classification is represented by American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 189 – Auditor’s Office, view the agreement at www.portland.gov/bhr/27840 .

Language pay differential: Auditor’s Office employees who speak one or more languages in addition to English, may be eligible to receive additional compensation if they qualify and use their language skills to assist the community.

Employee benefits: The City of Portland is committed to offering medical, dental, vision, basic life, and long-term disability coverage that provides quality care, support and value to eligible employees and their family members.?Additional benefits such as flexible spending accounts, supplemental?life insurance?and employee assistance program coverage are available to ensure employees have the appropriate tools to safeguard themselves and their family. The City of Portland participates in PERS, the Oregon Public Employee Retirement System.? Find more information on the City of Portland's benefits here: www.portland.gov/bhr/60196

Civil Service: This position is in the Classified Service and subject to Civil Service provisions. It also is subject to the Human Resources Administrative Rules for the Auditor’s Office, City Charter, and Code.

Work status: Non-citizen applicants must be authorized to work in the United States at the time of application.

Work location: The position is based in City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave. The Auditor’s Office is currently operating in a hybrid schedule of in-person and remote work, with employees expected to work half-time in-person.

Equal employment opportunity: It is the policy of the City of Portland that no person shall be discriminated against based on race, religion, color, sex, marital status, family status, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or source of income. The City values diversity and encourages everyone who is interested in employment with the City to apply.

Disability, Pregnancy, and Religious Accommodations: If you identify as a person with a disability, are pregnant or nursing, or observe a religious practice(s) and would like to request a reasonable accommodation when applying for this job, contact Administrative Specialist Arianna Gazca at [e-mail] .

Technical assistance: If you have questions about how to apply or require any assistance in submitting your application, please contact Administrative Specialist Arianna Gazca at [e-mail] .

For more information about the Auditor’s Office: www.portland.gov/auditor/