Hearings Office Clerk

City of Portland Office of the Auditor is seeking applicants for a Hearings Office Clerk

Salary: $87,535.59/year - $107,646.90/year (Adjusted for estimated COLA, effective July 1)

Opening Date:  April 22, 2024

Closing Date:    May 6, 2024

THE POSITION:

The City Auditor’s Office is seeking a Hearings Clerk to serve in the quasi-judicial Hearings Office. The person selected for this role is responsible for providing highly detailed and time-sensitive administrative support to the Hearings Officers on code, appeal, tow, and land use hearings. Duties include reviewing initial violation files for completeness or errors, scheduling hearings, maintaining multiple deadlines and timeframes and contacting appropriate City personnel for various matters. Additional duties include explaining complex rules, regulations, policies and procedures to community members.  The Hearings Clerk must have strong editing skills and attention to detail. The person in this position must be able to thrive in a small office environment and carry out individual hearing responsibilities with initiative and creativity while exercising sound judgment and problem-solving skills.

As the sixth elected official in the City of Portland, the Auditor is independent of City Council and accountable only to the public. The Auditor’s Office ensures open and accountable government by providing impartial reviews and investigations, access to public information, and services to City government and the public. It employs over 50 people across six divisions.

The Hearings Office conducts impartial administrative hearings and renders decisions in disputed legal matters. The Hearings Clerk position reports directly to the Chief Hearings Officer. The Hearings Clerk works both independently and collaboratively in a team environment with another Hearings Clerk and multiple Hearings Officers. This is a public facing role that works with the public and City stakeholders to provide navigation support through the hearing process from intake to final decision.

The Hearings Office Clerk:

• Provides complex secretarial and administrative support work for the Hearings Office, a quasi-judicial body; schedules and attends meetings or hearings; prepares agendas and all necessary supporting material; takes notes and prepares a final record of proceedings in the form of summary minutes.
• Within the delegated scope of authority, employees routinely make decisions and determinations on behalf of the agency based on knowledge of applicable rules and regulations, and by applying general guidelines and instructions to specific problems and situations.
• Maintains familiarity with the current status of business coming before the agency.
• Receives inquiries by telephone, email and in person; responds to inquiries of a general or specific nature; provides information, schedules appointments, and handles routine matters personally, and refers other questions to appropriate authority; recognizes and explains to adversaries in interest the need to avoid ex-parte contact in the quasi-judicial process.
• Develops and prepares a variety of reports, ordinances, press releases, correspondence, mailing lists and other documents.
• Compiles and maintains case files; personnel, financial, statistical, inventory, and other important records; develops office forms and procedures; plans and coordinates office operations.
• Arranges and schedules special meetings and events, such as field trips, annual retreats and multi-jurisdictional meetings, including coordination of accommodations, and transportation.
• Maintains frequent contacts for official or commission with public and private executives, officials, and the news media where inaccurate or improper dissemination of information may have legal ramifications or seriously disrupt the agency's activities.

Successful candidates will have:

• Ability or experience to maintain the confidential integrity of restricted material and information.
• Experience making independent judgments and decisions while working with minimal supervision.
• Experience interpreting and applying complex rules, regulations, policies and procedures to a variety of situations.
• Experience managing time and work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Experience using effective oral and written communication, including exercising courtesy, discretion and tact to minimize sometimes difficult public contact.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with public and private officials, other employees, and the general public; perform basic math computations.
• Skill or experience typing; operating a variety of office related equipment; utilizing word processing software and program-specific software.
• Knowledge of or general familiarity with the hearings process and legal processes associated with them

The Auditor’s Office values a diverse workforce and a culture of equity and inclusion in delivering public services and everyday interactions in the workplace. The Office encourages candidates with experience working with a broad range of individuals and diverse communities to apply.