City of Austin - JOB DESCRIPTION

Assistant City Manager

Under general direction of the City Manager and City Council, and in partnership with the Austin community, provide bold and inclusive leadership to advance the assigned outcomes and strategies outlined in the City's Strategic Direction, and direct administrative work relating to the full range of municipal management issues.

1. Interprets Council and management policies for other administrative officers, employees of the City of Austin, and other interested parties.
2. Provides direction to City departments, offices, programs, and staff regarding how to advance the assigned outcome and its associated strategies and policies, including policy and procedural revisions.
3. Carries out the City Manager's directives regarding interpretation of policies, represents the City Manager in resolving problems and conflicts that may arise in City government, and helps establish good management practices.
4. Investigates and reports to the City Manager on questions of interdepartmental procedures or interpretation of responsibility.
5. Assists the City Manager in the orderly and timely conduct of municipal business operations within the context of various laws and regulations.
6. Collaboratively integrates, coordinates, and recommends changes; and assists in the establishment of programs, policies, strategies, and initiatives for submission to City Council that will aid in maintaining the financial integrity and service levels of various operations of the City of Austin.
7. In support of the assigned outcome area of portfolio of business, directs the preparation and monitoring of budgets, assists in the negotiation of contracts and agreements, advises on the development of short- and long-range plans, and reports on the City's performance targets.
8. Serves as the City's primary public face, working closely with various advisory boards and community groups on issues related to the assigned strategic outcome, keeping the City Manager and City Council advised of all pertinent issues affecting the achievement of the outcome.
9. Supervises research, including benchmarking with other jurisdictions or industry standards, procedural and administrative studies, and preparation of reports recommending solutions, courses of action, or Citywide and departmental performance targets.
10. Reviews and synthesizes emerging trends and critical issues or challenges facing the City of Austin related to the assigned outcome, convening strategic conversations with other City and community leaders, as appropriate.
11. Demonstrates continuous effort to improve operations, decrease turnaround times, streamline work processes, and work cooperatively and jointly to provide quality and seamless customer service.
12. Acts for the City Manager in their absence.
13. Cultivates, maintains, and improves upon key partnerships with external public and private organizations to access the resources necessary to improve the efficiency and quality of the City's results in this outcome area.
14. Attends Board, Commission, Council and other public meetings.

• Responsible for the full range of personnel oversight, including job assignment, selection, training, evaluation, counseling, resolving work-related problems, and recommendation for dismissal.
• Responsible for the full range of management activities, including managing division/section activities, monitoring departmental budget expenditures, developing and revising operating procedures, prioritizing special projects, and coordinating division/section activities with other departments.

• Knowledge of public administration principles, including the basic principles of organization, management, and resource allocation.
• Knowledge of organization and functions of constituent Austin City government units.
• Knowledge of basic laws, ordinances, and regulations underlying a public sector organization, specifically city government.
• Skill in convening and facilitating strategic conversations across the organizational boundaries and building inter-organizational collaboration to drive results.
• Skill in planning, organizing, and evaluating the activities of a public sector organization.
• Skill in building and maintaining effective working relationships with elected officials, members of public boards and commissions, other government officials, members of the media, other key stakeholders, and the general public.
• Skill in leading an organization from a values-driven perspective, including such things as equity, innovation, sustainability, and resiliency.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Ability to adapt one's leadership and management practices to changing circumstances.
• Ability to deliver feedback to peers and subordinates in ways that effectively promote personal and organizational learning and improved results.

Graduation with a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in Public Administration, Business Administration, or a related field, plus five (5) years of experience in managing and directing a complex organization, including two (2) years of experience in an executive capacity.