Legislative Assistant – Councilmember Foster

Seattle Legislative Department; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 106,488 - 114,840; Full time

Job summary

The Seattle Legislative Department seeks a Legislative Assistant to support the Councilmember Dionne Foster, manage constituent services, scheduling, and public-facing responsibilities in a fast-paced office located in Seattle City Hall.

This role requires excellent communication, discretion, and the ability to triage information, coordinate with community groups, prepare briefing materials, and help with outreach and policy analysis.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, political science, business, public administration, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in effective constituent services, administrative assistance, community outreach, public relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high volumes of information and competing priorities with strong time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and concisely.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and remain calm under pressure.
• High attention to detail and ability to execute multiple complex tasks accurately under time constraints.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, with a consistent commitment to accountability and follow-through.
• Experience working with diverse communities and demonstrated cultural competency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook and similar scheduling tools.

Responsibilities

• Assume responsibility for administrative and scheduling support to the Councilmember, including maintaining and managing the Councilmember’s calendar scheduling, organizing, and coordinating meetings and appointments between the Councilmember and other stakeholders.
• Respond to inquiries from residents, including answering phone calls and responding to emails and letters, and attending hybrid and in-person meetings and events.
• Assess, prioritize, and manage a high volume of constituent inquiries and issues, balancing urgency, impact, and resource constraints.
• Implement and maintain a robust system to track inquiries from intake through resolution, ensuring accountability, prompt follow-through, and responsiveness.
• Coordinate with community groups, individuals, and government agencies to address and resolve local issues efficiently and effectively.
• Exercise strong judgment in escalating, delegating, or resolving issues based on competing priorities and stakeholder needs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with community organizations, businesses, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as a frontline representative of the office through meetings, events, and public engagements.
• Organize and attend community meetings and forums on behalf of the Councilmember.
• Staff the Councilmember at external events, coordinating logistics and preparing briefing materials and talking points.
• Manage and prioritize competing stakeholder interests with professionalism, clarity, and fairness.
• Foster clear and effective communication within the office and with other Council offices and City departments.
• Provide regular, concise updates to the Councilmember and staff on constituent issues, community concerns, and emerging priorities.
• Monitor policy and legislative developments and provide relevant analysis tied to constituent and district impacts.
• Draft and support development of communications materials, including newsletters, presentations, and digital content.
• Develop social media content creation aligned with office priorities.
• Manage constituent correspondence and assist with public records responses.
• Synthesize complex information into clear, actionable briefings to support decision-making.
• Assume primary responsibility for managing constituent correspondence and preparing responses to public records requests.
• Analyze and synthesize complex information to brief the Councilmember on key issues to support informed decision-making.
• Assist with duties assigned to other members of the Councilmember’s team when they are not available; perform other duties as assigned by the Councilmember or Chief of Staff.

Skills

Constituent services

Administrative support

Community outreach

Public relations

Time management

Organizational skills

Written communication

Verbal communication

Discretion

Confidentiality

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, political science, business, public administration, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Outlook

Job description

Position Description

The Office of Councilmember Dionne Foster (Position 8) is seeking a motivated and dedicated professional to join our team as a Legislative Assistant.

In this key role, you will be instrumental in ensuring the smooth operation of the Councilmember's office by managing constituent services, serving as a primary public-facing representative of the office, and supporting the Councilmember’s legislative and community-focused priorities.

This role operates in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where you will be expected to have the ability to quickly assess, triage, and prioritize competing demands. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate exceptional time management, organizational discipline, and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to process large volumes of information, identify what matters most, and drive timely outcomes. This position requires superior communication and interpersonal skills, political savvy, sound judgment, and discretion. You will be successful in this role if you are proactive, detail-oriented, adaptable, and accountable, with a commitment to delivering high-quality, responsive service to constituents and community partners.

This position is part of a hard-working, supportive team comprised of three staff members with this position reporting directly to the Councilmember. This at-will appointment serves at the discretion of the Councilmember.

The initial review of applications will take place for those received by Friday, August 7, at 4:00 pm Pacific Time. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, and the position will remain open until filled.

