Administrative Information Specialist

Cityofduluth; Duluth (MN); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Duluth is seeking an Administrative Information Specialist within the Duluth Fire Department's Life Safety Division. The role focuses on coordinating licensing, permitting, inspections, and enforcement, with a strong emphasis on customer service and administrative processes.

The position requires independent judgment, advanced clerical skills, and the ability to train staff while handling complex documents and reports for public-facing duties.

Qualifications

• Typing speed and accuracy; fast, precise data handling.
• Experience resolving public inquiries as a core responsibility.
• Knowledge of budgeting, bookkeeping terminology, and office procedures.

Responsibilities

• Independently perform clerical duties including researching, calculating, and generating detailed reports.
• Assist in preparation and monitoring of the department/division operating budget.
• Process payments, issue receipts, balance accounts, and deposit funds.
• Manage mail, correspondence, and document routing.
• Requisition, store, distribute, and inventory office supplies and equipment.
• Authorize expenditures within approved limits and track expenditures.
• Schedule and provide clerical support for meetings and events.

Skills

Typing 45 WPM

Accurate computations

Data entry

Office equipment operation

Business correspondence

File management

Education

JATC Certification (Information Technician training)

5 years of professional office support experience

Job description

About the Job

The current vacancy is within the Duluth Fire Department's Life Safety Division. This position plays a key role in coordinating the licensing, permitting, inspection, enforcement, and administrative duties of the Life Safety Division. The Life Safety Division is responsible for housing inspection, commercial property inspection, licensing, code enforcement, fire investigation, and public education. This is a public facing role with a direct impact on customer service delivery.

SUMMARY/PURPOSE

Under general direction and using independent judgment, the Administrative Information Specialist will establish and perform office support services, to include preparation of complex documents and reports; advise, assist, and train staff who perform office support service, and provide service to the public on complex or specialized matters.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities (other duties may be assigned)

1. Independently perform clerical responsibilities including conducting research, performing complex calculations, generating detailed and technical reports and letters, and maintaining departmental processes and procedures with speed, accuracy, and professionalism.
2. Assist in the preparation and monitoring of the department/division operating budget.
3. Calculate charges, secure payments, issue receipts, balance accounts, and deposit money from charges, fees, bills, and deposits.
4. Obtain, record, distribute, and route mail and correspondence.
5. Requisition, store, distribute, and inventory office supplies and equipment.
6. Authorize expenditures within established limits of authority.
7. Schedule, arrange, prepare, and provide clerical support for meetings and events.
8. Maintain calendars, datebooks, and schedules.
9. Assist in the establishment and modification of current office practices, policies, procedures, and services of the organization, and maintain effective and efficient systems for the division, office, or department.
10. Operate office equipment including copiers, computers, printers, and other modern office equipment as needed.
11. Establish and maintain computer files and databases using available software.
12. Provide prompt, quality customer service to internal and external customers, and exercise patience, respect, and professionalism in all routine and non-routine interactions.
13. Provide information, respond to questions, and interpret regulations, policies, and procedures.
14. Assist others by identifying customer needs, responding to controversial questions or questions of policy, and directing requests to the appropriate individual when necessary.
15. Distribute, secure, review, approve, deny, and issue forms, applications, permits, licenses, and registrations within areas.
16. Be an effective team member by exhibiting self-motivation, support other employees in handling tasks, interact effectively and respectfully with others, show a desire to contribute to the team effort, accept assignments willingly, and complete tasks with agreed upon timelines.
17. Other duties may be assigned.

Job Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities required.

Education & Experience Requirements

• Certification by the City's Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) upon completion of the Information Technician training program; OR
• Five (5) years of professional office support experience assisting the public to include the resolution of problems or concerns as a primary responsibility.

Knowledge Requirements

• Advanced knowledge of computer systems, job required software applications, the internet, and modern office equipment.
• Knowledge of English to include spelling, grammar, sentence construction, and punctuation.
• Knowledge of business letter writing and forms.
• Knowledge of general office budgeting and bookkeeping terminology, practices and procedures.

Skill Requirements

• Skill in typing at a rate of at least 45 net WPM.
• Skill in making accurate computations.
• Skill in comparing and proofreading names, numbers, and other data accurately and rapidly.
• Skill in counting money, making change, and issuing receipts.
• Skill in operating modern office equipment, data entry, computing, duplicating, calculating, and adding.
• Skill in composing business correspondence using independent judgment.
• Skill in establishing, organizing, maintaining, and updating manual and electronic files and records.

Ability Requirements

• Ability to interpret questions, provide satisfactory explanations, and resolve complaints.
• Ability to understand and execute complex policies/procedures and oral/written instructions.
• Ability to work independently and exercise discretion in absence of specific instructions or supervision.
• Ability to train personnel in office duties.
• Ability to complete the training program as approved by the JATC.
• Ability to obtain job-related certifications if required by the employer.
• Ability to create and maintain a positive environment that welcomes diversity, ensures cooperation, and promotes respect by sharing expertise with team members, fostering safe work practices, and developing trusting work relationships.

Physical Ability Requirements

• Ability to perform light work (defined as lifting a maximum of 20 pounds with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds).
• Ability to attend work on a regular basis.
• Ability to transport oneself to, from, and around sites of projects, tests, and other assignments.