Council District 7 Office - Council Assistant U Full Time (Unclassified)

Job Description:

Council District 7 Office - Council Assistant U Full Time (Unclassified)

Description

Our diverse and inclusive workforce of more than 7,000 employees play a key role in the success of San José, the heart of the Silicon Valley. All City of San José employees work together as one team to make San José a vibrant, innovative, and desirable place to live and work. Visit here to learn more about our One Team Leadership Values and Expectations, including quality and excellent customer service and here to learn more about San José.

The City of San José is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants for all job openings will be considered without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or any other consideration made unlawful under any federal, state or local laws. The City of San José is committed to offering reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us at 408-535-1285, 711 (TTY) , or via email at [email protected] .

About the Department

The City of San José, the Capital of Silicon Valley, is one of the nation's best managed cities and consistently ranks among the top places to live, work and do business. As the cultural, governmental, and economic center of the region, San José is home to a diverse community that values integrity, innovation, excellence, collaboration, respect, and celebration.

The San Jose City Council consists of ten Councilmembers elected by district and a Mayor elected at-large, each for four year terms. The Mayor and Council are responsible for representing the residents of San Jose, providing accountability, reviewing public policy and programs, and adopting those policies which best meet the needs of the residents, visitors, and businesses in San Jose.

Position Duties

The District 7 Council Office is seeking a highly organized, community-driven, and energetic professional to join our team as a Council Assistant.

This role is primarily office-based with approximately 65-75% of the work involving high-level scheduling, coordination, digital systems management, and constituent casework. Strong administrative and technical skills are essential. However, this is not just a desk job.

Roughly 25-35% of the role is out in the community — staffing events, attending neighborhood meetings, representing the Council Office, and engaging directly with residents. You will be boots on the ground, gaining first-hand insight into the needs, challenges, and priorities of our community and helping translate those concerns into action. You will work closely with City departments including Police, Fire, Transportation, Parks, and others that keep our city running every day. You will help residents when they need it most. You will play a role in shaping policies that impact the future of our city. You will see directly how local government works and be part of making it work better.

Most importantly, we are looking for someone who genuinely cares about people and is motivated by making our community and our city better for everyone.

Employees in this classification are not members of the classified civil service and are appointed "at will." Each appointment is for a specified period to be determined by the appointing Councilmember and does not extend past the end of the elected official's or appointing authority's term. This unclassified position requires a disclosure of outside investments, real property interest, income, and business positions.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Scheduling & Calendar Management

• Manage a high-volume, fast-changing calendar.
• Schedule, confirm, and rearrange meetings quickly and efficiently as priorities shift.
• Coordinate logistics with City staff, external partners, and community members.
• Prepare daily briefings and materials to ensure the Councilmember is fully prepared.

Microsoft 365 & Digital Operations

• Advanced proficiency required in: Outlook, Bookings, Teams, Word, OneNote, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Planner.
• Manage shared files, meeting platforms, task tracking, and workflow systems.
• Host and manage Zoom meetings and calls.

Constituent Services

• Respond to inquiries and resolve complaints in compliance with City policies.
• Coordinate with City departments to address resident concerns.
• Maintain accurate constituent records and follow-up systems.

Community Engagement

• Staff the District 7 tent/table at community events.
• Engage directly with residents across a wide range of topics and emotions with professionalism and empathy.
• Attend neighborhood meetings and represent the Council Office in public settings.

Grant Administration

• Administer grants to nonprofit organizations.
• Track compliance requirements, deadlines, and reporting.
• Maintain organized documentation and grant files.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Conduct background research on policy issues pending before the City Council.
• Assist in drafting speeches, correspondence, and community communications.
• Attend and represent the Councilmember at meetings when assigned.
• Perform shared office duties and support team operations as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, executive-level scheduling.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Planner, etc.).
• Strong Zoom platform knowledge (hosting, managing, troubleshooting).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Exceptional organizational skills and ability to handle multiple competing priorities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
• Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality.
• Valid California Driver’s License.
• Reliable personal vehicle capable of transporting large items such as canopies, tables, and chairs for community events.
• Willingness to work evenings and weekends as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to speak Vietnamese and/or Spanish.
• Experience working in a government, legislative, nonprofit, or public service setting.
• Experience in grant administration or compliance tracking.
• Experience working with the public in high-contact environments.

