Board Clerk of Multnomah County

Multnomah County•Portland, OR

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Help us make local government more open, accessible, and accountable. As Board Clerk of Multnomah County you will lead the administration of the legislative operations for the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. In coordination with the Multnomah County Chair, the Clerk to the Board of Multnomah County is responsible for managing all Board meetings, agendas, and official records for the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners. The Clerk is responsible for providing accessible public meetings and opportunities for testimony. This role ensures that the Board’s legislative actions are documented accurately and made accessible to the public in compliance with Oregon Public Meetings Law. The Clerk reports to the County Chair's Chief of Staff. At Multnomah County, meeting the many needs of our residents is our top priority. We provide a wide array of essential services in the areas of health, community justice, roads, elections, libraries, jails, bridges, tax and assessment, records, animal services, mental health and addiction services, and more. The County and its departments are governed by the County’s nonpartisan, publicly elected Board of Commissioners. The Board is made up of four commissioners representing their respective districts and the Chair, who serves as the County’s chief executive officer. Our diverse, dynamic workforce consists of more than 6,000 employees whose work collectively touches every person who lives, works or does business in Multnomah County. We value a culture of inclusivity, sustainability and innovation, and we continuously strive to improve the quality of life for County employees and residents alike. When you work for Multnomah County, you will make a positive impact on the community, no matter what position you hold.

Requirements

5 years of growth in a public agency, specifically in administrative leadership or senior-level clerking.
A Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Policy, Business, or a related field (or an equivalent mix of education and experience).
Mastery of Robert’s Rules of Order, Oregon Public Meetings Law, and records retention schedules.
Proficiency in Google Workspace and meeting tech (Granicus/One Meeting, WebEx, Zoom, Teams).
Ability to provide politically neutral expertise and handle sensitive information with absolute discretion.
Skilled at navigating a complex political environment with tact, diplomacy, and patience.
Experience presenting recommendations in public settings and resolving sensitive citizen inquiries.
Proven ability to facilitate participation for underrepresented communities and communicate effectively across cultures.
A knack for policy analysis—taking complex, controversial topics and turning them into sound, independent recommendations.
Knowledge of how to lead an office through operational shifts and evolving political landscapes.
Bachelor degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in business administration, public administration, public policy, political science, or a related field.
Five (5) years of progressively responsible experience developing, implementing, and managing programs, projects and/or personnel functions within an organizational unit, including a minimum of three (3) years in a supervisory role.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with public entities or governments, preference for experience with elected officials and public meetings.
Advanced degree or professional certification in a related field may be preferred.

Responsibilities

Schedule, coordinate, and attend all regular, special, and executive Board of County Commissioner meetings.
Oversee the placement of agenda items in accordance with Board rules and procedures, including timely preparation and distribution of Board agendas and packet materials.
Coordinate with Commission offices, other elected officials, county departments and leadership.
Create and maintain accurate minutes, audio recordings, and transcripts of all Board proceedings.
Process and index adopted resolutions, ordinances, and proclamations for county operations as well as the public interest.
Post public notices and manage "interested person" lists for meeting notifications.
Ensure meetings are accessible through tools like live closed captioning, translation, and interpretation.
Act as a primary point of contact for the Board's offices to facilitate smooth board meetings and coordinate public testimony during hearings.
Plans, assigns, and reviews the work of the Deputy Clerk.
Providing training on board procedures and evaluating performance, planning staff work schedules, deadlines, workflow, and methods.
Recommending unit goals and standards.
Providing staff with leadership, direction, and support.
Establishing staff performance requirements.
Mentoring for staff performance improvement.
Coordinates with the County Attorney's Office to review complex federal, state, and local laws (such as Oregon Public Meetings Law) to ensure board actions, such as emergency ordinances, remain in strict legal compliance.
Recommends and implements administrative policies, guidelines, and procedures that impact the board’s operations, including revamping board rules and improving public access technologies.
Leads cross Departmental projects, such as transitioning employees and Commissioners to agenda setting practices, updating records management systems, or overseeing the county's website redevelopment for the Board Clerk's office.
Acts as a technically authoritative knowledge leader for the county’s records retention and archiving functions, ensuring indexing standards are met across all legislative documents.
Reviews and vets vendor and professional contracts.
Creates and manages the office budget.
Ensures all devices and equipment are functioning and clean.