Administrative Secretary - Special Programs/Student Services - Modesto Junior College

Clay Today; Modesto (CA); Hybrid; USD 48,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Modesto Junior College seeks an Administrative Secretary for Special Programs/Student Services. This role provides primary secretarial support to a Dean or senior manager, handling budgeting, payroll, purchasing, and confidential matters, and may supervise staff.

The position requires organizing complex files, preparing reports and presentations, coordinating calendars, taking minutes, and liaising with faculty and students. Strong office procedures and knowledge of regulations are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience equivalent to Administrative Specialist at YCCD for Pattern I (4 years).
• Pattern II requires an associate’s degree with business coursework and 2 years of administrative support experience.
• Ability to handle confidential information and complex budgets.

Responsibilities

• Provide primary secretarial support to a Dean or senior manager.
• Lead staff administrative activities and train/support staff on policies.
• Organize work timelines and develop coordination within the division.
• Research data, prepare reports, and present data in required formats.
• Handle budgets, purchase requisitions, invoices and payments.
• Maintain complex file and records systems, including confidential materials.
• Respond to inquiries, prepare information for administrative review.
• Prepare reports, presentations, and possibly update web pages.
• Maintain calendars, prepare agendas, and take minutes.

Skills

Office procedures

Business writing

Minutes transcription

Filing & records

Mathematics

Accounting procedures

Purchasing

English usage

College policies

Regulations

Education

Associate’s degree in business administration or related field

Job description

Modesto Junior College

Administrative Secretary - Special Programs/Student Services - Modesto Junior College

Salary: Appointments are hired at the first step of the range. The second step is paid after the first year of satisfactory service with subsequent steps annually thereafter to a maximum sixth step.

Closing Date: Monday, October 19th, 2026 at 11:59pm

DEFINITION

Under direction, leads, coordinates and performs advanced and confidential administrative work as the primary secretary for a Dean or other senior-level manager; organizes, leads and performs highly complex and technical administrative duties and services related to budgeting, accounting, contracts, payroll, purchasing, personnel, and/or other areas; may serve as a lead worker over subordinate clerical and/or technical staff; and performs related work as assigned.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS

This is the third classification in the administrative support series within the Yosemite Community College District (YCCD). Incumbents must utilize advanced technical knowledge of specialized subject areas to make decisions and complete assignments. Positions in this class provide primary secretarial and administrative support to a Dean or other senior-level manager, often serving as a lead worker and/or administrative coordinator for the work unit.

This class may be distinguished from the lower-level class of Administrative Specialist because incumbents in the Administrative Secretary class perform more complex and confidential duties in support of Dean or other senior-level manager.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED

Incumbents in this class work under the direction of a Dean or other senior manager, receiving occasional supervision while working toward a definite objective that requires use of a wide range of procedures. Incumbents plan and/or determine specific procedures or equipment required to meet assigned objectives and solve non-routine problems, referring only unusual matters to a supervisor.

An incumbent in this class does not directly supervise other full-time employees, but may serve as a lead worker and administrative office coordinator by assigning, directing and/or monitoring the work of subordinate full time employees on a regular basis.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The Education/Experience, Knowledge and Ability requirements are representative of essential duties. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

Knowledge of:

• Modern office procedures, methods and equipment including computers and supporting computer applications.
• Principles of business letter writing and advanced document preparation.
• Methods and techniques of transcribing notes and meeting minutes.
• Principles and procedures of filing and record keeping.
• Standard mathematical principles.
• Standard technical accounting procedures and principles.
• Principles and applications of purchasing.
• Advanced English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• College policies and procedures applicable to area of assignment.
• Pertinent Federal, State and local codes, laws and regulations.

Ability to:

• Perform a wide variety of responsible, administrative and secretarial support duties for an administrator.
• Independently prepare correspondence and memoranda.
• Organize and schedule work to maximize efficiency.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive information and work performed.
• Monitor budget expenditures and prepare appropriate reports.
• Type or take dictation at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Maintain a calendar of activities and schedule meetings appropriately.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing and spreadsheet applications.
• Prepare and maintain accurate and current records and files.
• Respond to difficult requests and inquiries from students, faculty and staff.
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience:

Pattern I

Experience: Four years equivalent to an Administrative Specialist at YCCD.

OR

Pattern II

Education: Possession of an associate’s degree from an accredited college with major course work in business administration or a closely related field.

Experience: Two years of increasingly responsible administrative support experience, including two years providing secretarial support to a manager or program administrator.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

• Serves as an administrative secretary and office management coordinator in support of a Dean, Director, or similar senior-level manager, with responsibility for providing primary secretarial support that requires dealing with a variety of highly complex, sensitive and privileged matters.
• Coordinates and leads staff administrative and secretarial activities within the assigned division; plans work assignments and schedules of support staff; advises and trains staff on District policies and regulations pertaining to work assignments; provides technical input to subordinate staff performance evaluations.
• Organizes, plans and develops work accomplishment time lines.
• Leads, coordinates and performs difficult technical administrative work in support of a wide range of operations, programs and/or projects within an assigned division; researches and abstracts data from various sources; performs technical data evaluation; compiles and presents data in appropriate and requested formats.
• Provides office reception and related support; answers phones; explains and interprets policies, regulations and operational procedures to persons contacting the office such as faculty, students, staff and the general public.
• Develops, prepares, recommends and monitors budgets for projects, grants and/or assigned functions; initiates appropriation, expenditure and revenue transfers and budget revisions; monitors expenditures to ensure fiscal integrity; compile, analyze, calculate and retrieve budget reports.
• Prepares quotes, bids and purchase requisitions; receives and processes invoices and forwards for payment.
• Establishes and maintains complex file and record systems, including those for confidential and sensitive materials.
• Independently responds to routine inquiries and correspondence; prepares information and data requested for administrative review.
• Prepares technically complex reports, files, correspondence and other documents; may develop and prepare visual presentations, flyers, and graphic materials; may update web pages.
• Maintains calendars and schedules appointments, conferences and meetings; prepares meeting agendas and information packets; attends meetings and takes/prepares minutes.
• Coordinates a variety of personnel management activities; prepares personnel-related forms.
• May serve as a departmental liaison to and/or participate on task forces, committees, external organizations and other groups.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Licenses and Certificates:

Depending upon assignment, possession of a valid license to drive in California may be required.