Administrative Assistant

City of Seaside; California (MO); On-site; USD 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Seaside is accepting applications for the full-time Administrative Assistant in the Recreation Department. Ideal candidates are adaptable, organized, and detail-oriented, thriving in a fast-paced, public-facing environment.

The role involves providing administrative support, handling communications, scheduling, and assisting with department programs and budgets. Applicants will be evaluated through a structured city process, including interviews.

Qualifications

• Equivalent to completion of twelfth grade supplemented by college-level coursework and/or training and two years of responsible administrative experience.

Responsibilities

• Provides administrative and secretarial support to managers and departmental staff.
• Composes, types, edits, and proofs a variety of documents including forms, memos, reports, and correspondence.
• Screens calls, visitors, and incoming mail; provides information to the public and staff; assists with department programs and projects.
• Schedules and coordinates meetings; takes and transcribes minutes for assigned boards and commissions; maintains calendars.

Education

High school diploma with college-level coursework and two years of administrative experience

Job description

The City of Seaside is currently accepting applications from qualified candidates for the full-time position of Administrative Assistant within the Recreation Department.

This is a unique opportunity for an individual who is adaptable, organized, detail-oriented, and enjoys working in a fast-paced, public-facing environment.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Application Process:

Applicants who submit a complete application and whose qualifications meet the City's needs, as demonstrated by their training, experience, education, and other job‑related qualifications, will be invited to participate in the selection process. Applications will be evaluated based on the standard online City application and responses to the Supplemental Questions to determine which candidates advance. The selection process will include a panel interview and a final selection interview. The City reserves the right to extend the application deadline at its discretion.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The City of Seaside provides outstanding services to the public and is deeply committed to a community and workforce that is inclusive, equitable, and diverse. We welcome and encourage applications from all qualified applicants, including underrepresented minorities that contribute to the diversification and enrichment of ideas and perspectives. The City of Seaside does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or based on an individual’s status in any group of class protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Description

Under general supervision, performs a variety of administrative, secretarial, and office support duties requiring thorough knowledge of the department, its procedures, and operational details; provides administrative support to management and departmental staff; composes and prepares correspondence using judgment in content and style; performs skilled word processing, data entry, and typing; provides information to the public and staff; provides assistance for a wide variety of assignments related to administration of budgets, contracts, research projects, and department programs; and performs related work as required.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Receives general supervision from assigned supervisory and managerial staff. Exercises no supervision of staff.

Class Characteristics

This is the journey‑level class in the Administrative Assistant series. Incumbents at this level are capable of performing complex administrative and office support duties, including taking and transcribing meeting minutes and assisting in department‑related projects and programs. Employees at this level are required to be fully trained in all procedures related to the assigned area(s) of responsibility, working with a high degree of independent judgment, tact, and initiative. This class is distinguished from the Senior Administrative Assistant in that the latter provides complex administrative support to an assigned department head, oversees the workflow of the office, and provides direct supervision over lower‑level support staff. Management reserves the right to add, modify, change, or rescind the work assignments of different positions and to make reasonable accommodations so that qualified employees can perform the essential functions of the job.

