What are the responsibilities and job description for the Office Assistant 2 (NY HELPS) position at New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation?
Duties Description
The Office Assistant 2 will report directly to the Administrative Specialist 1, SG-18, and will be assigned to the Regional Business Office within the Genesee Region. Duties may include, but are not limited to:
If Civil Service Eligible list exists, they will be canvassed. You may also apply if you are eligible for appointment or reinstatement by one of the following qualifications:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*
To Be Considered For Appointment Through NY HELPS, Or 55-b/c, Candidates Must Meet The Open-competitive Minimum Qualifications For This Position. The Qualifications Are:
One (1) year of clerical experience.
If you are a veteran or an individual with a disability and would like to apply for the Department of Civil Service’s 55-b/c Program, please visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/rp55/ for more information.
Subsequent 55-b/c Qualifications:
A subsequent 55-b/c appointment may be considered if you have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service and have a current Civil Service 55-b/c letter of eligibility.
Reassignment Qualifications:
Current NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Employees only, with at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as an Office Assistant 2; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current Office Assistant 2 eligible list for this location, if one exists.
52.7 Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) Qualifications:
To be eligible for NCP, candidates must be in the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation promotion field and have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as an Office Assistant 1). If there are three (3) or fewer qualified NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation eligible promotional employees respond to this posting, Civil Service may approve the permanent appointment of one of the qualified employees without further examination.
Note: Non-competitive refers to not competing in an examination; the appointment will be competitive.
Please Note: In order to be considered for appointment via non-competitive promotion, candidates serving in the established promotion field must not have failed or failed to take the last holding of the Promotion, if said exam was held within the last four years.
70.1 Transfer Qualifications:
At least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent in a qualifying title. The service must be in a title that Civil Service has deemed transfer eligible to the position.
Note: The transfer cannot be a second consecutive transfer resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades.
For all transfers noted, a comprehensive list of titles approved for transfer is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/.
Operational Needs:
Additional Comments
Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
Preferred Experience:
Proficient with various software programs including Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Experience using Statewide Financial System (SFS).
Benefits:
The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation offers a generous benefits package that includes but is not limited to:
Paid Time Off:
CSEA: 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
Health Care Benefits:
Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
Additional Benefits:
Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
NYS Deferred Compensation
Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
Paid Parental Leave
To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx.
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.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered-in to the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024 and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective 6/12/25 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
This position may require a background check prior to appointment.
The Office Assistant 2 will report directly to the Administrative Specialist 1, SG-18, and will be assigned to the Regional Business Office within the Genesee Region. Duties may include, but are not limited to:
- Reviewing, verifying, and processing basic financial documents, including vendor invoices, travel vouchers, and purchase requisitions.
- Utilizing the Statewide Financial System (SFS) and internal databases to enter transaction data, log receipts, and track local expenditures.
- Sorting, indexing, and routing incoming mail; maintaining digital and physical filing systems; and monitoring office supply inventories.
- Answering phones, greeting visitors, routing complex inquiries to appropriate regional staff, and responding to routine emails from vendors and state personnel.
- Assisting with the collection and tracking of regional timecards, preparing standard administrative reports, and archiving records according to retention schedules.
- Serving as the primary point of contact for injured employees and monitoring the regional Accident Reporting System (ARS) daily for any newly reported workplace accidents.
- Overseeing and processing all necessary administrative paperwork and documentation for injured employees.
- Processing Information Technology Services (ITS) requests for onboarding/offboarding and account restoration.
- Developing and maintaining a calendar of all performance and probation evaluations for the region and maintaining associated files.
- Notifying employees of medical insurance eligibility and processing employee health insurance changes.
If Civil Service Eligible list exists, they will be canvassed. You may also apply if you are eligible for appointment or reinstatement by one of the following qualifications:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*
To Be Considered For Appointment Through NY HELPS, Or 55-b/c, Candidates Must Meet The Open-competitive Minimum Qualifications For This Position. The Qualifications Are:
One (1) year of clerical experience.
If you are a veteran or an individual with a disability and would like to apply for the Department of Civil Service’s 55-b/c Program, please visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/rp55/ for more information.
Subsequent 55-b/c Qualifications:
A subsequent 55-b/c appointment may be considered if you have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service and have a current Civil Service 55-b/c letter of eligibility.
Reassignment Qualifications:
Current NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Employees only, with at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as an Office Assistant 2; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current Office Assistant 2 eligible list for this location, if one exists.
52.7 Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) Qualifications:
To be eligible for NCP, candidates must be in the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation promotion field and have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as an Office Assistant 1). If there are three (3) or fewer qualified NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation eligible promotional employees respond to this posting, Civil Service may approve the permanent appointment of one of the qualified employees without further examination.
Note: Non-competitive refers to not competing in an examination; the appointment will be competitive.
Please Note: In order to be considered for appointment via non-competitive promotion, candidates serving in the established promotion field must not have failed or failed to take the last holding of the Promotion, if said exam was held within the last four years.
70.1 Transfer Qualifications:
At least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent in a qualifying title. The service must be in a title that Civil Service has deemed transfer eligible to the position.
Note: The transfer cannot be a second consecutive transfer resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades.
For all transfers noted, a comprehensive list of titles approved for transfer is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/.
Operational Needs:
Additional Comments
Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
Preferred Experience:
Proficient with various software programs including Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel.
Experience using Statewide Financial System (SFS).
Benefits:
The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation offers a generous benefits package that includes but is not limited to:
Paid Time Off:
CSEA: 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
Health Care Benefits:
Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
Additional Benefits:
Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
NYS Deferred Compensation
Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
Paid Parental Leave
To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx.
- NY HELPS PROGRAM:
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.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered-in to the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024 and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective 6/12/25 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
This position may require a background check prior to appointment.
Salary : $42,641 - $52,413