Distinguishing Features of the Class

Performs a variety of clerical, general office duties, and information dissemination services for employees and visitors; performs directly related work as required.

Acceptable Experience and Training

• Graduation from High School or possession of a GED; and
• Some experience in general office and customer service operations; or
• Any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to perform the work.
• Multi-lingual Fluency is Preferred

Required Special Qualifications

• Candidates for positions in this class must pass a post-employment offer physical examination and drug screen;
• A minimum typing speed of 40 wpm.

• Net number of words typed (Speed).
• Show that you completed a Five minute timed test.
• Your name (on the site you are able to “Personalize Results”. Please type in your first and last name as it appears on your application) and the date the exam was completed.
  • Name and date must be shown on the printed results from the testing website not handwritten or added by someone. Again, you can “Personalize Results” on the site.
• Witness signature, witness printed name, and valid email address for the witness. Witness must be age 18 years or older.
  • If you do not have printing capabilities, please email your results to humanresources@dmgov.org and your witness. Your witness may then "Reply All" to the email stating their name and that they witnessed you completing the online typing test on the specified date. It is your responsibility to make sure your witness responds by the exam deadline.
• You must submit exam results to the City of Des Moines Human Resources Department via email (humanresources@dmgov.org) by 4:00 pm CT on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Passing score is 40 net words per minute (Speed).
  IN LIEU OF THE PERFORMANCE EXAM: Applicants must currently hold a City of Des Moines Civil Service position requiring a typing speed of 40 WPM or higher OR have previously taken the online timed typing test resulting in a score of 40 NWPM or higher within 1 YEAR of the application deadline. The applicant is required to contact the City's Human Resources Department at (515) 283-4213 or by email at humanresources@dmgov.org to attach a previously submitted typing test to their current application by the application deadline.

Examples of Essential Work (Illustrative Only)

• Answers department telephone calls, receives and greets visitors to the department and provides information to callers and visitors.
• Responds to citizens' questions and comments in a courteous and timely manner;
• Communicates and coordinates regularly with appropriate others to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of interdepartmental operations and activities;
• Screens visitors, telephone calls, faxes, mail and messages directed to office personnel;
• Dispatches information to key Public Woks personnel as necessary;
• Answers customer questions requiring detailed programmatic knowledge of Public Works operations;
• Follows up on complaints from customers involving gathering information from several Departmental and intra-Department sources;
• Prepares correspondence, lists and other documents on computer;
• Keeps immediate supervisor and designated others fully and accurately informed concerning work progress, including present and potential work problems and suggestions for new or improved ways of addressing such problems;
• Gathers, assembles, updates, distributes and/or files a variety of information, forms, records and data as requested;
• Copies, packages and distributes a variety of written materials as requested by office personnel;
• Provides needed information and demonstrations concerning how to perform certain work tasks to new employees in the same or similar class of positions;
• Attends meetings, conferences, workshops and training sessions and reviews publications and audio-visual materials to become and remain current on the principles, practices and new developments in assigned work areas;
• Performs other directly related duties consistent with the role and function of the classification.