Program Assistant

Job Description

Primary purpose
Supports key initiatives in the Health and Human Services Department including programming, communication, and outreach.

Supervision:

Scope and Judgment: This position requires excellent interpersonal skills, the ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse individuals, excellent organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Supervision Received: This position reports to the Director of Public Health Services.

Supervision Given: None.

Job Environment:
Most work is performed under typical office conditions. Other settings include community-based settings and outdoors environments. Some work may be done remotely. May work evening or weekend hours for meetings and events.
Frequent contact with the general public, other city departments, outside agencies, businesses, and other governmental organizations.
Communication is by means of in person meetings, telephone, online meeting platforms, personal discussion and email correspondence and involves discussing routine and confidential information, requiring patience, courtesy, and judgment.
Has access to confidential and sensitive information. Errors in judgment could result in significant delay or loss of services, legal ramifications, negative health outcomes, adverse public relations, and monetary loss.

Essential Functions
(The essential functions or duties listed are intended only as illustrations of the various types of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related or a logical assignment to the position.)

• Assists in planning, implementing, and evaluating the impact of public health and human services programs.
• Assists in creating communication, outreach, and educational materials to engage and inform lay and professional audiences.
• Assists with the preparation of plans, reports, memos, and press releases.
• Participates in meetings of coalitions, task forces, and committees, including scheduling and taking minutes.
• Use a health and social equity lens to assess and understand community health status, needs, and priorities for public health and human services programming.
• Follows and adheres to departmental, City, and other government rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
• Performs other related job duties as required.

Minimum Entrance Qualifications
Education, Training, and Experience:

• High school diploma. Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred.
• Valid Massachusetts driver’s license preferred.

Knowledge, Ability, and Skills:
Knowledge: General knowledge of public health and human services principles.

Ability: Ability to organize time, work independently and accomplish tasks despite frequent interruptions. Ability to maintain detailed and extensive records and to prepare reports from same. Ability to operate various types of office equipment. Ability to maintain confidentiality of information. Ability to work effectively under time constraints to meet deadlines. Ability to be a strong team player. Ability to organize clerical and statistical records. Ability to deal tactfully and appropriately with the general public and City departments in an effective manner. Ability to absorb and learn quickly and maintain a departmental sense of urgency. Ability to comprehend the scope of laws, rules, and regulations.

Skills: Strong organizational skills and the ability to work under pressure. Excellent written and oral communication skills essential. Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills. Expertise and skill in using personal computers and common computer programs (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel), basic graphic design programs such as Canva, and social media platforms.

Physical Requirements
Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, feel, or operate objects, tools, equipment, machinery or controls, and reach with hands and arms as in picking up/accessing paper, files, and other common office objects as well as equipment and supplies relating to programs and needs in the HHS Department. Lifts and/or moves objects weighing up to 20 pounds. Manually operates all office equipment and other necessary equipment. Needs to operate a computer keyboard at an efficient speed.



Performance Standard
Employees at all levels are expected to effectively work together to meet the needs of the community and the City through work behaviors demonstrating the City’s values. Employees are also expected to lead by example and demonstrate the highest level of ethics.
(This job description does not constitute an employment agreement between the employer and employee and is subject to change by the employer as the needs of the employer and requirements of the job change.)

Company Description

THE CITY:


The City of Newton is a wonderful place to live and work. Newton has safe and attractive neighborhoods, an excellent public school system, an active community life, multiple transportation systems, proximity to Boston and a well-managed and financially strong City government. The City of Newton has a population of approximately 88,900, with 32,600 housing units and occupies a land area of 18.3 square miles. Newton is principally suburban-residential in character. Unlike many other communities that are established around a single Main Street or downtown, Newton is comprised of thirteen distinctive villages. Newton has a diversified economic base with approximately 4,700 establishments employing approximately 79,500 people. Newton is special in many ways. It is home to a variety of private secondary and post-secondary schools including a portion of Boston College, Lasell University, William James College, Hebrew College, and the UMass Amherst – Mount Ida Campus. The longest stretch of the Boston Marathon runs through the City, including the well-known Heartbreak Hill. Newton-Wellesley Hospital, part of the Mass General Brigham health care system, serves as an important partner to the City. In September 2018, Newton was again ranked #1 in Massachusetts as the best place to live and #12 in the U.S.



OUR GOVERNMENT:


Newton has what is known as a “strong Mayor” form of government with the Mayor having the executive and administrative powers of the City. The legislative branch is comprised of 24 City Councilors. Mayor Marc C. Laredo was sworn in on January 1, 2026 after serving on the City Council. The City of Newton was evaluated by Moody’s Investors Services in February 2020 and assigned its highest rating of AAA. Newton was thus well-positioned to weather the pandemic and economic downturn.



AS AN EMPLOYER:

The City of Newton believes that its employees are its greatest asset. To that end, we are committed to supporting our employees by providing competitive wages and growth, a comprehensive benefits package which includes a defined municipal pension plan, quality health and dental insurance plans, generous paid leave benefits, paid holidays, and access to supplemental benefits such as deferred compensation, short term disability plans, flexible spending accounts, and other employee benefits. We also provide access to an Employee Assistance Program and access to employee training and professional development opportunities. We continuously work to review and expand upon our benefit offerings. We encourage you to visit our Human Resources Department website to learn more about our organization and benefits which are available to our employees. And as always, you are encouraged to reach out to our dynamic HR Team by emailing [email protected].

Human Resources Diversity Statement

We recognize our workforce is a source of strength that is vital to our ability to effectively serve the City of Newton’s diverse community. We will:

• Actively recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and talented workforce.
• Proactively address discrimination through education and in partnership with other departments and leaders.
• Serve as a role model to celebrate and nurture diversity.
• Foster inclusion by staying curious and clarifying assumptions.
• Evaluate and develop policies and practices that reflect the diverse nature of our workforce.
• Build and strengthen accountability at all levels to support diversity efforts.

The targeted salary range reflects what the City of Newton reasonably and in good faith expects to offer for this position at the time of posting, but the final salary determination may be within or outside this range based on various factors, including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, and market factors. The range will be reviewed regularly and is subject to change.

Benefits

This is a non-benefited position