Assistant Town Manager

Assistant Town Manager
Requisition Code: ASSTMT
Classification: Exempt Salary
Reports to: Town Manager
Date: October 10, 2025

JOB DESCRIPTION

SUMMARY 
The Assistant Town Manager performs highly responsible professional work in providing administrative and supervisory assistance to the Town Manager in all areas of municipal management, including complex and confidential assistance. This position assists with planning, organizing, developing, coordinating, and maintaining Town operations and initiatives related to priorities as established by the Manager. This position has thorough knowledge of all departments and municipal operations and exercises considerable judgment and initiative. The individual may frequently be directed by the Manager to oversee unique situations which are not clearly defined by precedent or established protocol. The Assistant Town Manager supervises several department heads; provides project, program, and grant management; responds to inquiries and complaints; interacts with all departments and committees; and oversees all employees and functions in the absence of the Town Manager. This position is highly accountable and incorrect actions or misjudgments may result in monetary loss, missed deadlines, potential injury, legal repercussions, and/or adverse public relations for the Town. 

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment of the position.

• Assists the Town Manager in overseeing the professional and administrative responsibilities and direction of Town affairs, including planning, organizing, supervising, and directing all assigned functional responsibilities. 
• Provides assistance in preparing for Town Meeting and Special Town Meetings, including preparation of articles for draft and final warrants, developing article explanations, developing presentations for virtual and actual meetings, working with legal counsel to review and revise articles and overseeing key aspects of actual meeting execution with relevant department heads.
• Experience developing RFP/RFI/RFQ/Bid Documents. Provides direct oversight of procurement and contracting activities associated with the Town Manager Office which includes the annual capital program as well as major facility and infrastructure projects.
• Experience in drafting, editing, presenting, and publishing community education and outreach materials.
• Develops and recommends operational policies and procedures regarding Town-wide management and implements and evaluates such policies and procedures as directed.
• Responsible for dissemination of public information through press releases, PEG Access, newsletters, social media, and the Town website.
• Develop collective bargaining strategy with the Town Manager and serve on the negotiating team in collective bargaining sessions with all municipal unions.
• Serves as a representative of the Town in a variety of forums. Acts on behalf of the Town Manager, including serving in an “acting” capacity (in consultation with Town Manager) in their absence to assure the continuing and consistent performance of the duties and responsibilities of the Town Manager.
• Assists in strategic planning and development in such areas as economic development, information technology, workforce training and education, community planning, securing grants, community outreach, quality improvement, insurance matters, and financial operations. 
• Works with the Human Resource Specialist in recruitment and hiring activities to assist department heads in selecting high quality candidates and presenting recommendations to the Town Manager for final action. Assists Town Manager and Human Resources in providing employee training opportunities and employee recognition. 
• Responsible for researching grant opportunities, drafting applications, assisting staff with submissions, tracking grant activities in accordance with award requirements.
• Reads and analyzes statutes, regulations, Town Charter and Bylaws, policies and procedures and applies them to municipal operations.
• Serves as the Town Manager's liaison to Boards, Committees, and Commissions and attends meetings of the same upon request of the Manager.
• Responsible for assisting Town Manager in Operations and Development, including, but not limited to, the following:
•                  Provides general management assistance to Town Manager in structural reorganization, inter-departmental communications, and public relations.
•                  Schedules meetings with residents, local and state officials, and businesses as necessary to address matters in a timely fashion.
•                  Assist with the oversight of joint administrative services of the Selectmen's and Town Manager’s Office. 
•                  Assists task forces, citizens committees and various employee groups in researching issues, providing analysis of existing operations, offering guidance, and proposing                           solutions to identified problems. 
•                  Assists in development of departmental capital plans and annual budgets.
• Serves as a member of the Senior Management Team and frequently works with legal and labor counsel matters as directed. 
• Assists Department Heads in proposing and recommending changes to bylaws to improve administration and more effectively address identified operational problems.
• Work involves employing many different concepts, theories, principles, techniques, and practices relating to the executive municipal administrative field. 
• Continually assesses departmental programs and services and recommends improvements to the Manager and Department Heads as directed. 
• Assists in long range planning across departments.
• Observes municipal trends and proposes application of new techniques, policies, technology, methods, or processes to apply to improve administrative operations. 
• Performs other related duties as required.

