Administrative Assistant I/II - Examination Announcement

The Position

Job Class: Administrative Assistant I/II

Department: Citywide (Multiple)

Appointment Type: Regular (Full-Time, Part-Time, Limited-Term), Special, and Temporary

Hour Type: Full-Time, Part-Time, Intermittent

Type of Exam: Open Examination

The City of Santa Cruz invites motivated and people-focused aspiring public service professionals to apply for the Administrative Assistant I/II online examination and explore a meaningful career supporting the community by providing reliable and organized administrative assistance.

Under general supervision, the Administrative Assistant I/II performs a variety of clerical and administrative duties related to the function and/or department to which assigned, including typing, filing, record-keeping, general reception, and customer service.

More details about the job classification and the full job description, including the minimum qualifications and typical duties, are available at the conclusion of this examination announcement.

EXAMINATION PROCESS:

Who Should Apply: All external candidates and current City employees interested in the Administrative Assistant I/II classification and who meet the minimum qualifications are encouraged to apply to this online examination.

This examination will be used to establish promotional, transfer, and open eligible lists that will be used to fill all Regular (Full-Time and Part-Time), Special, and Temporary Administrative Assistant I/II job vacancies that may occur across City departments during the life of the list. The eligible list established from this examination is valid for up to one year (12 months) from the date established unless the list is extended or abolished by the Human Resources Director.

Step 1: Application

To apply to this examination, submit:

Application and Notification Timeline:

Step 2: Complete Online Examination

The examination process may be changed as deemed necessary by the Human Resources Director. The information contained within this examination announcement may be modified or revoked without notice and does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact us by phone at 831-420-5040 or via email at recruitment@santacruzca.gov

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact us at 831-420-5040 or via email at recruitment@santacruzca.gov.

All requests for assistance must be received before the closing date indicated in this examination announcement.

Typical Duties

• Performs a wide variety of clerical duties to support departmental or divisional operations, including filing, preparing records and monthly reports, creating project and department files, updating department websites, and preparing and processing purchase order and accounts payable.
• Composes, types, formats, proofreads, and processes a variety of documents, including letters, memos, agendas, reports, statistical charts, and forms from rough drafts, recordings or verbal instructions; checks drafts for punctuation, spelling, and grammar and suggests corrections.
• Performs reception and customer service duties; answers telephone, emails and in-person inquiries; provides information on departmental policies and procedures; resolves problems related to assigned responsibilities; refers callers to appropriate staff as necessary.
• Maintains and updates departmental record systems and specialized databases; enters and updates information with departmental activity, purchase order requests, budget and account information, and report summaries; retrieves information from systems and specialized databases as required.
• Verifies and reviews forms and reports for completeness and conformance with established regulations and procedures; applies departmental and divisional policies and procedures in determining completeness of applications, records, and files.
• Compiles information and data for basic administrative and financial reports; checks data; prepares and assembles reports, manuals, articles, announcements, and other informational materials.
• Issues, receives and processes various applications, orders, permits, contracts, and other forms.
• Accepts payment of fees and process payments by phone, mail and in-person processes claims and invoices; creates purchase orders; and processes petty cash reimbursements; may prepare bank deposits, prepare billing invoice requests, and maintain accounting spreadsheets.
• Reviews invoices and credit card statements for completeness, accuracy and compliance with established regulations and procedures;
• Receives, sorts, and distributes incoming and interdepartmental mail and correspondence; prepares and distributes outgoing mail.
• Operates standard office equipment, including job-related computer hardware and software applications, fax machine, scanner, printers, copiers, calculators, and telephones; may operate other department-specific equipment; may place equipment maintenance calls.
• Provide staff support to assigned committees, commissions, and boards; prepares and distributes agenda packets; maintains distribution and contact lists; sets up meeting site; takes notes at meetings; prepares action agendas and final minutes, as assigned.
• Schedules department facilities; arranges for necessary set-up, materials, and equipment to be available at meetings, as necessary.
• Monitors and orders office and other related supplies; assists in preparing, processing, and tracking purchase requisitions for services and materials; prepares requests for payment for management approval.
• Gathers, assembles, updates, and distributes a variety of department or City specific information, forms, records, and data as requested.
• Maintains and prepares departmental records, including Personnel Action Forms (PAFs), training documents, and evaluation forms.
• Assists with facility security tasks, including issuing and tracking identification cards, gate cards, key cards, and/or keys and maintaining sign in records.
• May coordinate projects and programs with other City divisions or departments as related to area of responsibility.
• Performs other general clerical duties related to assigned functional area or department.
• Performs other related duties that may be reasonably expected as part of this classification.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or tested equivalent; and
• One (1) year of general clerical experience including some basic computer use.

• High school diploma or tested equivalent; and
• Two (2) years of general clerical experience, including (1) year of experience comparable to that of the City's Administrative Assistant I.

• 
  Modern office practices, methods, and computer equipment and applications, including word processing, database, and spreadsheet applications.
• Principles and practices of data collection and report preparation.
• Proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, and business correspondence formatting.
• Filing and record-keeping systems.
• Techniques for providing a high level of customer service to public and City staff, in person and over the telephone.

• 
  Typing skill of 45 w.p.m.

• Respond to and effectively prioritize multiple phone calls and other requests for service.
• Learn the organization, procedures and operating details of the City department to which assigned.
• Learn and apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Compose correspondence and reports independently or from brief instructions; maintain records and databases.
• Make routine mathematical computations accurately.
• Perform responsible administrative and clerical support work with accuracy, speed, and minimal supervision.
• Enter and retrieve data from a computer with sufficient speed and accuracy to perform assigned work.
• Establish and maintain a variety of filing, record-keeping, and tracking systems.
• Organize own work, set priorities, and meet critical time deadlines; work on multiple projects at any given time.
• Use computers for word processing, information storage and retrieval.
• Operate modern office equipment including computer equipment and specialized software application programs.
• Communicate information clearly and concisely in writing and verbally.
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with City staff, outside agencies and the general public.
• For positions assigned to the Police Department, successfully pass a law enforcement background investigation.

• 
  Departmental practices and procedures and applicable City policies.

• Perform responsible office and clerical support work with accuracy, speed, and general supervision.
• Apply administrative and departmental policies and procedures.
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned responsibilities.

• 
  Possession and continued maintenance of a valid California Class C driver’s license.

• The ability to speak, read and write Spanish.
• Previous experience working in public libraries.

Career Ladder

• Administrative Services Supervisor
• Administrative Assistant III
• Administrative Assistant I/II