Department Assistant - Council on Aging

Edgartown; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 39,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

Town of Edgartown is seeking a Department Assistant for the Council on Aging to provide administrative, clerical, and customer service support to the department and the older adults it serves. This 35 hour/week role assists with day-to-day office operations, program registrations, meeting support, and financial processing.

Candidates should have experience with Google Workspace and be comfortable navigating digital platforms. Open until filled with a priority date of September 8, 2026.

Qualifications

• High School diploma and 1–2 years of related experience; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience using Google Workspace and cloud-based platforms.
• Knowledge of office practices and elderly service operations.

Responsibilities

• Provides extensive customer service in person, via telephone and email.
• Manages front desk and greets visitors; notifies staff when appointments arrive.
• Prepares payrolls and posts department expenditures; maintains records.
• Registers seniors for programs and events; handles sign-up sheets.
• Coordinates SHINE, Elder Law and Foot Clinics; calls for reminders.

Skills

Customer service

Reception desk

Clerical tasks

Education

High School diploma

Tools

Google Workspace

MUNIS

Job description

Town of Edgartown Council on Aging Department Assistant ($28.38-$40.39)

The Town of Edgartown is seeking a Department Assistant for the Council on Aging to provide administrative, clerical, and customer service support to the department and the older adults it serves. This 35 hour/week position assists with day-to-day office operations, program and appointment registration, meeting support, financial and payroll processing, recordkeeping, and responding to public inquiries. Candidates should demonstrate experience using Google Workspace and be comfortable navigating digital workspaces and cloud-based platforms. Position is open until filled, with a priority date of September 8, 2026.

The Town of Edgartown is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

COUNCIL ON AGING

Department Assistant

DEFINITION

Position is responsible for providing skilled secretarial, administrative and record keeping support to the Council on Aging and its staff to perform the duties of the office

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The essential functions or duties listed below are intended only as illustrations of the various type of work that may be performed. The omission of specific statements of duties does not exclude them from the position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment to the position.

• Provides extensive customer service in person, via telephone and email;
• Works at and oversees functions of the reception desk including greeting visitors or program participants and notifies appropriate staff when appointments arrive;
• Ensures all necessary paperwork at the desk is organized including sign-up sheets for classes, trips and events;
• Welcomes new seniors, makes appropriate introductions and provides seniors with I.D. cards, packets etc;
• Maintain front desk area, bulletin board and theme displays;
• Responds to telephone calls and inquiries, takes messages, directs calls as appropriate (distinguishes when urgency and need requires assistance from outreach worker or director) and schedules appointments;
• Registers seniors for programs, events and appointments;
• Prepares Council on Aging payrolls and submits to department head, posts weekly warrant of all offices expenditures;
• Participate and attend senior field trips;
• Schedule appointments for SHINE, Elder Law and Foot Clinics and call with reminders;
• Collects fees and other monies for special events. Prepares deposits of Special Account Fund; accounting for all programs and trips. Makes weekly deposits to the Town Treasurer;
• Maintains and records statistics for the Executive Office of Elder Affairs; keeping track of the duplicated and unduplicated numbers of seniors who attend all ECOA programs;
• Performs and processes various forms, records, applications, and special reports; verifies accuracy of computations, prepares materials for department head signature;
• Proofs monthly ECOA newsletter;
• Generates and updates a variety of computerized lists including the mailing list of seniors, and Emergency Response list; generates and updates office forms, as needed;
• Enters bills payable into MUNIS software and prepare deposits;
• Coordinate Food Bank program. Orders monthly surplus food from the Food Bank; maintain area for surplus food, rotates stock;
• Orders all supplies and office equipment necessary for the Council on Aging office;
• Performs other duties as assigned.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Under general supervision. The employee is familiar with the work routine and uses initiative in carrying out recurring assignments independently. The supervisor provides additional, specific instruction for new, difficult or unusual assignments, including suggested work methods. The employee refers unusual situations to the supervisor for advice and further instructions.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The nature of work means that errors are usually detected in succeeding operations. Consequences of errors, missed deadlines or poor judgment may include time loss caused by back checking by others and slowdowns in the processing of the work. Errors are generally confined to a single department, such as billing or accounting errors.

JUDGMENT

The work involves numerous standardized practices, procedures, or general instructions that govern the work and in some cases may require additional interpretation. Judgment is needed to locate, select and apply the most pertinent practice, procedure, regulation or guideline.

COMPLEXITY

The work consists of a variety of duties which generally follow standardized practices, procedures, regulations or guidelines. The sequence of work and/or the procedures followed vary according to the nature of the transaction and/or the information involved, or sought, in a particular situation.

NATURE AND PURPOSE OF CONTACTS

Relationships are primarily with co-workers, vendors and the public, involving frequent explanation, discussion or interpretation of practices, procedures, regulations or guidelines in order to render service, plan or coordinate work efforts, or resolve operating problems. Other regular contacts are with service recipients and employees of outside organizations. More than ordinary courtesy, tact and diplomacy may be required to resolve complaints or deal with hostile, uncooperative or uninformed persons.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Employee has access to limited sensitive and confidential information in the performance of their duties.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

High School diploma and one to two years of related experience; or any equivalent combination of education and experience.

KNOWLEDGE, ABILITY, AND SKILLS

Must have knowledge of office practices and procedures; department operations functions and programs; and issues dealing with the elderly.

Must possess computer skills including word processing and spreadsheet applications; must be able to communicate effectively and provide exceptional customer service.

Must have the ability to deal tactfully and appropriately with the elderly or confused clients; identify and report clients at risk; handle emergency situations appropriately; perform multiple tasks simultaneously despite interruptions; maintain detailed and extensive confidential and financial records and prepare reports

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work is performed in an office environment within the Council on Aging building. Noise or physical surroundings may be distracting.

PHYSICAL, MOTOR, AND VISUAL SKILLS

Physical Skills

The work involves sitting, standing, walking and stooping. May be required to lift objects such as files, boxes of papers, office supplies, and office equipment weighing up to 30 pounds. Required to assist in setting up for events

Motor Skills

Duties are largely mental rather than physical, but the job may occasionally require minimal motor skills for activities such as moving objects, using office equipment, including but not limited to telephones, personal computers, handheld technology, and other office equipment.

Visual Skills

Visual demands require routinely reading documents for general understanding and analytical purposes.