Job Responsibilities

Administrative Support And Constituent Relations:

• Assume responsibility for administrative and scheduling support to the Councilmember, including maintaining and managing the Councilmember’s calendar scheduling, organizing, and coordinating meetings and appointments between the Councilmember and other stakeholders.
• Respond to inquiries from residents, including answering phone calls and responding to emails and letters, and attending hybrid and in-person meetings and events.
• Assess, prioritize, and manage a high volume of constituent inquiries and issues, balancing urgency, impact, and resource constraints.
• Implement and maintain a robust system to track inquiries from intake through resolution, ensuring accountability, prompt follow-through, and responsiveness.
• Coordinate with community groups, individuals, and government agencies to address and resolve local issues efficiently and effectively.
• Exercise strong judgment in escalating, delegating, or resolving issues based on competing priorities and stakeholder needs.

Community Outreach And Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with community organizations, businesses, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as a frontline representative of the office through meetings, events, and public engagements.
• Organize and attend community meetings and forums on behalf of the Councilmember.
• Staff the Councilmember at external events, coordinating logistics and preparing briefing materials and talking points.
• Manage and prioritize competing stakeholder interests with professionalism, clarity, and fairness.

Communication, Collaboration, And Execution:

• Foster clear and effective communication within the office and with other Council offices and City departments.
• Provide regular, concise updates to the Councilmember and staff on constituent issues, community concerns, and emerging priorities.
• Monitor policy and legislative developments and provide relevant analysis tied to constituent and district impacts.
• Draft and support development of communications materials, including newsletters, presentations, and digital content.
• Develop social media content creation aligned with office priorities.
• Manage constituent correspondence and assist with public records responses.
• Synthesize complex information into clear, actionable briefings to support decision-making.
• Assume primary responsibility for managing constituent correspondence and preparing responses to public records requests.
• Analyze and synthesize complex information to brief the Councilmember on key issues to support informed decision-making.
• Assist with duties assigned to other members of the Councilmember’s team when they are not available; perform other duties as assigned by the Councilmember or Chief of Staff.

Note: This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the general scope of the Legislative Assistant position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, duties, or responsibilities associated with the role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, political science, business, public administration, or a related field.
• At least 3 years of progressively responsible experience in effective constituent services, administrative assistance, community outreach, public relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to manage high volumes of information and competing priorities with strong time management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly and concisely.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and remain calm under pressure.
• High attention to detail and ability to execute multiple complex tasks accurately under time constraints.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, with a consistent commitment to accountability and follow-through.
• Experience working with diverse communities and demonstrated cultural competency.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook and similar scheduling tools.

The Legislative Department Recognizes That Not Every Candidate Will Have The Following Desired Qualifications. However, You May Be More Prepared For This Role With The Following:

• An advanced degree in law, public administration, public policy, or related field, or additional experience that demonstrates expertise in and ability to dive into work related to constituent services and community outreach.
• Nuanced understanding of Seattle's political landscape and community dynamics.

Additional Information

TOTAL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This position is classified as Legislative Assistant and is exempt from the Seattle Civil Service System. The full salary range for this classification is $46,938 - $159,794 ($22.48 - $76.53 per hour). The salary range for this full-time position has been identified as $106,488 - $114,840 ($51 - $55 per hour).

Additionally, the City offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick leave as well as medical, dental vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees. More information about employee benefits is available on the City's website at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits. The Legislative Department works collectively to realize the City’s vision of racial equity.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This position will be typically be on-site five days per week at Seattle City Hall located at 600 Fourth Ave. 2nd Floor, Seattle, WA.

WHY WORK AT THE CITY

The City of Seattle recognizes every City employee must play a role in ending institutional and structural racism. Our culture is the result of our behavior, our personal commitments, and the ways that we courageously share our perspectives and encourage others to do the same. To cultivate an antiracist culture, we seek employees who will engage in the Race and Social Justice Initiative by working to dismantle racist policies and procedures, unlearn the way things have always been done, and provide equitable processes and services.

If you have any questions, please email the hiring team at [e-mail]