Common Council Intern 

POSITION SUMMARY:

Assists the Common Council members with communications, public relations, social media, and special projects for the City of South Bend Common Council; provides administrative support to council members regarding communication and legislative responsibilities.

SCHEDULE:

Varied schedule up to 25-30 hours per week. Schedule may vary based on operational needs.

PAY RATE:

$14/hr. (Non-Exempt)

SUPERVISION EXERCISED:

Not applicable.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

· Respond to constituent concerns via telephone, email and traditional correspondence in timely, efficient manner and redirecting to other city departments or outside agencies when necessary. Create and maintain records relating to the assistance provided.

· Organize and coordinate city outreach efforts and other public events.

· Ability to work with a degree of autonomy.

· Assists with development and execution of communications and marketing pieces to the general public, media, neighborhoods, and internal staff with an emphasis in communication media as well as design and graphics.

· Develop and implement social media strategies/campaigns across all channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube).

· Maintains and coordinates scheduling for production of individual council member messages as well as sub-sets to the entire council message.

· Time spent will rotate between Council members in order of Council priorities (Put together by Council President and Council members)

· Will work on Council branding and specific Council campaigns

· Assists with media, events, and special projects coordination and others as needed.

· Will join City Communicator’s group to keep up to date with branding within the City

· Will attend all Council on and off-site events in order of Council priorities

· Works in conjunction with the Common Council. Council attorney and City Clerk and the Clerk’s staff.

· Manage day-to-day social media logistics, messaging, and ongoing needs. Develop and implement strategies to minimize the impact of negative reviews/feedback on social media.

· Monitor social media accounts outside of standard work hours for negative comments and work with the Council on appropriate responses.

· Organize initiatives and plan events or press conferences

· Liaise with media and handle requests for interviews, statements etc.

· Collect, track, and measure social media analytics to generate reports and make informed decisions based on the results for engagement, campaign building, audience targeting, and future content choices.

· Create and disseminate content for all online/print calendar listings.

· Perform other related duties as assigned.

NON-ESSENTIAL/MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:

· Answers phones and performs other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this position successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty in a satisfactory manner. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

· Current undergraduate or graduate student in good standing working toward a degree in Social Studies, Political Science, History, or Business Administration, or similar program. Recent graduates will also be considered.

· Experience with Microsoft Word and Excel.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY:

· Ability to work flexible hours including evenings in order to attend City Council and Committee meetings, both on and off-site.

· Must be able to type at least 60 words per minute with accuracy.

· Strong grammar and writing skills.

· Detail oriented and organized with the ability to handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

· Skilled at establishing and maintaining effective working relationships.

· Strong computer skills including MS Office.

· Bilingual language skills (Spanish preferred) a plus, but not required.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSE, REGISTRATION:

· None.

EQUIPMENT:

Desktop and laptop computer; telephone, fax machine, copier, and scanner.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit and walk, and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk; use hands to fingers, handle or feel objects, tools or controls; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required in this job include vision and the ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is performed in an office setting, with moderate inside temperature. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate in the office. The entire office is smoke-free.

DISCLAIMER:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, and skills required of personnel so classified. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time. The City of South Bend is an at will employer.

REQUIRED:

Pre-Employment Drug Screen.