CONFIDENTIALITY
Individual judgment and the application of professional knowledge and experience are required in selecting the appropriate practices, procedures, regulations, or guidelines to apply in each case. This position requires a significant amount of discretion and personal integrity in application of the above. 

NATURE AND PURPOSE OF CONTACTS
Position has constant interaction with co-workers, the public and with groups and/or individuals who have conflicting opinions or objectives, diverse points of view or differences where skillful negotiating and achieving compromise is required to secure support, concurrence and acceptance or compliance; OR one-on-one relationships with a person who may be under severe stress, where gaining a high degree of persuasion may be required to obtain the desired effect. The employee may represent to the public a functional area of the organization on matters of procedures or policy where perceptiveness is required to analyze circumstances to act appropriately.

DESIRED MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Education and Experience: 

• Advanced degree required along with five years progressively responsible public administrative and supervisory experience, or any equivalent combination of education, training and experience which provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform the essential functions of the job. 
• MCPPO training or certification
• Thorough knowledge of municipal management, municipal government, programs, community issues, and public decision-making processes.
• Working knowledge of municipal human resources principles, practices, and methods.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and local laws and regulations that impact municipal management.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills and ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Ability to work with all levels of government and within the municipal organization.
• Ability to prepare, manage, and review budgets.
• Ability to administer and interpret regulations, policies, and procedures firmly, tactfully, and impartially, while maintaining flexibility to compromise and reach consensus.
• Demonstrated skills in development of policies and procedures.
• Ability to manage sensitive issues in a discrete and confidential manner.
• Must have significant flexibility and ability to multi-task.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES AND SKILLS
Knowledge:

• Extensive knowledge of municipal government functions, organization, methods, and techniques employed in the operations of town government.
• Extensive knowledge of public procurement principles, practices, and procedures.
• Knowledge of labor relations, including negotiating and the administration of labor relations system. 
• Working knowledge of municipal finance administration, including budgeting. 
• Working knowledge of all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations, Town by-laws, and regulations pertinent to municipal government activity.
• Working knowledge of insurance programs in municipal governments, and of implementation of techniques and strategies.
• Working knowledge of data processing applications in municipal government. 

Abilities: 

• Ability to establish and maintain harmonious relationships with others, especially citizens, public officials and with other municipal professionals throughout the Commonwealth. 
• Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing. 
• Ability to prepare complex technical and statistical reports. 
• Ability to manage time effectively while attending to a multitude of details.

 Skills:  

• Negotiating with others, to arrive at acceptable resolutions to problems and to mutual concerns.
• Attentive listening coupled with the ability to provide measured responses that are researched, timely, and factually accurate.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED
This position is under the direction of the Town Manager and is at an executive management level, exercising direct and general supervision over a substantial workforce, many of whom do not work at the same location or on the same shift as the Assistant Town Manager. This position is expected to be self-directed and seek continual professional education to remain effective in producing positive managerial outcomes.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Physical demands are moving about constantly both within the community and in the Commonwealth to conduct Town business. Stress is a constant factor of the job, particularly in negotiating with both public officials and with citizen groups. The Assistant Town Manager is called upon to attend numerous public meetings and is called upon to perform community outreach activities to advance administrative agendas and plans benefiting the Town. The work environment varies, ranging from a remarkably busy office to offsite assessment work, examining, and observing problem areas and potential problem areas. The workload is subject to both predicted and unplanned fluctuations.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Duties do not present occupational risk with only occasional exposure to risk or stress. Minor injuries could occur, however, through employee failure to properly follow safety precautions or procedures. Examples of injury include minor bruises from falls, minor cuts or burns, or minor muscular strains from lifting or carrying heavy equipment or materials. 

Physical Skills: 

• Physical demands are moving about constantly both within the community and in the Commonwealth to conduct Town business.
•  May use computer keyboards at a moderate speed. 
• Certain tasks require lifting print and other materials, office equipment and supplies weighing up to ten pounds and being able to carry a reasonable quantity of materials from places where they are stored to places where they may be used. 

Motor Skills: 

• Duties may involve close hand-eye coordination and physical dexterity. 

Visual Skills: 

• Ability to read, see, and differentiate between colors. 

TRAVEL
Valid driver's license required. Local travel is expected for this position.

WORK AUTHORIZATION 
Provide appropriate documentation to verify your authorization to work in the United States. 

OTHER DUTIES
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.