What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Advisor position at Community Family Advocates?
The role of Senior Advisor to the Director of DHS is to augment the Director’s ability to focus on setting the goals and direction of the department, lead her team, make decisions, build public understanding of the direction of the department, and serve as a key leader in the County administration. The Senior Advisor does this by ensuring department staff have prepared the analysis and materials the Director needs to make informed decisions; supporting the Director in communicating her decisions, direction and assignments in ways that are clear and lead to strong results; developing and implementing the Director’s communications plan for staff, partners and the public; organizing and managing projects and process improvements that require an understanding of the Director’s priorities as well as leadership, analytics and interpersonal skills; and convening and facilitating meetings on the Director’s behalf. The Senior Advisor is a trusted associate who works closely with all of the department’s office directors as well as the staff of the County Executive and County Manager.
The Senior Advisor reports to the Director of DHS.
Key Responsibilities
Overall, to enhance the Director’s effectiveness, the Special Advisor provides executive-level support in the areas of administration, communications, external relations, project management, and management/supervision:
Administration
Required Skills And Qualities
Character & Personality
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The Senior Advisor reports to the Director of DHS.
Key Responsibilities
Overall, to enhance the Director’s effectiveness, the Special Advisor provides executive-level support in the areas of administration, communications, external relations, project management, and management/supervision:
Administration
- Expedite the execution of high-priority projects and ensure the final product is of high-quality and aligned with the Director’s vision. This includes communicating the Director’s expectations to leaders and sharing ongoing feedback to prevent drift from project aims. It also includes scanning for gaps in the team’s ability to deliver, and providing direct support to move the project to completion.
- Ensure the Director has the information she needs to make decisions. This includes delegating fact-finding assignments to the Special Assistant
- Support the Director’s ability to prioritize and meet deadlines. This includes tracking the Director’s outstanding tasks and correspondence, helping to resolve outstanding work, and prioritizing items for the Director to review based on deadlines and Director’s priorities
- Review materials on director’s behalf. This includes advising staff on how to present information to the Director for review, and whether the Director wants to approve a product or decision
- Build and oversee a system for tracking the Director’s assignments to staff and reporting to the Director the status of this work
- Personally manage various administrative and operational problems that are presented to the Director on a day-to-day basis, some of a sensitive and confidential nature.
- Manage Director’s email inbox, including responding directly to queries and/or preparing a daily digest of the most important emails. This includes ghostwriting for the Director.
- Attend meetings with the Director to provide support. This includes directly managing and delegating follow-up action items.
- Interview candidates for mid-level positions that will interface with Director.
- Create and manage the Director’s executive communications plan. This includes creating and managing key communications products coming out of the Director’s office. It also includes advising individuals and teams on products managed by other offices that portray the Director and/or her priorities
- Translate information between the Director and staff, including leadership staff. This includes providing an honest assessment of when information is unclear and working to align and clarify so the team can successfully deliver on the Director’s expectations
- Support the Director’s messaging with external stakeholders. This includes developing and advising on key addresses and meetings, such as the State of Human Services
- Support communication and alignment with County leadership. This includes serving as a key point of contact for County administration, ensuring timely and accurate information. Respond to inquiries received from other officials, the general public, and outside representatives of governmental, public and private sectors. This includes managing responses to constituent questions related to local elected officials, thus enhancing the Department’s reputation
- At Director’s request, represent her at meetings and report back pertinent information
- Investigate and diagnose problems and identify solutions. This includes, at the Director’s request, working with leadership to summarize problems and recommendations, which may include process improvements. It also includes proactively identifying and resolving issues such as collaboration between offices, politically-sensitive concerns, and confidential or interpersonal staff issues.
- Manage sensitive projects as assigned by the Director. This includes supporting change management and delivering recommendations to the Director.
- Remain abreast of status of current County and DHS initiatives and be prepared to represent the Director through written communications and, as assigned, in meetings and presentations.
- Facilitate meetings that are critical for team alignment and cohesion.
- Supervise the Special Assistant to the Director
- Serve as the functional supervisor for the Director’s Administrative Assistant. This includes ensuring follow through on important priorities, providing feedback to the Administrative Assistant on behalf of the Director, and improving office workflow processes
Required Skills And Qualities
Character & Personality
- Excellent interpersonal skills. Able to navigate complex relationships and appreciate the political dimensions of situations. Seeks to understand multiple perspectives
- Skilled at serving as a grounding member of the team, preventing problems, and then identifying solutions when problems arise.
- Demonstrated leadership skills that will encourage other team members to look to them for assistance.
- Exceptional judgement, professionalism and diplomacy, and ability to work independently
- Adaptable to changing needs
- A quick learner who is open to feedback and then implements it
- Interested in being a “behind-the-scenes” force that makes things happen
- Thrives in a support role, including discerning how to customize support for an individual leader’s style and needs, but is capable of being in the foreground, when this is needed—including making difficult decisions and speaking persuasively
- Highly organized and able to manage many tasks at one time, including competing priorities, on a deadline.
- Enjoys creating order, structure and organization. Thrives on improvement of systems and processes
- Excellent communication skills. Able to easily learn to communicate in someone else’s “written voice.” Skilled at tailoring communication style to various audiences, including clients/community members, staff, external organizations, and elected officials
- Demonstrated success in uniting teams with verbal communicationandinterpersonal skills, acting as afacilitatorbetween teams
- Excelsat building relationships and networks and influencing others, particularly those they don’t directly manage, to achieve outcomes.
- Able to quickly grasp information and simplify complex concepts
- Understanding of the complexities of systems and how to effectively deliver results within the constraints of a bureaucratic structure.
- A strategic thinker: data-driven and analytical in approach.
- Master’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., public policy, business administration, finance, social work, and non-profit management), plus 5 years of professional level responsibility in human service programs or human development programs, along with experience with strategic planning in government or non-profit organizations
- Any equivalent combination of education and experience that meets the required knowledge, skills and abilities
- Act 33 and 34 clearances
- Valid driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle
- Starting at $100,000. Negotiable based on experience
- Matching 401(k)
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Flexible PTO
- Tuition Reimbursement
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