Assistant Director, Historical Commission

ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT:

The Cambridge Historical Commission (CHC) was established in 1963 "to promote the educational, cultural, economic, and general welfare of the public through the preservation and protection of ... [significant] buildings and places." As a regulatory agency, the Commission has jurisdiction over two historic and four neighborhood conservation districts comprising more than 3,000 buildings, as well as 48 landmarks and 43 individually restricted properties. It administers a citywide Demolition Delay Ordinance, which pertains to buildings over 50 years old and allows a 12-month delay to explore preservation alternatives. The Commission also works with community groups, public agencies, property owners, and the general public on matters relating to local history and historic preservation.

The Commission oversees an annual allocation of approximately $2 million in Community Preservation Act historic preservation funds, including a Preservation Grant program that supports affordable housing agencies, income-eligible homeowners, and nonprofit owners of significant buildings. The Commission also maintains an historic cemetery and collaborates with the Department of Public Works on maintenance of public monuments.

CHC’s dynamic public archive focuses on the architectural, economic and social history of Cambridge and comprises a digitized architectural inventory of the city’s approximately 13,000 buildings; atlases, manuscripts, photographs, and ephemera; and biographical, business, and municipal collections. A publication program has produced over a dozen volumes on local history, while an ever-expanding historic marker program educates the public at large. The annual Cambridge Preservation Awards program celebrates 12-15 outstanding local projects, and near-daily social media posts explore stories of architects and architecture, neighborhood development, and family histories.

ABOUT THE ROLE:

The Assistant Director of the Cambridge Historical Commission administers a staff of eight professionals (plus interns and volunteers) and coordinates a variety of day-to-day office functions, including payroll, bill paying, customer service, and managing schedules.

A core responsibility of the Assistant Director is the administration of the Commission’s $700,000 Preservation Grants Program, which supports affordable housing agencies and non-profits with approximately a dozen preservation-related grant projects annually.

The Assistant Director performs high level organization and administrative duties that require confidentiality, sound decision-making and problem-solving abilities, while supporting a positive and collaborative office culture. This position reports to the Executive Director of the CHC.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Specific duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Manage personnel transactions, including weekly payroll, accruals, time off schedules, posting positions, supporting training registration, and onboarding new hires.
• Manage budgets, pay invoices, and conduct other financial administration needs as assigned.
• Provide efficient daily administrative management, including maintaining schedules, planning meetings and events, assisting in project work, managing communications, and fiscal administration
• Administer the Commission’s Preservation Grant program, working directly with applicants to assess preservation needs, prepare project scopes, draft grant contracts, provide referrals to specialist tradespeople, review bids, and provide guidance through project completion and reimbursement.
• Work with staff to implement new systems for managing business operations (e.g., electronic processing, contract tracking.
• Support the department throughout various stages of procurement, including identifying procurement needs, writing high quality specifications and serving as liaison to the Purchasing department during the bid development through contract execution phases.
• With the assistance of the Director, prepare the department’s annual operating and capital budget submissions.
• Proactively communicate relevant information to department employees
• Actively participate in the planning and implementation of employee recognitions and celebrations.
• Perform related duties as required.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience:

• 5+ years of progressively responsible administrative and office management experience.
• 5+ years of experience with construction administration, housing rehabilitation, and/or historic preservation practice.
• Demonstrated commitment to public service.
• Successful completion of MCPPO (Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official) Associate-level classes within twelve months of hire.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong interpersonal and customer service skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience creating and analyzing spreadsheets and databases for managing finances and budgets.
• Exceptional organization skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and manage competing priorities in a busy work environment under tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with a variety of computer software typical to professional office environment including Word, Excel, Smart Sheet, Teams, and Zoom.
• Demonstrated sound decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion. The City of Cambridge's workforce, like the community it serves, is diverse. Applicants must have the ability to work and interact effectively with individuals and groups with a variety of identities, cultures, backgrounds, and ideologies.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree. Preference for candidates with degrees A bachelor's degree in a related field from an accredited college or university and five years of related work experience in municipal administration, construction management, or non-profit management. An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered. A Master's degree in a related field may be substituted for 2 years of work experience
• Proficiency with People Soft
• Experience with public procurement processes in Massachusetts

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

Work requires the ability to access, input, and retrieve information from a computer. Ability to read and analyze large quantities of information. Ability to travel back and forth across the city. Ability to access construction sites, including scaffolding

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

Work is conducted primarily in a standard office environment which includes fluorescent lighting, air conditioning, computers, and other standard office equipment, but may also involve meetings in other offices or facilities as well as site visits and inspections of scattered properties around the city. This position may be eligible for hybrid work under the City's Telework Policy, depending on operational needs.