Department: Village Clerk
FLSA: Non-Union Exempt
Pay Grade: 4
Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Deputy Village Clerk performs progressively responsible administrative, operational, records-management, legislative, elections, and public-service duties in support of the elected Village Clerk. The position assists with maintaining official Village records, processing Village Board actions, administering statutory filings and public-records responsibilities, supporting boards and commissions, coordinating office operations, and promoting accessible and transparent local government.
SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED
Receives direction from the Village Clerk. Provides work direction, training, and quality review to assigned employees, fellows, temporary staff, interns, recording secretaries, and volunteers, as delegated by the Village Clerk.
EXAMPLES OF DUTIES - Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:
Key Responsibilities
1. Assist with the daily operations of the Office of the Village Clerk, including workflow planning, task coordination, deadline tracking, performance reporting, budget administration, purchasing, contracts, and continuity of operations.
2. Prepare, format, proofread, and distribute official materials, including reports, correspondence, meeting agendas, notices, ordinances, resolutions and legislative or administrative documents.
3. Attend regular, special, emergency, and study-session meetings of the Village Board, as assigned; support agenda preparation and publication; record official actions; prepare accurate and impartial minutes; process approved ordinances, resolutions, contracts, and other Board actions; and maintain the official legislative record.
4. Assist with Open Meetings Act administration, including maintaining annual meeting schedules, posting agendas and notices, preserving meeting records and recordings, documenting authorized remote participation, and coordinating with staff liaisons and recording secretaries.
5. Process, index, preserve, digitize, retrieve, and provide access to official Village records and archives, including ordinances, resolutions, contracts, agreements, deeds, bonds, meeting records, and other official documents, in accordance with the Illinois Local Records Act, approved retention schedules, Village policies, and established archival practices.
6. Assist with records inventories, digitization initiatives, archival preservation, authorized records disposal, and the transfer and retrieval of records maintained in off-site storage. .
7. Serve as a Freedom of Information Act Officer, when designated, and assist with receiving, tracking, researching, reviewing, redacting, and responding to public-records requests within applicable legal deadlines and Village procedures.
8. Provide impartial assistance to residents seeking public information while protecting information that is confidential, exempt from disclosure, or otherwise restricted by law.
9. Prepare certified copies and assist with the attestation, execution, filing, publication, and distribution of official documents under the direction of the Village Clerk, including the authorized use of the Village Seal.
10. Compile and transmit approved amendments for publication in the Village Code and assist with maintaining accurate codification records.
11. Support the Village Clerk in performing local election-official responsibilities, including accepting and maintaining election filings, issuing receipts, administering required notices and certifications, coordinating voter-registration and early-voting services, maintaining election records, and providing impartial procedural information to candidates, petitioners, objectors, and members of the public.
12. Prepare, administer when authorized, witness, file, and preserve oaths of office, appointment documents, certifications, statements of economic interests, and other filings maintained by the Office of the Village Clerk.
13. Receive, date-stamp, route, and maintain legal notices, claims, summonses, subpoenas, service-of-process documents, referendum filings, and other materials filed with or served upon the Village Clerk.
14. Support boards and commissions administration, including maintaining rosters and terms, coordinating appointment records, assisting staff liaisons and recording secretaries, monitoring required training and attendance documentation, and maintaining official agendas, minutes, and related records.
15. Serve as a liaison between the Office of the Village Clerk and Village departments, public bodies, outside agencies, and members of the public regarding official documents, meetings, records, and filings.
16. Assist with nonpartisan civic education, voter engagement, public-information initiatives, community events, and programs that improve residents’ understanding of and access to local government.
17. Support compliance with applicable laws, retention requirements, established procedures, and deadlines; identify potential compliance concerns and promptly elevate them to the Village Clerk.
18. Perform duties on behalf of the Village Clerk during the Clerk’s absence, as assigned and to the extent permitted by law, Village Code, and established delegation of authority; attend management team meetings and represent the office at meetings or functions as assigned.
19. Perform related duties as required.
Qualifications
- Strong time management and multi-tasking skills, with the ability to meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Clear, professional written and verbal communication, with particular strength in formal writing and minute-taking.
- Availability to work evenings and outside of normal business hours for meetings and events.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook), digital filing systems, and office management tools.
- Ability to understand and apply Robert’s Rules of Order, the Illinois Open Meetings Act, and municipal recordkeeping practices.
- Strong interpersonal and customer service skills; able to work with diverse populations and respond to inquiries with respect and clarity.
- Capacity to work independently and with discretion, especially when managing confidential or time-sensitive materials.
