Legislative Assistant – Councilmember Foster

Legislative Assistant

The Office of Council member Dionne Foster (Position
8) is seeking a motivated and dedicated professional to join our team as a Legislative Assistant. In this key role, you will be instrumental in ensuring the smooth operation of the Council member's office by managing constituent services, serving as a primary public-facing representative of the office, and supporting the Council member's legislative and community-focused priorities.

This role operates in a fast-paced, high-volume environment where you will be expected to have the ability to quickly assess, triage, and prioritize competing demands. The ideal candidate will be able to demonstrate exceptional time management, organizational discipline, and stakeholder management skills, with a proven ability to process large volumes of information, identify what matters most, and drive timely outcomes. This position requires superior communication and interpersonal skills, political savvy, sound judgment, and discretion.

You will be successful in this role if you are proactive, detail-oriented, adaptable, and accountable, with a commitment to delivering high-quality, responsive service to constituents and community partners.

This position is part of a hard-working, supportive team comprised of three staff members with this position reporting directly to the Council member. This at-will appointment serves at the discretion of the Council member.

The initial review of applications will take place for those received by Friday, August 7, at 4:00 pm Pacific Time. Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible, and the position will remain open until filled.

Administrative Support and Constituent Relations:

• Assume responsibility for administrative and scheduling support to the Council member, including maintaining and managing the Council member's calendar scheduling, organizing, and coordinating meetings and appointments between the Council member and other stakeholders.
• Respond to inquiries from residents, including answering phone calls and responding to emails and letters, and attending hybrid and in-person meetings and events.
• Assess, prioritize, and manage a high volume of constituent inquiries and issues, balancing urgency, impact, and resource constraints.
• Implement and maintain a robust system to track inquiries from intake through resolution, ensuring accountability, prompt follow-through, and responsiveness.
• Coordinate with community groups, individuals, and government agencies to address and resolve local issues efficiently and effectively.
• Exercise strong judgment in escalating, delegating, or resolving issues based on competing priorities and stakeholder needs.

Community Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with community organizations, businesses, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as a frontline representative of the office through meetings, events, and public engagements.
• Organize and attend community meetings and forums on behalf of the Council member.
• Staff the Council member at external events, coordinating logistics and preparing briefing materials and talking points.
• Manage and prioritize competing stakeholder interests with professionalism, clarity, and fairness.

Communication, Collaboration, and Execution:

• Foster clear and effective communication within the office and with other Council offices and City departments.
• Provide regular, concise updates to the Council member and staff on constituent issues, community concerns, and emerging priorities.
• Monitor policy and legislative developments and provide relevant analysis tied to constituent and district impacts.
• Draft and support development of communications materials, including newsletters, presentations, and digital content.
• Develop social media content creation aligned with office priorities.
• Manage constituent correspondence and assist with public records responses.
• Synthesize complex information into clear, actionable briefings to support decision-making.
• Assume primary responsibility for managing constituent correspondence and preparing responses to public records requests.
• Analyze and synthesize complex information to brief the Council member on key issues to support informed decision-making.
• Assist with duties assigned to other members of the Council member's team when they are not available; perform other duties as assigned by the Council member or Chief of Staff.

Note:

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the general scope of the Legislative Assistant position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of qualifications, skills, duties, or responsibilities associated with the role.

You will be effective in this role if you have the following experience, skills, abilities, and knowledge (or a combination of education, experience, and/or training which provides an equivalent background):

• Bachelor's degree in communications, political science, business, public administration, or a…