Sr. Administrative Assistant

Under general direction of the Engineering Services Office Manager, the Senior Administrative Assistant provides complex and confidential administrative support to Engineering Services Department by relieving the Director, Management, and other staff of routine administrative tasks and resolving complex concerns and issues.
 
The intent of this position description is to provide a representative summary of the major duties and responsibilities performed by incumbent(s) in this position. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties in this description and incumbent(s) may be required to perform position-related tasks other than those specifically listed in this description.Essential Job Functions:

• Communicates and provides appropriate information to the public and other department heads as requested by supervisor.
• Schedules Director’s calendar, organizes meetings, tracks projects, correspondence or complaints assigned to other department heads for response.
• Provides administrative support to senior staff including handling correspondence, scheduling of calendars, organizing meetings, lunch and learns, and department training.
• Assists Office Manager with completion of purchasing process by acquiring approval for requisitions either by Council or management and then receiving, processing, and inputting contracts, agreements, proposals, and quotes, into the city financial management system.  Provide purchase order copies to appropriate parties and create and maintain file for each contractor, consultant, and project for retention of appropriate documents needed for compliance in procuring, invoicing, and receiving of both Operating and CIP budget requests.
• Process Release Orders, Task Orders, Change Orders, Budget Transfers, Check Requests, and Invoicing of other entities for collections as needed.  
• Maintain spreadsheets to include coordinating year end closure of open purchase orders and other financials in conjunction with Office Manager.
• Handles accounts payable function by receiving and paying approved invoices for both the Operating Budget and Capital Improvement Program and resolving account discrepancies.
• Assists Office Manager with monitoring the Engineering Services Operating Budget, keeping management abreast of budget changes and issues, verifying unusual expenditures, and process budget transfers to keep budget line items from going negative.
• Assists Office Manager with coordination, formulation, and entry of yearly operating budget, making recommendations and providing narratives as needed.  Assists in creation of budget drafts and downloading of spreadsheets for individual divisions within the Engineering Services Department.
• Reconciles P-Card statement for Department purchases.
• Arranges travel, obtains authorizations, and reconciles expenses and travel reimbursements for the department.
• Serves as the liaison between Engineering Services and other departments. Fosters professional relationships with other City departments and peers.
• Assists Office Manager with preparation of public meetings including compiling the agenda, information packets, backup materials. Monitors City Council agendas to ensure that department-wide agenda items are created, reviewed, approved by legal, and otherwise processed within specified timeframes.
• Coordinates with HR to enter job requisitions into HR management system software program. Process employee status change forms, assist with onboarding of employee, and ensure all help desk tickets for IT, computers, system access, software, badge and fuel access, cellphone, and workspace are set-up and ready for new employee’s first day of work.

 
Other Important Duties:

• Assists Office Manager with drafting and updating policies and procedures.
• General understanding of Record Retention Policies.
• Purchase computers, uniforms, office supplies, and other items as needed.
• Provides backup support for other staff as needed.
• Travel to attend meetings, conferences, and training.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• Regular and consistent attendance for the assigned work hours is essential.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of business administration and advanced secretarial practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of public relations and customer service practices and procedures.
• Knowledge of computers and related equipment, hardware, and software applicable to area of assignment.
• Knowledge of procurement guidelines for operating expenditures and municipal capital improvement projects including understanding of documents such as construction contracts, design contracts, interlocal agreements, insurance, bonds, bid tabs, 1295, W-9, and special fees and licenses, etc.
• Knowledge of research, analysis, interpretation, and report development of complex administrative issues including legal, financial and survey data.
• Knowledge of City management policies and procedures.
• Skill in effective oral and written communications.
• Skill in preparing, editing, and developing responses to politically sensitive or confidential correspondence.
• Skill in prioritizing, tracking, and managing multiple projects, assignments, and duties.
• Skill in effectively supervising and delegating duties to assigned staff.
• Skill in resolving customer complaints and concerns.

 
Education, Experience, and Certifications:

• Associates Degree in Business Administration, Political Science, Public Administration, or related field, and five (5) years advanced secretarial, public relations, political science, engineering, development services, or area of assignment experience, two (2) years which may include a supervisory role, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• May be required to have specialized certification depending on area of assignment.
• Must pass a pre-employment drug screening and/or post-offer physical exam.
• Must possess State of Texas Driver’s License.

Physical Demands:

• This work typically requires the following physical activities to be performed.  A complete description of the activities below is available upon request from Human Resources.