Head Clerk

Head Clerk – City of Medford, Medford, MA 02155

The Head Clerk is responsible for managing the overall administrative requirements and complex clerical and financial duties for the Department of Planning, Development & Sustainability. The position provides administrative and financial support to professional staff, fields resident inquiries, and responds as appropriate. Requires the ability to plan and perform operations to complete assigned tasks according to prescribed time schedules.

• Maintains all office accounting records and reporting; prepares financial statements; purchasing, budgeting and general administrative services.
• Responds to public requests in person, via email and on the phone; uses professional judgment and office guides to refer to staff contacts, municipal programs, or social services.
• Maintains budget records for general fund and multiple funding sources, monitors expenses against budgets, prepares reports on expenditures; including multiple grants, board and commissions, and revolving funds.
• Manages billing of staff time to appropriate funding source.
• Receives fees and income from multiple sources and deposits and tracks appropriately; produces quarterly internal reports on income received.
• Prepares the weekly payroll, maintains vacation, sick and personal time records, etc.
• Works closely with the Finance and Purchasing Departments to ensure accurate record of office expenditures.
• Responsible for all purchasing; prepares purchase orders, secures price quotations as necessary, processes invoices and returns.
• Orders supplies; maintains inventory of office supplies.
• Updates office guides, webpages, and social media accounts with new programs, contact information; keeps guides accurate over time.
• Follows up on referrals to outside social service agencies to assure referral was correct and connection was made.
• Drafts monthly office e-newsletter with office project updates, coordinating with office/city staff on appropriate and accurate public information.
• Prepares routine contracts, generally for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) awards.
• Supports the CDBG administrator with financial reporting, fields inquiries from CDBG subrecipients.
• Manages staff schedule and desk assignments as necessary for temporary staff.
• Assists the Director in coordinating interdepartmental communications and requests, as needed.
• Maintains and updates office files and records for multiple boards and commissions.
• Participates in staff meetings to discuss and resolve problems, discuss ideas for improvement, and keep updated on city plans and activities.
• Serves as a resource to interns and temporary staff.
• Schedules meetings, sets up online meetings or secures rooms; prepares meeting notices for posting and advertisement.
• Supports Boards and Commissions as requested.
• Monitors Medford's Affordable Housing Inventory for compliance with income eligibility annually.
• Assists the Housing Planner in vetting and reviewing financial records of Down Payment Assistance applications through the North Suburban Consortium.
• Performs other related duties as required.

• Any equivalent combination of education, training, certification, and experience as qualifying.
• High School diploma or equivalent and 1 year of related clerical, business administration, customer service, or bookkeeping experience.
• A bachelor's degree in a business-related field can be substituted for the work required experience.

• Valid Class D Motor Vehicle Operator’s License.
• Municipal experience.

• Knowledge of standard office policies, practices and procedures; email, word processing, and spreadsheet applications; office equipment operation; bookkeeping; and electronic and physical records management.
• Effective customer service, communication, problem-solving, clerical, recordkeeping, organizational, data processing, and personal computer skills.
• Ability to clearly and concisely explain information, including procedures and regulations; prepare and analyze records, data, and reports; maintain administrative systems; plan and prioritize work; multi-task; meet deadlines; work independently; maintain confidentiality; maintain good public relations and effective collaborative working relationships; respond in a courteous and professional manner; and work with diverse groups.

The position is office-based. The physical demands may include lifting up to 30 lbs and routine movement of documents and office equipment; reading, analyzing, and using computer screens.

Regular access to confidential records requiring discretion; work governed by standardized practices and may require interpretation of procedures and guidelines; strong judgment in applying applicable policies.

Reports to the Director of Planning, Development, and Sustainability, or designee. Department:
Department of Planning, Development &…