LEGISLATIVE AIDE

The role of the Legislative Aide is to represent Councilwoman Zendejas to residents and the greater Long Beach community and to serve the constituents of the district through case management and field work. The Legislative Aide will assist with tasks related to legislation including research and policy drafting, will participate in event planning and outreach to the community, identify prospective community partners and work with community organizations to bring forward potential legislation. This person should love working with the community, be professional, and have a strong desire to help others and make positive change.

•Attend meetings of community groups and Neighborhood Associations.

•Enter and track cases through the Office’s Management System.

•Track and report progress of cases to the Chief of Staff, including priorities identified by the Councilmember or the Chief of Staff.

•Maintain an awareness of neighborhood issues, sharing with the Councilmember and others as needed.

•Speak publicly on behalf of the Councilmember.

Administrative:

•In collaboration with District One scheduler, maintains calendars; coordinates, schedules, arranges, and confirms meetings, and appointments.

•Prepare meeting materials, including but not limited to agenda preparation and making copies.

•Responsible for the set up and preparation of all in-person meetings, including but not limited to preparation and processing of catering orders, meal set-up and distribution, meeting room set-up including preparation of materials accessible to the public including comment cards and agendas.

•Provide backup support for Council staff including but not limited to screening and answering calls, takes messages for staff that are unavailable, helping plan and coordinate community events.

•Basic knowledge of operating office equipment and machinery required.

•Assisting in the translation of printed and digital media to Spanish.

Legislative:

•Reviewing City Council Agenda and preparing staff notes and talking points, submit scrolling messages for council.

•Drafting policy and conducting research.

•Assisting in the development of long-term and short-term legislative planning that best addresses first district issues and priorities.

•Craft strategies and recommendations for prioritizing projects, issues, and programs that benefit the First District based on community engagement and execute per approval.

•Attending legislative briefings with City Manager and coordinating meetings with other departments on district initiatives as needed.

•Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university

•Two to three years of experience working with a culturally and ethnically diverse constituency for either a non-profit or government agency.

•Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.

•A valid California Driver License is required and reliable transportation to successfully fulfill the duties of the position.

•Bilingual Spanish is highly desired.

Successful candidates should have:

•Always present a professional appearance and demeanor.

•Must be able to handle information with complete discretion and diplomacy in varying situations is required.

•Be solution oriented while meeting goals and exercise excellent time management.

•Exhibit excellent communication skills in person and in writing.

•Prioritize multiple assignments and execute tasks in a timely manner

•Respond promptly to both internal and external communications.

•Capable of maintaining a large and demanding caseload.

•Be able to build and maintain effective communication and working relationships with all levels of employees while utilizing interdepartmental resources.

•Be willing to work non-standard hours as needed, including evenings and weekends, and perform tasks outside of his or her primary work assignments, as necessary.

•Prior experience in a political office or knowledge of government is strongly encouraged.

•Compensation based on experience.

The City of Long Beach offers its employees opportunities to grow personally and professionally. As a permanent employee, you are eligible to receive fringe benefits that include:

• Retirement: California Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) defined benefit retirement plan, which is coordinated with Social Security. The benefit is 2.5% @55 for "Classic" members and 2%@62 for new members as defined by PEPRA. Subject to employee contribution. Both the City and the employee contributes toward CalPERS retirement contributions. The city also participates in Social Security.
• Health and Dental Insurance: The City offers the choice of HMO and PPO plans. The city pays major portion of the premium for employee and dependents depending on the health/ dental plan selected.
• Life Insurance: City-paid term life insurance policy equal to three (3) times annual salary to a maximum of $500,000.
• Disability Insurance: City-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
• Management Physical: Annual City-paid physical examination.
• Vacation: Twelve (12) vacation days after the first year of service; 15 days after four years, six months of service; 20 days after 19 years, six months of service.
• Executive Leave: Forty (40) hours Executive Leave per year. The City Manager has discretion to grant an additional 40 hours each year.
• Sick Leave: One day earned per month; unlimited accumulation; conversion upon retirement to cash credit toward health and/or dental insurance premiums, or to pension credits.
• Holidays: Eleven (11) designated holidays per year, plus four personal holidays to be used at the employee's discretion.
• Transportation Allowance: Monthly allowance is allocated by classifications below;
• Department Head $650.00
• Deputy Director/Manager $550.00
• Chief of Staff / Administrator / Principal DCA: $450.00
• Executive Support Staff: $300.00
• Deferred Compensation Plan: Optional for employee contribution to a supplementary retirement savings program available through Mission Square Retirement formerly ICMA-RC Retirement Corporation). City contributes 1% of employee's base pay to the employee's 401(a) plan; effective September 30, 2022, the City will contribute 2% of employee's base pay to the employee's 401(a) account. Employees may opt to contribute up to the IRS annual limits as well.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA): Optional election for employees to reduce taxable income for payment of allowable childcare or medical expenses.
• Flexible/Hybrid Work Schedule: Available (subject to City Manager approval).
• Paid Parental Leave: After six (6) months of City employment; up to 30 calendar days (160 hours) of PPL, taken in full-day increments, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child, up to the age of seventeen (17).

Management positions - Refer to the Job Posting brochure included in the job posting.

Mary Zendejas was elected to office via special election on Tuesday, November 5, 2019, and sworn into office on December 3, 2019. She was elected to her first full term in June 2022 and her second term in June 2026. She is the first Latina wheelchair user to be elected to office in the nation. She has never met a challenge she couldn’t tackle and overcome. As an infant, she was diagnosed with Polio, and later in High School started using a wheelchair daily. Her passion for living and working hard is rooted in seeing her parents, a field hand and factory worker, provide their children a better life. Their hard work allowed Mary to go to California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and become the first in her family to graduate from college.

https://www.longbeach.gov/district1/