Melanie Harding Email & Phone Number

Washington, United States

Tacoma, Washington, United States

Provide leadership and oversight of Neighborhood & Community Services, Media & Communications Office, City executive recruitments, and additional complex projects in support of the City Manager's Office and other departments as needed. Retained assignments under the Assistant to the City Manager role, overseeing a portfolio of more than 67 employees and budgets totaling roughly $63 million. Serve as Acting City Manager as assigned in the City Manager's absence.

Tacoma, Washington, United States

Oversee the Mayor/Council support and policy development team, Council constituent services, and the City’s Management Fellowship program. Lead implementation/oversight of City of Tacoma’s Alternative Response, including standing up HOPE Behavioral Health Crisis Team, new Community Service Officers in the Police Department, and expansion/enhancement of HEAL Homeless Outreach Team. Serve as a contributing member of the City’s Executive Team, represent the City and City Manager’s Office in various meetings, support administrative functions of the City Manager’s Office, complete additional projects as assigned, and serve as Acting City Manager upon request in the City Manager’s absence.

Supported elected leader decision quality by serving as the City Manager-appointed lead advisor to the Mayor on current events and initiatives, controversial matters, and policy issues. Assisted with the development, launch, and support of the Mayoral initiatives, including the Business Advisory Council, South Sound Housing Affordability Partners, and a guaranteed income demonstration. Ensured successful community and government-to-government relations by building strong rapport, exercising political savvy, composing sensitive correspondence, engaging in diplomatic problem solving, facilitating meetings, and leading multi-organization teams. Served as the lead communications support for the Mayor’s Office, including culturally-sensitive and highly-visible crisis communications, speechwriting, correspondence, and talking points. Assisted with development of policy, presentation, and agenda materials, including incorporation of the full Council’s direction in drafting City of Tacoma's historic Resolution No. 40622. Provided guidance to the council support team on budget expenses, ceremonials, and other requests from their elected leaders and worked collaboratively with them as needed on refining policy co-sponsored by the Mayor. Developed and facilitated team building and professional development exercises for the Mayor's Office Team.

Designed and implemented a program recognized nationwide as a model in paid sick leave and minimum wage outreach, education, and enforcement. Oversaw the City of Tacoma's employment standards program and staff, establishing a strong work team that was highly engaged, innovative, accountable, resourceful, and supportive of one another. Served as a liaison to community partners, other government agencies, the business community, and our peers across the nation on employment standards issues. Reviewed and made policy recommendations on legislation/regulations related to employment standards and oversaw enforcement of the laws. Set performance measures, performed data collection and analysis, and created reports for senior management and City Council. Used innovative approaches and a focus on equity to create and carry out public education plans, strategically connecting with a broad range of workers and employers on employment standards while making efficient use of city resources. Coordinated and facilitated public meetings, responded to media inquiries, and provided training for employers and community partners. Initiated additional responsibilities in organization continuous improvement efforts, including a project to expand multi-lingual communications. Assigned to facilitate communications/process improvements involving multiple departments, including refunds for utility customers. Represented the Finance Department in Emergency Management preparedness work.

Served as the City's staff lead on outreach, rules formation, implementation, and enforcement of the new citywide minimum wage and paid sick leave laws (effective February 1, 2016 for workers in private and non-profit sectors of employment). Conducted successful public processes to gather stakeholder input and establish rules/regulations to guide smooth implementation of both laws. Performed outreach and trainings, and created educational and marketing materials. Reviewed policies related to employment standards and made recommendations. Served as a liaison to State Department of Labor and Industries on employment standards issues. Retooled webpages to provide intuitive access to information for employers and workers, effectively reducing call volumes. Established e-Newsletters, and grew the Employment Standards e-Newsletter audience to over 600 engaged subscribers in first 6 months.

Served as the lead on special projects where multi-department teams or high levels of community stakeholder engagement were needed to address complex operational/community issues. Worked with other municipalities to successfully negotiate agreements for shared services, drilling down into operations budgets to ensure fair allocation and cost savings for both jurisdictions. Served as the City Manager's liaison on homelessness and social services: rebuilt relationship between city and emergency shelter service providers to work collaboratively on public policy and negotiated a memorandum of understanding with community service organizations. Supervised city communications work, including web site administration, social media content, video production projects, news media inquiries, and public outreach on highly visible issues. Formulated and carried out internal communications plans to employees a broad range of topics. Oversaw the city’s commute trip reduction program and administered city-wide program for web-based citizen inquiries (311). Served as Public Information Officer during activation of the City's Emergency Operations Center. Researched, prepared reports, and made presentations to the City Manager and Council on city services, special projects, and complex policy issues. Represented the City of Puyallup at various civic and neighborhood meetings. Identified and implemented innovative, cost-effective solutions in response to community concerns. Analyzed department performance and formulated recommendations for improvement in areas such as operations, technological tools, and workplace culture. Assigned to lead teams in identified continuous improvement efforts.

Identified and enacted effective solutions to community issues, with a focus on efficiency and community satisfaction. Led multi-department teams to address issues related to community interests. Served as the lead for public affairs and communications issues: administrated the city website, generated social media content, acted as a liaison to news media outlets, developed messaging for politically sensitive issues, and oversaw creation of visual/video media and public information campaigns. Served as the City Manager's liaison on projects/policy on issues related to homelessness and social services, including development of policy and informational reports for consideration by the city council. Represented the City of Puyallup at various civic and neighborhood meetings. Recruited, trained, hired, and supervised 8+ volunteers that staffing the City Hall Vistor Services Information Station. Continued duties assigned under the Customer Service Coordinator title, and took on additional projects to analyze and improve operations as assigned by the City Manager. Served as a Public Information Officer during activation of the City's Emergency Operations Center.

Served as a liaison between community members, council, and involved city departments to resolve and appropriately respond to resident/business owner issues. Administered a program for web-based citizen inquiries (311), ensuring that target response times were met and that all appropriate city staff were adequately trained in the program’s use. Established and oversaw a volunteer-staffed City Hall Visitor Services Station on the first floor of City Hall, including recruitment, training, and supervising a staff of 8+ volunteers.

Provided support to the City Clerk. Assisted with city-wide records management projects. Provided support for the City of Puyallup Planning Commission, composed accurate and detailed meeting minutes, and assisted with agenda production. Assisted with production of the city council agenda. Provided frontline customer service and processed passport applications.

Provided non-partisan administrative support in the offices of two State Representatives. Composed resolutions and correspondence. Prepared agendas, meeting notes, and customized spreadsheets for a bipartisan legislative caucus. Conducted research on legislative issues, prepared reports, and presented findings to stakeholder/constituent groups on behalf of the elected officials.

Trained Human Resources/Administrative Assistant Employees to use company policy and employment law to complete HR tasks and manage daily operations of Corporate Office part time while completing my bachelor's degree. Assisted senior management with additional projects as assigned.

Promoted from within to lead the company's HR initiatives and functions. Advised management team on State and Federal employment law. Prepared cases and represented the company in Employment Security Department hearings. Recruited, interviewed, and hired employees for 12 locations. Administered benefits programs and employee orientations. Negotiated vendor contracts and coordinated supply orders for all branches. Maintained confidential employee files. Coordinated executive staff, branch management, and company-wide staff meetings and ensured follow up of tasks assigned to branch and district managers. Supervised administration of company-wide customer rewards program and reception services at Corporate Office. Resolved customer complaints that could not be successfully addressed at the branch level.

Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative

The City Leadership Initiative is a collaboration among Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Business School, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Masters, Public Administration

Bachelor Of Arts, Political Science

Associate Of Arts & Sciences