This is responsible for executive-level work, serving as a member of the Executive Team, and assisting the City Manager in performing strategic leadership and administrative duties for the City.  The incumbent may act for or represent the Deputy City Manager or City Manager at City Commission Meetings, committee meetings, civic gatherings, or other official functions.  Instructions received on policy and new assignments usually consist of statements of desired objectives and outcomes.  Work is subject to review and direction by the City Manager through discussions, goal setting, performance reviews, or analysis of recommendations and reports.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Regularly supervises and coordinates the operation of various City Departments.
• Assists and/or coordinates the City’s Strategic Planning processes and objectives in alignment with the City’s vision, mission, and values.
• Leverages succession management strategies to develop a diverse pipeline of highly qualified talent and future leaders.
• Actively promotes a culture committed to continuous improvement.
• Sets high-performance standards; provides honest and constructive feedback when expectations and results are not achieved; and renders timely personnel decisions as needed.
• Demonstrates a genuine concern for the success of the City by modeling selfless behaviors.
• Promotes world-class customer service by being accessible and responsive, anticipating customer expectations, architecting innovative and resourceful solutions, and building partnerships within the community.
• Participates in preparing the Annual City Budget and in budget control activities.
• Responds to complaints, inquiries, and service requests from the public.
• Accompanies the City Manager to meetings as necessary and performs required follow-up on decisions reached.
• Confers with Department Heads to convey information concerning established policies and practices and gather information required by the City Manager for action.
• Handles routine correspondence received by the City Manager and Mayor; prepares various documents and reports; attends various meetings.
• May be required to participate and/or facilitate training to support departmental or City initiatives and requirements.
• Must work the schedule necessary to meet the requirements of the position.
• The position is designated as mission-critical.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:

• For management development and succession planning purposes, the Assistant may be asked to perform the duties of the Deputy City Manager on a rotational basis, with no adjustment in
• Serves as Acting Deputy City Manager or City Manager in their absence.
• Performs related work as required.
• May represent the City Manager’s Office in collective bargaining negotiations.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• Ability to assist the City Manager in maintaining appropriate rapport and positive relationships with the City Commission, Community, and City Team.
• Experience with a wide variety of municipal functions including, but not limited to, procurement and personnel.
• Thorough knowledge of the functions, principles, practices, and techniques of public administration
• Thorough knowledge of the principles and practices of management.
• Through knowledge of public finance and governmental budgeting.
• Ability to analyze various administrative problems and make sound policy and procedural recommendations for solving them.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, other City employees, and the public.
• Ability to express ideas effectively in written or oral form and to prepare clear and concise reports.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT/PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Requires sedentary work that involves walking or standing sometimes, exerting up to 10 pounds of force regularly, and routine keyboard operations.
• The job risks exposure to no significant environmental hazards.
• The job requires normal visual acuity, field of vision, hearing, speaking, color perception, sense of taste, sense of smell, depth perception, and texture perception.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master's degree from an accredited university specializing in Municipal Management, Public Administration, or related field.
• Five years of progressively responsible administrative and leadership experience in municipal administration.  

OR

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university.
• Seven years of progressively responsible administrative and leadership experience in municipal administration. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Master’s degree specializing in Municipal Management, Public Administration, or related field preferred.
• Prior experience as an Assistant/Deputy City Manager or City Manager preferred.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license.
• Must maintain a valid telephone number.
• May be required to pass an elevated background check provided by the City of Lakeland Police Department upon hire.

About City of Lakeland, Florida

The City of Lakeland operates under the Commission/Manager system of government and has done so for over 85 years. The organization’s annual budget is approximately $760 million and employs approximately 2,400 employees, 2,100 of them full-time. Lakeland has been successful by making decisions based on the vision, mission and values of the organization. The City offers its residents a full array of municipal services, including water/wastewater utilities, solid waste & recycling, a municipal-owned electric generation and distribution utility, planning, zoning, parks, recreation, cultural arts, libraries, Cleveland Heights Golf Course, The RP Funding Center (convention and civic center), an international airport, public works, general government services and public safety in the form of police and fire. The electric generation and distribution utility is ranked third largest in the state and among the top 25 nationwide.

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