JOB
Work involves complex and diversified office practices and procedures in the Mayor/Council office. Duties include serving as Administrative Assistant to the Mayor/Council and as receptionist, greeting and directing visitors, and/or arranging appointments. Duties require dealing with the general public, business and community leaders, and governmental officials. Assists the City Attorney and Council President in compiling the Agenda. Also, serves as secretary for the various City Boards. Attends meetings to take notes and keep records. Work requires the exercise of considerable initiative, independent judgment, and discretion in screening calls, visitors and mail, answering and disposing of requests for information, and in general, public relations. Assists in budget preparation. Duties include assisting in organizing, coordinating, and hosting community events; working closely with outside organizations and agencies. Duties require recognizing and taking on assignments and changes in policies and procedures and proceeding with little or no supervision; exemplifying a professional image and being a positive role model; providing excellent customer service and exhibiting an encouraging and positive attitude towards the organization and others.
EXAMPLE OF DUTIES
Perform Secretarial/Clerical/Stenographic duties involving routine office practices and procedures in the Mayor/Council office: Take dictation and transcribe letters, reports, statements, and memoranda.Compose detailed letters, memos, resolutions, proclamations, certificates, press releases and other correspondence for the Mayor and Council members. When writing these documents, it is of utmost importance that extreme care be made to ensure proper grammar and punctuation are used.Perform secretarial duties for the various City boards. This often involves helping to plan, organize, compile information, and coordinate events.Extensive research and contact with other governmental agencies and community leaders are often required in order to respond to inquiries from the City website.Perform general typing duties including correspondence, memoranda, and legal documents.Assist office staff in handling routine matters when possible.Maintain various records on office activities.Write and process purchase orders, invoices and materials received.Assist other City departments with projects when help is requested.Supervise temporary and/or part-time employees.Keep record of all City Council board appointments, terms of office, expiration of terms; keep Council and Mayor informed of same. Prepare list of board appointment expiration terms for the agenda to be announced at City Council meetings. Compose correspondence and notify appointees. Responsible for maintaining and filing board appointments and for maintaining and filing board applications.Assist on special projects (Forestry Commission grants and reports, internet services, etc.) and maintain files on same. Coordinate Tree Workshop each year with Tree Commission and Beautification Board; mail and maintain registration for 200 participants, prepare certificates, information packets, collect door prizes, collect fees and compile accounting report. Also, extensive work is involved in coordinating Youth-In-Government Day with the Florence Exchange Club as well as the Walk of Honor Project. Organize and coordinate events for the Mayor and Council, i.e., ground breakings, ribbon cuttings, dedications.Maintain schedule for conference room and other meeting rooms.As required, take notes on laptop computer during meetings and transcribe into minutes.Responsible for getting Council member signatures on travel vouchers for the Departments and for recording same.Perform facsimile and e-mail transmissions; obtain information from the Internet and transmit to e-mail or hard copy format; operate scanning equipment, binding equipment and duplicating equipment and is responsible for maintenance and supplies of same. Assist in maintaining adequate supply of office materials, forms, and supplies.Pick up and distribute mail.Serve as Notary Public for departments.Answer questions, take complaints, and/or handle problems that do not need the attention of the Mayor and/or Council members.Assist Mayor and Council members in providing direct contact with citizens in problem areas by solving as many problems as possible.Act as liaison with Mayor, City Council, City Departments, and public.Maintain time sheets, sick and annual leave records for the Council Office.Complete surveys and other questionnaires when requested.Demonstrate and promote excellent citizen, employee, and public relations skills.Keep reference books, publications, periodicals, and manuals up to date.Administrative Assistant to the City Council: Coordinate and prepare Agenda for the formal Council meetings. Since every item under the Consent Agenda section requires a Resolution or Ordinance, all information must be acquired, typed and assembled, to be attached to the Agenda. This involves coordination with the City Attorney, Utility Departments, City Clerk's Office, City Treasurers Office, Purchasing