Administrative Assistant

City-of-Orange,-C; Placentia (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Orange seeks an Administrative Assistant to perform a broad range of complex secretarial and administrative tasks in the Public Works Department.

The role provides support to management and staff, drafts documents, manages data, and assists with budgets, contracts, and departmental programs. Strong organization and communication are essential for success in this position.

Qualifications

• Equivalent to the completion of twelfth grade supplemented by college-level coursework and/or technical training in secretarial science and/or office administrative support and three years of responsible secretarial experience.
• Public Sector experience is desirable.
• Mobility to work in a standard office setting and use standard office equipment is required.

Responsibilities

• Performs administrative, secretarial, and office support duties of considerable complexity.
• Composes and prepares correspondence with judgment in content and style.
• Provides information to the public and staff; assists with budgets, contracts, research projects, and department programs.
• Prepares and processes reports, forms, and records such as payroll, invoices, and purchase orders.
• Schedules meetings, transcribes minutes, and acts as liaison between management and staff and the public.

Skills

Secretarial skills

Data entry

Word processing

Typing

Customer service

Education

High school diploma or equivalent + 3 years secretarial experience

Job description

JOIN THE CITY OF ORANGE AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT!

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

*There is currently one (1) vacancy in the Traffic Division of the Public Works Department. The eligibility list established through this recruitment may be used for future vacancies in other City departments.

Recruitment Process

To be considered for this opportunity, interested and qualified applicants must submit a complete online application no later than 11:59 p.m. on September 8, 2026. Qualified candidates will be invited to take a virtual written exam. Following the written exam will be a panel interview and department selection interview.

Dates

Recruitment Closes: September 8, 2026

Written Exam: September 11-14, 2026

Panel Interviews: September 29, 2026

Department Selection Interviews: Week of October 5, 2026

Under general supervision, performs a variety of administrative, secretarial, and office support duties of considerable complexity requiring thorough knowledge of the department, its procedures, and operational details; provides administrative support to management and departmental staff; composes and prepares correspondence using considerable 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.

Management reserves the rights 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, including preparing and editing agenda items for City Council, Commission, and/or Committee meetings; acts as a liaison between management and other staff or the public, coordinating resolutions when appropriate.
• Schedules and/or coordinates meetings, seminars, conferences, and training sessions for department staff; acts as meeting and/or committee secretary including preparing agendas and informational packets, setting up the room, 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 with records management and in various research and department-related projects.
• 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, dictation equipment, 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 hearing notices, draft resolutions, notices of determination, and mailing lists for public hearing items.
• Assists customers at a public counter and over the telephone with general information and the scheduling of appointments.
• Screens calls, visitors, and incoming mail; receives and responds to calls received via the Mayor's Hotline; 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.
• 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.
• 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, multi-line telephones, and transcription equipment; 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.
• May use the radio to dispatch maintenance calls to crews.
• Maintains calendars and makes meeting arrangements; schedules meetings between City staff or between City staff and other groups or organizations; arranges for necessary set-up and materials to be available at meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge of

• Organization and function of public agencies, including the role of an elected City Council and appointed boards and commissions.
• Applicable codes, regulations, policies, technical processes, and procedures related to the department to which assigned.
• 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.
• Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment.
• 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 harmonious working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience

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 technical training in secretarial science and/or office administrative support AND three (3) years of responsible secretarial experience. Public Sector experience is desirable.

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 in work areas 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.

Working Conditions

This position requires regular and reliable attendance and the employee’s physical presence at the workplace. May be required to work various shifts, including, but not limited to, early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays, at a variety of City locations.

Environmental Elements

Employees work in an office environment with moderate noise levels and controlled temperature conditions; but may occasionally work in the field and be exposed to loud noise levels, cold and hot temperatures, inclement weather conditions, road hazards, vibration, mechanical and/or electrical hazards, and hazardous physical substances and fumes. Employees may interact with upset staff and/or public and private representatives in interpreting and enforcing departmental policies and procedures.

Disaster Service Worker

All employees of the City of Orange are designated by both State law and City ordinance to be “Disaster Service Workers.” In the event of a declared emergency or any undeclared emergency or natural disaster that threatens the life, health and/or safety of the public, employees may be assigned to assist rescue and relief workers. Such assignments may be in locations, during hours and performing work significantly different from the employees’ normal work assignments and may continue through the recovery phase of the emergency.

City Mission, Vision, and Values

Incumbents in all City positions are expected to exhibit the behavior characteristics reflected in the City's Mission, Vision, and Values statements in the performance of their duties: The City of Orange is committed to excellent service for our residents, businesses, and visitors. As an organization, the City of Orange is the leader in delivering the highest level of service to meet current and future needs of the community. The City's values include Teamwork, Accountability, and Excellence.