Who Will Thrive in This Role?

The ideal candidate is both operationally sharp and community-minded.

You are someone who:

• Enjoys building and managing highly organized systems.
• Can manage a complex calendar and pivot quickly when plans change.
• Is detail-oriented and comfortable spending focused time at a desk.
• Is equally comfortable stepping away from the desk to represent the office in the community.
• Can engage confidently with residents experiencing a full spectrum of emotions — from excited and grateful to frustrated or upset.
• Communicates clearly, professionally, and with empathy.
• Finds purpose in public service and wants to help improve quality of life for residents.
• Genuinely cares about people and believes local government can make a meaningful difference.

This is a role for someone who wants to make an impact every single day, both inside the office and out in the neighborhoods we serve.

Other Qualifications

Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews, which may include practical/writing exercises.

To be considered for this position, you must fill out the online application on the City of San José website and submit the following:

• Cover Letter
• Resume

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process:
Why do you want to work for the District 7 Council Office, and what strengths would you bring to this role?Describe your experience managing a complex and frequently changing calendar. Provide an example of how you handled last-minute scheduling changes or conflicts.Tell us about a time you engaged with a frustrated or upset member of the public. How did you handle the situation and what was the outcome?This position requires transporting large items such as canopies, tables, and chairs to community events. Do you have a valid driver’s license and a personal vehicle capable of transporting these items? Please describe.What experience do you have administering grants, tracking compliance requirements, or managing reporting deadlines?What languages other than English do you speak? Please describe your proficiency level and any experience providing real-time translation or interpretation.
If you have questions about the duties of these positions, the selection or hiring processes, please contact [email protected]. This posting/recruitment will remain open until vacancy is filled. Applications are reviewed continuously; therefore, we encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible.
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Additional Information:

Employment Eligibility: Federal law requires all employees to provide verification of their eligibility to work in this country. Please be informed that the City of San Jose will NOT sponsor, represent or sign any documents related to visa applications/transfers for H1-B or any other type of visa which requires an employer application.

You must answer all job-specific questions to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration. Applicants are expected to write their own essays/responses.

Please note that applications are currently not accepted through CalOpps or any other third party job board application system.

This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment.

Please allow adequate time to complete the application and submit before the deadline or the system may not save your application. If your online application was successfully submitted, you will receive an automatic confirmation email to the email address you provided. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THE CONFIRMATION, please email [email protected] and we will research the status of your application.

AI and the Hiring Process

We recognize that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming part of daily life and can be a valuable tool for learning, research, and professional growth. We encourage candidates to use AI responsibly as a support in preparing application materials, live assessments, and interviews. However, we value authenticity, accuracy and truthfulness. Application responses and interview answers must reflect your own knowledge, skills, and experiences. While AI can supplement preparation, it cannot replace the originality and judgment we look for in our employees. This ensures fairness, transparency, and equity for all applicants in the hiring process.

The City of San Jose offers a wide range of core health benefits including Medical, Dental, Vision, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Disability, and Savings Plans. Please visit the City's benefits pagefor detailed information on coverage, cost, and dependent coverage.

For information on the City’s Retirement Plan(pension for full-time employees), please visit the Office of Retirement Services website. You will be able to view information based on different Sworn/Federated job classification.

In additional to the benefits above, there is an additional perks siteto explore further benefits of working for the City of San Jose like paid leave, educational reimbursements, and holiday pay are specific to the job classification and union membership.

Salary:

$67,566.20 - $99,821.02 Annually