• Provides administrative support to managers and departmental staff by assisting with duties of a complex nature; acts as a liaison between management and other staff or the public.
• Organizes and carries out administrative assignments; researches, compiles, and organizes information and data from various sources on a variety of specialized topics related to programs in assigned area; checks and tabulates standard mathematical or statistical data; prepares and assembles reports, manuals, articles, announcements, and other informational materials.
• Composes, types, edits, and proofreads a variety of complex documents, including forms, memos, administrative, statistical, financial, and staff reports, and correspondence for department staff from rough draft, handwritten copy, verbal instructions, or from other material using a computer; inputs and retrieves data and text using a computer terminal; checks draft documents for punctuation, spelling, and grammar; makes or suggests corrections.
• Prepares and processes reports, forms, and records, such as payroll, requests for payments, purchase orders, invoices, requests for proposals, bid packages, contracts and agreements, drafts of notices, resolutions, determination, and mailing lists.
• Screens calls, visitors, and incoming mail; receives and responds to calls received; provides information to the public, including contractors and vendors, by phone or in person to ensure contract compliance and an understanding of department and City policies and procedures; listens to questions and interprets and applies regulations, policies, procedures, systems, rules, and precedents according to existing guidelines; responds to citizen and staff inquiries and complaints; refers citizens to the appropriate department source; coordinates or resolves problems of a moderate nature when appropriate.
• Schedules and/or coordinates meetings, seminars, conferences, events, and training sessions for department staff; maintains calendars and makes meeting arrangements such as set up and materials; acts as meeting and/or committee secretary including preparing agendas and informational packets and taking and transcribing minutes for assigned boards and commissions.
• Assists or administers assigned department projects and/or programs as assigned by management staff; provides assistance to department staff in various research and department‑related projects.
• Develops and implements file, index, tracking, and record‑keeping systems; researches records within areas of assigned responsibility to prepare reports and provides follow‑up information to customer and staff inquiries.
• Verifies and reviews forms and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; applies departmental and program policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and files.
• Monitors and orders office and other related supplies; prepares, processes, and tracks purchase requisitions for services and materials; receives vendor invoices; prepares request for payment for department head approval.
• Acts as a department representative within community groups to relay or obtain relevant information regarding departmental activities; updates website with departmental news and activities.
• Coordinates and integrates department services and activities with other City departments and outside agencies.
• Operates a variety of standard office equipment, including job‑related computer hardware and software applications, copiers, postage meters, facsimile machines, and multi‑line telephones; may operate other department‑specific equipment.
• May maintain department personnel files, including processing personnel action forms and sensitive/confidential personnel issues, preparing supervisor generated performance evaluation forms, processing accident/incident/workers' compensation claim forms, filing pertinent documents, maintaining files in a secure location, and providing information to supervisors and managers.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Any combination of training and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required qualifications would be:

Equivalent to the completion of twelfth (12th) grade supplemented by college‑level coursework and/or training and two (2) years of responsible administrative experience.

Knowledge of:

• Organization and function of public agencies, including the role of an elected City Council and appointed boards and commissions.
• Applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures relevant to assigned area of responsibility.
• Modern office administrative and secretarial practices and procedures, including the use of standard office equipment.
• Business letter writing and the standard format for reports and correspondence.
• Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
• Computer applications related to the work, including word processing, web design, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• Business mathematics and basic statistical techniques.
• Record keeping principles and procedures.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, vocabulary, and punctuation.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service by effectively dealing with the public, vendors, contractors, and City staff.

Ability to:

• Perform responsible administrative and secretarial support work with accuracy, speed, and general supervision.
• Provide varied and responsible secretarial and office administrative work requiring the use of tact and discretion.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.
• Interpret, apply, and explain administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions.
• Make accurate mathematical, financial, and statistical computations.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record‑keeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner; organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software applications programs.
• Use English effectively to communicate in person, over the telephone, and in writing.
• Use tact, initiative, prudence, and independent judgment within general policy and legal guidelines in politically sensitive situations.
• Establish, maintain, and foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Must possess mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment, including a computer; vision to read printed materials and a computer screen; and hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the telephone. This is primarily a sedentary office classification although standing and walking between work areas may be required. Finger dexterity is needed to access, enter, and retrieve data using a computer keyboard, typewriter keyboard, or calculator and to operate standard office equipment. Positions in this classification occasionally bend, stoop, kneel, reach, push, and pull drawers open and closed to retrieve and file information. Employees must possess the ability to lift, carry, push, and pull materials and objects up to 25 pounds.

ENVIRONMENTAL ELEMENTS

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels, controlled temperature conditions, and no direct exposure to hazardous physical substances. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Required to work a varied schedule, which may include nights and evenings, in order to take minutes in support of meetings of the City Council and other boards/commissions as assigned.

DISASTER SERVICE WORKERS

All City of Seaside employees are designated Disaster Service Workers through state and local law (California Government Code Section 3100-3109). Employment with the City requires the affirmation of a loyalty oath to this effect. Employees are required to complete all Disaster Service Worker‑related training as assigned and to return to work as ordered in the event of an emergency.