Senior Secretary

State of South Dakota; Rapid City (SD); Hybrid; USD 23,000 - 33,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance options

Paid holidays

Vacation and sick leave

Dental and vision insurance

Retirement benefits

Work from home up to 3 days/week

Job summary

South Dakota Department of Health in Rapid City seeks a Senior Secretary to provide essential administrative support within the Office of Family Nutrition Services. The role includes coordinating WIC services, handling referrals, and assisting with data collection and outreach efforts.

The position emphasizes collaboration, customer service, and efficient office operations, with flexible work options including up to 3 remote days per week in a full-time capacity.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required; prior admin or clerical experience preferred.
• Experience in health, human services, or community programs preferred.
• Bilingual (Spanish) preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing and completing action steps for the Local Agency WIC Services Plan/SCOOP.
• Contact Medicaid referred pregnant women to explain WIC services and encourage participation.
• Coordinate referrals and maintain the Resource Referral List.
• Support participant surveys, risk assessment data review.
• Oversee reception duties and coordinate sick leave coverage.
• Travel within the region to carry out duties.
• Support implementation of new processes and technology.
• Participate in conferences, WIC meetings, and community events.
• Print and distribute notices of eligibility via mail, text, email, or in person.

Skills

Communication

Customer service

MS Office

Organization

Attention to detail

Recordkeeping

Teamwork

Workload management

Community outreach

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Job ID: 38401

Agency: Department of Health - Division of Family and Community Health

Location: Rapid City, SD

Salary: $20.47 Hourly, depending on qualifications

Pay Grade: F

Closing Date: 11/17/26

This is a Full-Time position with the Department of Health - Division of Family and Community Health. For more information on the Department of Health, please visit https://doh.sd.gov/.

The South Dakota Department of Health's programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live, work and play; provide education to help people make good health decisions; prepare for, respond to, and prevent public health threats; and support efforts to enhance quality and accessibility of healthcare. Our services touch the lives of every person in South Dakota.

We recognize that employees are our most valuable resource and we are committed to promoting a culture of excellence in the Department of Health. We trust our employees to be innovative, challenge existing processes, and make the best decisions. We are interested in employing a culturally diverse and skilled workforce that exhibits the values of leadership, accountability, communication, integrity, and teamwork. Public health is a diverse and growing field that offers many career options for people from a variety of educational backgrounds. Imagine yourself as part of a winning team that is making the lives of South Dakotans healthier and safer.

The South Dakota Department of Health values flexibility in the workplace. Part of that flexibility includes the ability to work from home. Working from home is a meaningful way to meet individual needs, wants, and desires when it comes to balancing the entire team’s home and work lives. That balance is something we value while allowing most positions the opportunity to work remotely up to 3 days a week. Working from home is a privilege and is subject to review depending upon the position.

Please visit our website at http://doh.sd.gov/ for further information about the Department of Health.

This opening is for a full-time Senior Secretary with the SD Department of Health, Office of Family Nutrition Services.

Responsibilities

• Assist in developing and completing action steps for the Local Agency WIC Services Plan/SCOOP.
• Contact Medicaid referred pregnant women to explain WIC services and encourage participation.
• Serve as the Internal Referral Specialist (IRS), coordinating referrals and maintaining the Resource Referral List.
• Assist with participant surveys and pregnancy risk assessment data review.
• Act as Vendor Liaison, providing local support for retailers, resolving issues, documenting outcomes, and reporting ongoing concerns to the Central Office Vendor Team. Includes travel to vendor sites.
• Prepare purchasing requests and help identify resource needs.
• Maintain inventory of computers, equipment, eWIC cards, breast pumps, and formula; lead team ordering processes.
• Complete regional Notices of Ineligibility (NOI) and Over issuance reports monthly.
• Review Dual Participation reports weekly and work with case managers to resolve cases.
• Work with case managers to maintain the Clients Eligible for Benefits Report, ensuring accuracy of participant eligibility information.
• Print and distribute Notices of Ineligibility via mail, text, email, or in person.
• Provide phone coverage and fill in for reception duties when vacancies occur.
• Oversee (non supervisory) duties performed by regional and local receptionists.
• Coordinate sick leave coverage and track who is in the office.
• Conduct site assessments as assigned.
• Support implementation of new processes and technology.
• Participate in conferences, WIC meetings, in services, outreach events, and special community activities.
• Participate in workgroups or cross functional collaborations (e.g., intern coordination).
• Travel within the region to carry out duties.
• Perform additional responsibilities as assigned.

Licenses And Certifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in administrative, clerical, or program support roles, preferably in a health, human services, or community based program.
• Experience working with diverse or low income populations is preferred.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel within the region as needed.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have

• Experience in administrative, clerical, or program support roles, preferably in a health, human services, or community based program.
• Experience working with diverse or low income populations is preferred.
• Understanding of basic WIC program functions, participant support, referrals, and customer service expectations.
• Bilingual preference (Spanish).

Knowledge

• WIC policies, procedures, eligibility requirements, dual participation processes, and vendor interactions;
• program policies, protocols, and documentation standards;
• office technology and software applications.

Skills

• communication and interpersonal skills;
• customer service skills;
• Microsoft Office and computer skills;
• organization and time management skills;
• attention to detail;
• recordkeeping and documentation skills;
• teamwork and collaboration;
• administrative and workload management skills;
• community outreach and stakeholder engagement.

Abilities

• learn and apply new policies, procedures, technology, and job duties;
• adapt to changing priorities and operational needs;
• manage multiple tasks and prioritize work effectively;
• work independently and as part of a team;
• maintain accuracy and confidentiality in records and documentation;
• implement policies and procedures consistently.

This position is eligible for Veterans’ Preference per ARSD 55:10:02:08.

NCRC: If you possess a National Career Readiness Certificate, please submit the certificate with your application. For more information on how to acquire a National Career Readiness Certificate contact a South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Job Service Office. A certificate is not necessary to be considered.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers $0 premium employee health insurance option plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information here. This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources and Administration

Telephone: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus

"An Equal Opportunity Employer"