This is a general secretarial classification within the City. Incumbents perform a variety of secretarial, clerical and routine administrative support to an assigned manager of a major division within a department and provide considerable information and assistance to the public and other City staff.

The current vacancy is in Public Works - Utilities, however the eligible list could be used for future vacancies in other departments.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS - Positions in the secretarial series (Administrative Assistant and Administrative Secretary) are distinguished from other office support classes (Office Specialist and Office Assistant I/II) in that they perform a wide variety of clerical, secretarial, and administrative support functions for one or more high level managers or administrators. The primary focus of the Administrative Assistant and Administrative Secretary positions is to provide administrative support services to people rather than to program operations. An essential part of the assignments is to provide secretarial support to high level departmental boards and commissions, to take and transcribe dictation via suitable method, and to type. Varied and responsible public and interpersonal contacts are typical of positions in this series. Positions in the secretarial class series may have some supervisory responsibility; however, the degree of responsibility and accountability for the work of subordinates is generally less and the size of the work unit supervised is generally smaller than for full supervisory classes. Generally, the difference between the Administrative Secretary and the Administrative Assistant is that the former have a more restricted administrative role and report to a division manager.

DEFINITION OF LEVEL - The scope of responsibility for this class is dependent on work delegated by the division manager. There can be no more than one position allocated to this class for each major division of a department. However, not all divisions require an Administrative Secretary position. In divisions where significant individual support of the division manager is minimal or is allocated among several support positions, no Administrative Secretary is warranted. In these cases, secretarial duties are allocated to positions in the Office Assistant class series or to specialty clerical classes where appropriate. Administrative Secretary positions provide administrative support to the division manager including scheduling appointments, screening the manager's calls, responding to the manager's correspondence, tracking division work assignments, maintaining confidential records and files, and performing diverse duties involving a wide variety of responsible contacts with both the public and high level administrators. Positions may perform the support work for City commissions and boards. When some of the administrative duties are delegated to a lower level staff member, it is expected that the Administrative Secretary will assume supervisory responsibility over these functions. Positions are expected to operate independently and exercise good judgment and initiative in the performance of duties.

• Serve as secretary to a manager of a major division within a department; receives, screens, and responds to visitors and callers; performs diverse duties requiring a wide variety of responsible contacts with the public and high level managers and officials;
• Following general guidelines, exercises judgment in providing information in response to inquiries and complaints; composes correspondence on a variety of matters using tact and diplomacy; gathers data;
• Compiles statistical and other reports; prepares reports for management review; establishes and maintains confidential and administrative files for the division; screens, sorts, and arranges incoming correspondence and mail in order of priority and distributes same;
• Using typewriters and word processing equipment, types correspondence, reports, and other materials of a technical or confidential nature from rough drafts, general notes, or dictation; takes and transcribes dictation from stenographic notes, handwritten notes, and tape recorded copy; may take minutes of meetings; enters and retrieves information from microprocessor computers;
• Schedules meetings and appointments; makes travel and meeting arrangements; may assist in the division's budget preparation and monitoring expenditures; may maintain the division's personnel files and payroll records; may process personnel transactions for the division;
• May direct the work of other support staff and provide limited supervision including training, interviewing applicants referred for employment, assigning and reviewing work, writing and conducting performance evaluations, resolving conflicts, and assisting in disciplinary actions; performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

Any combination of education, training, and experience that would likely provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform in the position is qualifying. A typical combination includes:

Knowledge of:  Modern office procedures, methods, and equipment including computers and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications; English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation; techniques of business letter writing and report preparation; principles and procedures of filing and record keeping; methods and techniques of public relations and customer service; basic principles and practices of fiscal, statistical, and administrative research and report preparation; basic principles of lead supervision and training; basic mathematical principles; operations, services, and activities of a municipality; principles and practices of budget preparation and administration.

Ability to: Perform a full range of responsible and difficult secretarial and routine administrative support duties involving the use of independent judgment and personal initiative; understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities; effectively represent the City to outside individuals and agencies to accomplish the goals and objectives of the division; interpret and apply administrative and division policies and procedures; independently prepare correspondences and memoranda; provide lead supervision and training to assigned clerical staff; take and transcribe dictation, if required by the position, at a speed necessary for successful job performance; type at a speed necessary for successful job performance (45 wpm); implement and maintain standard filing systems; research, compile, and prepare a variety of reports; work independently in the absence of supervision; maintain confidential records and reports; operate and use modern office equipment including a computer and various software packages; communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing; establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education:  Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade. Supplemental business college course work is desirable.

Experience:  Three years of progressively responsible clerical and secretarial experience. Some lead supervisory experience is desirable.

CONFIDENTIAL DESIGNATION -- Certain positions may be designated as confidential

Incumbents work in an open-office environment and have direct contact with the public. Must be able to sit for prolong periods of time; stand; walk; reach above and below shoulder level; speak clearly; hear normal voice conversation; use a telephone; and work on a personal computer.