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in public administration, business administration, records management, paralegal studies, political science, or a related field.
- Experience in a municipal clerk’s office, elected office, or other public-sector environment.
- Experience preparing official minutes, legislative records, public notices, and certified documents.
- Experience with agenda-management, records-management, FOIA-tracking, document-management, and boards-and-commissions systems.
- Certified Municipal Clerk designation, progress toward certification, or willingness to pursue relevant professional training.
- Knowledge of principles and procedures of record keeping.
Ability to:
- Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs, and culture.
- Learn about Village ordinances and applicable Municipal Codes.
- Understand the organization and operation of the Village, the Village Clerk's Office, and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
- Read and understand various Village ordinances.
- Compile and maintain records.
- Type at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
- Take and transcribe dictation at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
- Respond to requests and inquiries from the public.
- Work independently in the absence of supervision.
- Understand and follow oral and written instructions.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
- Establish and maintain interpersonal skills in the workplace to effectively communicate and interact with others.
- Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance.
- Work overtime as operations require.
- Working knowledge of municipal operations and familiarity with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, Freedom of Information Act, Local Records Act, Election Code, municipal codes, records-retention requirements, and accepted records-management practices.
- Strong organizational, prioritization, and multitasking skills, with the ability to manage concurrent deadlines and maintain accuracy in a fast-paced environment.
- Clear, concise, and professional written and verbal communication, including formal writing, proofreading, minute preparation, and public-facing communication.
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and contemporary agenda-management, records-management, FOIA-tracking, document-management, and collaboration systems.
- Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, protect restricted information, and handle sensitive or time-critical materials with discretion.
- Ability to interpret and follow laws, ordinances, policies, procedures, oral instructions, and written instructions; identify issues requiring review; and elevate them appropriately.
- Ability to provide high-quality, impartial service to internal and external customers and work effectively with elected officials, employees, applicants, public bodies, outside agencies, and community members from diverse backgrounds.
- Ability to work independently, collaborate across departments, maintain reliable attendance, and work evenings or outside normal business hours as operational needs require.
Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities which may include the following:
- Sitting for extended periods of time.
- Operating assigned office equipment.
Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for:
- Communicating with others.
- Operating assigned office equipment.
Working Environment & Conditions
- Primarily office-based; extended periods of sitting, typing, and screen time required.
- Occasional travel for off-site meetings or community events.
- Role requires ability to manage multiple ongoing projects while maintaining attention to detail.
About the Municipal Clerk’s Office
The Municipal Clerk’s Office in the Village of Oak Park is committed to transparency, access to public records, civic participation, and equitable community engagement. We serve as the official keeper of village records and work to ensure open and inclusive government for all Oak Park residents. Our work includes voter engagement, public document archiving, process modernization, and direct collaboration with the public to expand participation in local democracy.
Experience and Training Guidelines
Experience: Familiarity with municipal government processes and the responsibility of an elected office is a plus.4 years of progressively responsible experience in administrative operations, municipal government, legislative records, elections, public records, records management, or office management; or an equivalent combination of education and experience consistent with the Village’s established equivalency standards.
Ability to complete required Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act training within the period established by law or Village policy. Ability to obtain and maintain an Illinois Notary Public commission if required for assigned duties.
Training: Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework degree in public administration, business administration, records management, paralegal studies, or a related field is desired.
A combination of experience and training will be considered.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Work is primarily performed in an office and public-meeting environment. The position requires regular use of computers and office equipment, attendance at evening meetings and community events, occasional local travel, management of multiple ongoing assignments, and sustained attention to detail and statutory deadlines.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. Work may require prolonged sitting and computer use; frequent reading, writing, speaking, listening, and operation of standard office equipment; and occasional movement of records, supplies, or equipment consistent with assigned duties.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION STATEMENT
The Office of the Village Clerk commits itself to diversity, equity and inclusion by recognizing that creating a mutually respectful, multicultural and equitable environment does not happen on its own, it must be intentional. This includes providing equal opportunities for everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, ability, military or veteran status or any other characteristics.
Experience: Familiarity with municipal government processes and the responsibility of an elected office is a plus.4 years of progressively responsible experience in administrative operations, municipal government, legislative records, elections, public records, records management, or office management; or an equivalent combination of education and experience consistent with the Village’s established equivalency standards. Ability to complete required Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act training within the period established by law or Village policy. Ability to obtain and maintain an Illinois Notary Public commission if required for assigned duties.
Training: Completion of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework degree in public administration, business administration, records management, paralegal studies, or a related field is desired.
A combination of experience and training will be considered.
