Office Assistant (Bilingual)

Santa Barbara County Education Office; Lompoc (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

The Santa Barbara County Education Office is seeking a dependable, detail-oriented office support professional to provide administrative assistance across programs. You will handle correspondence, data entry, budgeting support, and calendar management while maintaining confidentiality and working with diverse stakeholders.

Ideal candidates have a high school diploma with business or admin coursework and at least three years of office experience, preferably in public education.

Qualifications

• Graduation from high school with business or administrative support courses
• Three years of increasingly responsible office experience; public education setting preferred
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, Excel, and Escape financial system
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary
• Knowledge of telephone techniques and etiquette that promote service
• Knowledge of financial and statistical record keeping including arithmetic calculations

Responsibilities

• Assist in the organization of the assigned office ensuring efficiency of operations and work production
• Compose letters and materials requesting or providing information, including confidential material
• Prepare correspondence, memorandums and other written materials from rough draft or verbal instructions
• Collect statistical and financial data and prepare reports for management review
• Interview callers in person or by phone and route inquiries as appropriate
• Provide information and interpret program policies and procedures
• Schedule appointments and coordinate meetings
• Prepare agendas and minutes for meetings
• Maintain confidential information, records and files
• Train and direct clerical staff as assigned
• Monitor and audit budget expenditures and maintain related records
• Open, sort and route mail and draft routine responses
• May assist in grant preparation and contract management
• Maintain calendars and arrange travel accommodations
• Oversee office supply ordering and purchasing
• Operate office machines and computer systems
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills

Office administration

MS Office

Data entry

Written & verbal communication

Confidential records handling

Customer service

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

Escape financial system

Job description

General Description

Our ideal candidate

You are a dependable, punctual, caring professional, with well-developed communications skills who uses tact, patience, and courtesy in a culturally sensitive manner. You are a hard-working professional able to undertake a variey of office support tasks and work diligently under pressure. You can prioritize tasks and are motiviated to complete work with minimal supervision. You are comfortable working with a high degree of attention to detail as well as incorporating new and effective ways to achieve better results. You are committed to providing the best service available to the Santa Barbara County Education Office, school districts, employees, and students.

General description

Provide office support and administrative assistance requiring knowledge of County Education Office policies, rules, regulations and procedures, programs, organizations and functions.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Assist in the organization of the assigned office assuring efficiency of operations and work production
• Compose independently or from oral instructions letters and materials requesting or providing information, including material of a confidential nature
• Prepare correspondence, memorandums and other written materials from rough draft, clear copy or verbal instructions
• Collect statistical and financial data and back-up material in order to consolidate data and prepare statistical, financial and administrative reports for review by management
• May include registrar, student transition, and database entry as assigned
• Interview callers both in person and on the telephone, screen and refer to other individuals as appropriate
• Provide information to a variety of individuals and groups as requested while interpreting and explaining program policies, rules and procedures
• Process office and administrative support details not requiring the immediate attention of management
• Schedule appointments and coordinate arrangements for meetings, workshops or conferences
• Prepare agendas and minutes, attending meetings and recording actions
• Originate and independently prepare material for the manager's approval
• Maintain confidential information, records and files
• Train and provide work direction to clerical assistants as assigned
• Assist the program manager in the revision, preparation and distribution of a variety of documents related to the assigned areas of the program or office
• May prepare and assist in the preparation of information and other documents for submission to the County Board of Education for action
• Monitor and audit budget expenditures, maintaining a variety of records, reports and files
• Open, sort and route mail, responding to mail requiring routine response and composing other responses for the review and signature of management
• May prepare and assist in grant preparation and contract management
• Maintain calendars for management as assigned, including scheduling appointments and arranging travel accommodations
• Oversee the ordering, inventory and distribution of office supplies and forms for the assigned program including preparing purchase orders, invoices, travel claims and other related documents
• Operate a variety of office machines such as typewriter, personal computer, terminal, printer, fax machine, calculator, copier and other specialized equipment
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned

Requirements

Education: graduation from high school including or supplemented by business or administrative support courses

Experience: three years of increasingly responsible office experience; experience working in a public education setting preferred

Knowledge and skills

• Knowledge of modern office practices, procedures and equipment
• Knowledge of personal computers and software applications such as Microsoft Office, Excel, and Escape financial system
• Correct English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation and vocabulary
• Knowledge of telephone techniques and etiquette that promote a strong sense of service to others
• Knowledge of financial and statistical record keeping including making arithmetic calculations quickly and accurately
• Knowledge of digital and paper record keeping techniques
• Principles of providing work direction that promotes efficiency and production
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Interpersonal relation skills using tact, patience and courtesy that promote a positive and respectful work environment

Abilities

• Quickly acquire knowledge of County Education Office organization, operations, policies, objectives, and programs
• Interpret, explain and apply laws, rules, regulations and policies with relationship to the assigned program or office
• Analyze situations accurately and adopt an effective course of action
• Understand and follow oral and written directions
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing
• Demonstrate keyboarding skills and speed as required by the assignment
• Operate a computer to enter data, maintain records and generate reports
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others
• Meet schedules and timelines
• Train and provide work direction to others
• Maintain records and prepare reports
• Work independently with little direction
• Work confidentially with discretion

Licenses and Certificates

May require a valid driver's license, automobile insurance required by law, and the use of a dependable automobile.

Working Conditions

Work is performed indoors with minimal exposure to health and safety hazards.

Supplemental Information

Classified salary ranges have 26 steps (A-Z). Initial salary placement for new hires is between steps A and J, based on qualifications.

Non-Discrimination Policy Statement

For purposes of this policy, employees include job applicants, interns, volunteers, and persons who contracted with SBCEO to provide services, as applicable.

No SBCEO employee shall be discriminated against or harassed by any coworker, supervisor, manager, or other person with whom the employee comes in contact in the course of employment, on the basis of the employee's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, religious creed, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

SBCEO prohibits discrimination against employees on the basis of reproductive health decision making, defined as a person's decision to use or access a particular drug, device, product, or medical service for reproductive health.

SBCEO does not discriminate against employees on the basis of immigration status, unless there is clear and convincing evidence that SBCEO is required to do so in order to comply with federal immigration law.