Principal Office Specialist - Police Department Reserves Unit

The San José Police Department is dedicated to providing public safety through community partnerships and 21^st Century Policing practices, ensuring equity for all. The Department is committed to treating all of San Jose’s diverse community members with dignity, fairness, and respect, while protecting their rights and providing equal protection under the law.

The San Jose Police Department is seeking to fill a vacancy for a Principal Office Specialist position in the Reserves Unit.

This position will primarily provide clerical and administrative support to the Reserve Director. The ideal candidate will possess a high level of professionalism, requires exceptional verbal and written communication skills, excellent computer skills and the ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with a high level of ethics, integrity, and a supreme work ethic.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 

• Manage and coordinate the Reserve application process. The process includes but is not limited to: review applications, schedule testing dates, coordinate requirements to be completed with the Background Unit, set up hiring orientation, assisting with oath of office, equipment coordination with Central Supply/Range.
• Assist the Reserve Director with administrative duties.
• Work on personnel issues, P.O.S.T. requirements, attending meetings and training sessions and other special assignments as needed.
• Complete Resignation/Retirement paperwork with P.O.S.T and City
• Assist with coordination of background investigations of Reserve applicants.
• Review and make hiring recommendations to the Director once Background process is complete.
• Maintain records of applicants and backgrounds assigned.
• Upgrade office procedural manuals.
• Monitor Reserve CPT/Training attendance.
• Log all Reserve events into the computer on a monthly basis.
• Track Range qualifications/CPT Courses.
• Assist in scheduling volunteer events/unit calendar.

The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history. Desirable competencies for this position include:

Job Expertise – Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies, and federal and state rules and regulations.

Communication Skills – Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.

Computer Skills – Experienced with common business computer applications including but not limited to: MS Outlook, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Access, and MS Excel.

Customer Service – Demonstrates the ability to anticipate customers' needs and deliver services effectively and efficiently using professional demeanor.

Multi-Tasking - Can handle multiple projects and responsibilities simultaneously; has handled a wide variety of assignments in past and/or current position(s).

Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills – Build and maintain effective working relationships with co-workers, supervisors, and other PD units, including Central Supply, the Range, Fiscal, OSSD, and the City Manager and Clerk’s offices. Demonstrates teamwork by assisting others, collaborating to achieve shared goals, and effectively resolving conflicts.

Flexibility – Makes effective decisions and achieves desired results in the midst of major changes in responsibilities, work processes, timeframes, performance expectations, organizational culture, or work environment.

Initiative - Exhibits resourceful behaviors toward meeting job objectives; anticipates problems, is proactive, and avoids difficulties by planning ahead; displays willingness to assume extra responsibility and challenges; pursues continuing education opportunities that promote job performance.

The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant's training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process. Additional phases of the selection process may consist of one or more interviews and a background investigation.

You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process. Please note that there is a 4,000-character limit, including spaces, for each text response. 

You must answer all job-specific questions in order to be considered for this vacancy or your application will be deemed incomplete and withheld from further consideration.