Department, Community Development Office, Planning Department, and local attorneys. These documents require extensive and accurate preparation under a short time frame. Final agenda has to be scanned and posted to the website within a limited time frame.Coordinate and plan the Work Session Agenda. Schedule meetings with department heads or their representative and also the public to meet with the City Council at work sessions. Also arrange for any pending issues to be rescheduled.Attend all work sessions and take notes for record.Responsible for compiling list of directives from Council work sessions, distributing to appropriate parties, and reporting action taken to Council.Arrange Council committee meetings with appropriate departments.Attend Council committee meetings and take notes for record.Responsible for preparing travel vouchers, making travel arrangements for Mayor/Council and for handling accounting and monies in connection with same.Keep Council informed of all meetings and make any reminders necessary.Assist Council in reviewing monthly telephone billing records.Assist Council in annual budget preparation.Assist the City Attorney by preparing drafts of Ordinances, Resolutions, and Contracts for approval by the City Attorney.Assist the City Attorney in preparing items to appear on the Consent Agenda and the Regular Agenda for the Council meetings.Answer telephone, take and relay messages, direct calls to the proper Department.Dispose of various routine telephone and visitor inquiries.Greet and direct visitors to appropriate departments and/or sources of information.Dispense information, handle complaints, and assist in problem solving whenever possible.Maintain appointment schedule for Mayor and City Council Members.Represent the Mayor/Council Office at other community activities as necessary.Relay information, requests, and/or problems from above activities to Mayor, Council and/or appropriate City Departments and report back with results.Act as Executive Assistant to the Mayor in her absence.Perform other duties as assigned or required.
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Thorough knowledge of clerical/secretarial practices and procedures. Must meet deadlines and resolve problems with citizens and outside contacts.Ability to learn general departmental operations and organization, and thorough knowledge of the Mayor/Council Office.Ability to learn general personnel practices and procedures.Ability to learn general policies, procedures, ordinances, and resolutions governing the operation of the City.Proper usage of English and grammar skills are crucial in communicating with employees and the public. Ability to speak and communicate effectively with all levels of individuals.Proper usage of English, grammar, and punctuation are essential when composing correspondence. Thorough knowledge of business English, vocabulary, spelling, and arithmetic.Ability to compose correspondence on routine matters and to perform routine office management details without referral to a supervisor.Excellent and creative writing skills are essential.Ability to take dictation accurately.Ability to maintain filing system.Ability to learn organizational structure of the City of Florence.Ability to learn City regulations regarding specific clerical procedures.Ability to supervise temporary and part-time employees and coordinate work.Ability to maintain effective relationships with other employees and the public and to deal with public relation problems courteously and tactfully. Personal contacts include employees, individuals or groups from the public including some high ranking officials (e.g., members of local, state, and federal governmental agencies, civic organizations, local industries, and prospective industries.)Ability to remain calm and deal effectively with irate citizens.Ability to speak and communicate effectively with all levels of individuals.Ability to function well under very stressful and hectic conditions.Ability to adapt to change in non-routine performance of duties as they occur.Ability to exercise discernment and discretion in all matters, especially those requiring confidentiality.Ability to work before and beyond the normal Monday through Friday work hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. as required.Physical Demands (with or without reasonable accommodation): Good health as determined by employment physician. Normally, the work is sedentary. Employee may sit comfortably to do work. There is some walking, standing, bending, and carrying of light weight items. Very close mental/visual concentration is required. Above average mental pressure, stress, and strain. Occasionally, requires periods of sustained activity to complete work within time limits. Equipment/Tools Used: ComputerVarious software programs (Word, WordPerfect, Excel, etc.)TypewriterCalculatorDictating equipmentFax machineBinding machineScannerDuplicating equipmentGeneral office equipmentApplications may be used for ninety (90) days for similar positions.The City of Florence, Alabama is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.