Administrative Specialist (Entry-Level!) - Public Safety / Fire Prevention - R18977

Sarasota County Government; Sarasota (FL); On-site; USD 27,000 - 28,000; Full time

Job summary

Sarasota County Government is seeking an Administrative Specialist to support the Fire Prevention/Public Safety front desk. You will greet visitors, answer calls, and handle mail while coordinating with inspectors and staff to resolve inquiries about permits and inspections.

The role is entry-level with growth potential in Emergency Services. Starting pay is about $19.87–$20.25 per hour, with benefits beginning within 60 days of hire.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED required.
• 0–2 years of business-related experience or exposure; willingness to learn.

Responsibilities

• Greet the public and answer the phone, routing inquiries to the appropriate staff.
• Perform clerical duties: filing, copying, mail handling, and office supply management.
• Assist with permits, inspections, and plan review inquiries; provide information to customers.
• Coordinate with inspectors and various staff to ensure smooth front-office operations.
• Assist NFIRS processes and data entry as needed; support customers with payments and permit fees.

Skills

Customer service

Clerical work

Phone etiquette

Data entry

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Excel

Word

Printer/copiers

Job description

Start Here. Grow Here. Stay Here.

Are you a clerical guru with exceptional customer service? Our Public Safety and Fire Prevention division is in need of an Administrative Specialist to help greet the public and answer the phone, ensuring the front office is maintained and running smoothly. Examples of additional job responsibilities include receiving, sorting, and delivering the mail and helping to answer all incoming inquiries/concerns regarding permits, inspections, etc.

This position is entry-level and is a great opportunity to start your career in our Emergency Services department or with the county as a whole! There are numerous opportunities for development, the pay starts between $19.87 - $20.25, based upon experience, and benefits begin within 60 days of hire. Apply today to begin a stable career, known for it's impact on the community!

About the Position

In this role, you will provide clerical and administrative support for the office of the Fire Prevention Branch. This position has a high level of customer interaction and will build and foster positive working relationships, maintaining an excellent customer service standard when interfacing with both internal and external customers. Examples of job responsibilities can be found below...

• Answer the telephone and greet the public, screening the information presented and either routing or directing the inquiry to the appropriate staff members.

• Office duties include but are not limited to - filing, copying, and maintenance of office supply inventory.

• Receive, sort and deliver mail to various staff members assigned to Station Administrative Offices.

• Contact appropriate inspector(s) to assure coordination with construction industry, business owner(s) and/or property owner(s).

• Handle calls for various building permitting, inspections or plan review inquiries; provide assistance to customers regarding various Fire permit requests, on-line permit issues, scheduling inspections and troubleshoots inspection scheduling issues/concerns.

• Refer customers to appropriate areas to address or secure answers to questions about permit building division services.

• Initiate, process and complete re-inspection and/or extension requests and assure proper approval from Fire Marshal.

• Process customer inquiries and make decisions in accordance with applicable ordinances, regulations and unit policies.

• Research files, databases, internet, GIS and maps for a variety of source background materials.

• Provide information for all types of payments for fees related to inspections, false alarms, etc.

• Utilize the adopted Fee Ordinance to provide permit fee information.

• Assist in the processes of the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), preparing them for data entry, issuance to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and processing copies for those homeowners, insurance adjusters, and other agencies (Red Cross) requesting copies for verification of the incident (approx. 7000/year).

About the Schedule

Work Hours:

• Full-Time, 40 hours per week.

• Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

About You

Minimum Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent education (GED).

• 0 - 2 years of business-related experience/exposure. Must possess an aptitude and willingness to learn!

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced knowledge of Excel, Word, printer/copiers, phone etiquette and computer input.

Physical Demands:

Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs.

About Everything Else

Starting Pay Range: $19.87 - $20.25, based upon experience.

Our interview process could include phone interview(s), Microsoft Teams video interview(s), and/or in-person interview(s).

If you are selected to join our team, you will need to present the following items on your first day:

1. I-9 Acceptable Documents to show your identity and authorization to work. Use this link to learn more and review the different document options: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

• If your position requires a Florida Driver’s License, this must be one of your documents. (Your Florida Driver’s License can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List B Documents.)

2. U.S. Social Security Card (signed, physical card). This is a requirement of our Payroll Department and failure to provide this document could jeopardize timely compensation. (Your U.S. Social Security Card can serve as one of your documents listed in link above – List C Documents.)