City of Asheville Job Opportunity – Neighborhood Services Specialist

Neighborhood Services Specialist

Salary
$49,446.79 – $55,000.00 Annually

Location
Asheville, NC

Job Type
Full Time

Department
Communications and Public Engagement

Job Number
2020-00137

Closing
12/14/2020 5:00 PM Eastern

Summary

About Our Opportunity

Join our team as the Neighborhood Services Specialist within the Communications and Public Engagement Department. This position manages community-oriented problem-solving in partnership with all departments and will serve as a liaison between the City and neighborhoods in the activities and procedures specific to city government projects, services, planning and development, and customer service.

Work Schedule:  Generally Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m., however, this position requires regular attendance at evenings and weekend meetings and events.

About Us

The City of Asheville is dedicated to providing quality service for the residents and visitors of our beautiful city, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. Asheville, NC is a thriving mountain city that has a culture enriched in diversity.

The City of Asheville values and respects a diverse community, workforce and ideas, and is committed to promoting an equitable, fair, and just employment environment. Our organization seeks to create and provide access and opportunities to employees, residents, and visitors to fulfill their potential through inclusive engagement practices.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Coordinates work with other City departments, community agencies, and community stakeholders to address neighborhood concerns.
• Responds to inquiries from Mayor, City Council, City Manager, department heads, and the general public concerning neighborhood-related issues to evaluate and to mitigate problems.
• Builds capacity for neighborhood leadership and community organizing.
• Responds to inquiries and meets with prospective neighborhoods to assist in their development of recognized neighborhoods.
• Builds and strengthens relationships while serving as a community and neighborhood information broker, providing a portal to City services and programs.
• Attends neighborhood meetings, activities, and events, as needed, after-hours and weekends;
  Assists the Neighborhood and Community Engagement manager in the administration of the Neighborhood Grant Program.
• Assists in maintaining and growing a communication network with neighborhood associations and community groups by creating and maintaining contact database, engaging in social media, and communicating information about City services, events, current issues and development projects.
• Provides customer service by collecting and reporting citizen input on proposed public improvement projects, receiving, responding and facilitating resolution to customer service requests and complaints, and assisting with mediating conflicts and complaints.
• Assists the Neighborhood and Community Engagement manager with the development of neighborhood plans in collaboration with the Planning & Urban Design department.
• Meets with members of the public and developers on the neighborhood and community planning/development process and to resolve problems in collaboration with Planning & Urban Design, Development Services, etc.
• Assists community/neighborhood development and redevelopment efforts within the department.
  Provides technical assistance for securing funding opportunities to fund community initiatives.

Education & Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Affairs/Policy, Planning or related degree
Five (5) years of progressive community engagement, customer service, facilitation and program management experience.

Applicants with equivalent experience and/or education may be considered.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Working Conditions

Knowledge:
Knowledge of procedures and practices to analyze and resolve unusual or difficult problems
.

Skills:

• Ability to communicate and engage effectively through social media
.
• Ability to communicate effectively in spoken and written form
.
• Ability to analyze situations to pinpoint problems and assist with solving problems or identifying sources of obstacles.
• 
Ability to analyze and interpret policy and procedural guidelines and to apply this understanding to tasks
.
• Ability to analyze situations to pinpoint problems and assist with solving problems or identifying sources of obstacles
.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships as required by work assignments.
• Excellent customer service skills with the ability to work with internal and external customers in a friendly, cooperative, and professional manner.
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
• 
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with a racially and culturally diverse population.
• 
Ability to bring resources together to resolve a problem or provide a solution
.
• Ability to work well under pressure and/or against opposition and to handle conflict in a professional manner.

Strong organizational and time-management skills


• Must be flexible, reliable and have the ability to work autonomously, as well as in a supportive/team-based environment.
• 
Effective problem solver and decision-maker
.
• Ability to read and understand basic workplace data, such as simple forms, tables, graphs, schedules, etc.
• Ability to conduct research of existing, internal policies and procedures
.
• Ability to think creatively in all areas for the purpose of increasing efficiency and effectiveness.
• Ability to research program documents and narrative materials, and develop reports from information gathered.
• Demonstrated cross-cultural skills in community relations.
• Demonstrated conflict resolution, peacemaking, or mediation skills on a community level.

Agency

City of Asheville

Address
City of Asheville
PO Box 7148
Asheville, North Carolina, 28802

Phone
828-259-5690 – Apply Online! – EOE

Website
http://www.ashevillenc.gov/jobs