Village of Oak Park, Assistant to the Village Manager

Assistant to the Village Manager, Village of Oak Park, IL

The Village of Oak Park, Illinois, a dynamic community, located just eight miles west of Downtown Chicago, is accepting applications to fill the Assistant to the Village Manager position. This position is responsible for high-level administrative, analytical, technical, and strategic support to the Village Manager.

The Assistant to the Village Manager will be responsible for administration of assigned areas of the Village Manager Department; policy and legislative analysis; fiscal, economic, and service impact analysis; benchmarking, management, and operational studies; business process improvement analysis and coordination; budget development and management; purchasing and contract administration; project and program management; strategic business planning and performance measurement administration; author and review memoranda, correspondence, talking points, speeches, and administrative policies and procedures; review and create presentations; analyze, evaluate, and develop programs; prototype solutions to complex administrative and community issues; formulate Village policy, programs and implementation strategies; participate on and coordinate interdepartmental teams and related work programs; and provide highly responsible and complex staff assistance to executive management within the Village Manager Department and throughout the Village organization as directed.

Work assignments have a significant impact on Village-wide and department operations with a principal focus on support to the Village Manager in the planning and implementation of Village-wide goals, priorities, and initiatives; managing organizational performance, and enabling effective governance.

The ideal applicant will be able to accomplish the items listed below.

• Coordinates and manages programs, projects, and initiatives as assigned by the Village Manager.
• Conducts long- and short-range research to assist management decision-making and develops recommendations regarding new and/or modified Village programs.
• Participates, leads, or staff’s committees and taskforces as assigned by the Village Manager.
• Supports the Village Manager in coordinating the Village’s government affairs program, including: formulating and thereafter updating the Village’s annual, intergovernmental legislative and funding priorities; facilitating and supporting analysis of legislative bills and funding priorities and development of related position statements and advocacy strategies consistent with Village Board priorities; ongoing communication and collaboration with legislative delegation offices and key, local, state, and federal agencies; and coordination of public communication, civic engagement, and special events supporting government affairs priorities.
• Coordinates preparation and monitoring of the Village Manager Department Budget.
• Coordinates and provides organizational support and guidance to executive, management, and professional staff on the Village’s strategic business planning and performance measurement system.
• Provides administrative support for Village Board Goal setting, implementation, performance monitoring, and reporting.
• Prepares and reviews memoranda, reports, and correspondence relating to areas of assignment.
• Coordinates the Village Manager’s Information-only Village Board memoranda process, tracking all Village Manager requested memoranda from Village departments and staff, and ensuring responsive, quality and timely completion and distribution to the Village Board.
• Maintains and provides training on the Village writing-style guide to ensure quality and style consistency of Village Board regular and special meeting and information-only memoranda.
• Authors communications and reports and creates and conducts presentations for Village Board, board and commission, community, neighborhood, and organizational meetings.
• Maintains Village Management administrative regulations; conducts organizational training on administrative regulations; and, implements communication strategies to encourage acceptance of administrative regulations.
• Conducts organizational studies of Village operations, evaluates and reports on findings, and formulates recommendations for operational improvements, including related policies and procedures and implementation plans and strategies.
• Oversees the process and ensures adherence to protocols for organizational responses to Village Board inquiries and resident service requests; tracks and critically evaluates all inquiries and responses for substance, quality, completeness, and timeliness; and ensures Village Manager engagement and input where necessary.
• Leads the creation or enhancement where needed and maintains and coordinates implementation of efficient systems for tracking and reporting on Village Board inquiries, motions and information-only memoranda.
• Participates in the review and analysis of Village Board Agenda items, providing direct input on Agenda items presented for Village Manager review, and ensuring timely Village Manager’s Office review of all items and departmental responses to Village Manager questions and recommendations are adequately addressed and incorporated in final versions of Board communications, supporting materials, and slide-deck presentations, before publication.
• Tracks Village Manager/Board member briefing items, memoranda and related materials, and provides support to the Village Manager in coordinating related follow-up responses to resolution.
• Assists with and serves as the Back-up administrator for coordinating the Village Manager/Board agenda review process.
• Participates in Village Manger departmental and partner agency budget reviews, analyzes and gives input on budget proposals, attends Village Board budget hearings, and coordinates with the Finance Department to ensure tracking of all budget review questions to resolution.
• Serves as the Village organization’s continuous improvement administrator, coordinating organizational process improvement strategy and implementation to enhance organizational performance; works with the Village Manager and IT Department to assist Village departments with documenting, analyzing, and enhancing the efficiency of business processes and implementing changes, where necessary, to business support software applications.
• Supports the Village Manager, in collaboration with the IT Department, with formulation, guidance, and oversight of Village’s Smart City and transparency data-portal/dashboard initiatives.
• Assists the Village Manager and Assistant Village Manager/HR Director as needed with organizational engagement and change initiatives.
• Assists the Village Manager and Assistant Village Manager/Neighborhood Services Director with Village-wide neighborhood-livability initiatives and operations.
• Assist with the review of special events and filming permit requests and supports continuous process improvements for efficiency, accessibility, and ultimately to promote the vibrancy of the village in accordance with established standards.
• Serves as the Village Manager Purchasing Coordinator, reviewing all proposed purchases for consistency with Village policy, procedures, and budget parameters; and participates on RFP/RFQ review committees representing the Village Manager, as directed.
• Build positive working relationships with co-workers, other Village employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Attends and provides support for Village Board meetings and work sessions.
• Supervises assigned Village staff, if so designated.
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Village Manager.
• Maintains reasonable and predictable attendance.
• May work more than 37.5 hours in a workweek to perform assigned job duties, including evenings and weekends, etc.

Supervisory Responsibilities
The Assistant to the Village Manager will receive general administrative direction from the Village Manager or designee. The Assistant to the Village Manager may supervise subordinate professional, technical, administrative staff, and/or interns.

Compensation, Benefits, Experience and Training
The compensation for this position is $82,500 +/-DOQ. This is an exempt, non-union position. Applicants can apply directly using the following link: https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/6141780.careers?ApplyToJob=671328903

For more information about this Assistant to the Village Manager position or to apply, visit: www.oak-park.us/jobs. Submit applications and resumes by mail to Human Resources, Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL, 60302; or by e-mail to jobs@oak-park.us. The Village of Oak Park offers a highly competitive benefit package that includes a retirement plan, deferred compensation plan, social security, health & life insurance, vacation, sick leave and other benefits. Applications will be accepted until filled.

The Village of Oak Park is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to a diverse workforce and strongly encourages applications from candidates of color.