Qualified candidates must have:
Administrative Assistant Trainee 1: High school or high school equivalency diploma.
Administrative Assistant Trainee 2: High school or high school equivalency diploma; and one year of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and management of an office.
Transfer Opportunity:
Candidates must have permanent status as an Administrative Assistant 1 (formerly Secretary 1), Grade 11, and be eligible for lateral transfer; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law to the Administrative Assistant 1 title; OR be eligible to transfer via Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law into the trainee levels (Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 or 2). In order to be eligible for a 70.1 transfer, candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a qualifying Grade 6 to 13 title.
Candidates who are not transferring from a keyboarding title must possess adequate keyboarding skills (i.e., the ability to type 30 words per minute with at least 96% accuracy) as demonstrated by passing the Keyboarding Performance Test.
A two-year traineeship (Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 & 2, NS=Grade 8 & 10) leading to Administrative Assistant 1, Grade 11, was approved effective October 31, 2019. Trainees will be required to take four mandatory courses the first year of the traineeship and four elective courses in the second year of the traineeship in four competency areas through the CSEA Partnership or equivalent offerings through another entity as determined by the agency. All trainees are required to successfully complete all courses before advancing to Administrative Assistant 1, G-11.

The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is recruiting to fill an Administrative Assistant 1, Grade 11/Administrative Assistant Trainee, NS, position in the Hudson River Field Office located in Poughkeepsie, New York. The incumbent will be responsible for essential administrative functions in support of the Field Office Office’s operations. Specific duties to be performed may include, but are not limited to, the following:
In concert with the Administrative Assistant 2, function as an assistant to the Field Office staff, including the Director and Deputy Director maintaining schedules, coordinating travel, processing requests through the State Financial System (SFS), assisting with final drafts and coordinating major project deliverables.
Provide front office administrative tasks including reception and telephone coverage to triage calls. Assist with the development and coordination of office procedures, management and tracking systems in all high-priority areas including personnel, certification, and complaint and audit tracking.
Organize meetings and assist with the coordination of regional conferences and events.
Draft clear, concise and accurate reports and correspondence, design formats for data collection, and assist with analysis. Record meeting minutes and generate accurate and timely reports that outline discussion and identify next steps.
Coordinate Personnel activities including orientation, mandated and in-service training and support to new and existing staff regarding policies, equipment, software, travel, time and attendance, schedules, car scheduling and maintenance.
Ensure the office environment is safe, functional and comfortable and assist in addressing any environmental or equipment issues as they arise.
Communicate by phone, mail, e-mail, fax and in person with: Directors of Community Service, agency directors and staff, recipients and families to ensure that requests for information, complaints and incidents are channeled quickly and appropriately.
Communicate with OMH Commissioner’s Office and various divisions and bureaus to ensure timely communication and coordinate meetings, teleconferences and conference calls.

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At this time, agencies may recruit and hire employees by making temporary appointments. In May 2024, if a temporary NY HELPS employee is satisfactorily performing in the position, the appointment will be changed from temporary pending Civil Service Commission Action to permanent non-competitive and the official probationary period will begin.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
The salary listed applies to candidates appointed to Administrative Assistant 1, SG-11. The salary for candidates appointed to Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 starts at $38,073 and, for current New York State employees, is based on the candidate’s salary at the time of hire.
The Mission of the New York State Office of Mental Health is to promote the mental health of all New Yorkers, with a focus on providing hope and supporting recovery for adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbances. Applicants with lived mental health experience are encouraged to apply. OMH is deeply committed to supporting underserved individuals, organizations, and communities. To this end, OMH is focused on implementing activities and initiatives to reduce disparities in access, quality, and treatment outcomes for underserved populations. A critical component of these efforts is ensuring OMH is a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees' unique attributes and skills are valued and utilized to support the mission of the Agency. OMH is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.