Administrative Secretary

Are you a highly organized, resourceful professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and wants to make a meaningful impact in public service?

The City of Benicia is seeking a skilled and proactive Administrative Secretary to support the Fire Department, providing essential administrative and operational support to department leadership and staff who serve and protect the community. From coordinating critical administrative functions and managing complex projects to supporting budgets, preparing reports, and ensuring effective communication, this position plays a vital role in keeping the department running efficiently. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, exercises sound judgment, handles sensitive information with discretion, and is committed to supporting the Fire Department’s mission of delivering responsive, professional, and effective service to the Benicia community.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Perform a wide variety of complex, responsible, confidential clerical, secretarial and administrative duties for executive staff and other management personnel including providing routine analytical support.
• Recommend and assist in the implementation of goals and objectives; establish schedules and methods for office operations; and, recommend and implement office policies and procedures.
• Evaluate operations and activities of assigned responsibilities; recommend improvements and modifications; and, prepare various reports on operations and activities.
• Research, compile and analyze background data for executive management or City Council; perform administrative projects for management personnel; prepare independent draft reports and documentation; and, maintain records and files regarding department administrative activities.
• Provide follow up to assignments given to management and operations staff by executive or management staff; provide status reports to executive staff.
• Interpret and explain City and department policies, rules, and regulations in response to inquiries; refer inquiries as appropriate; assist in developing department policies and procedures in order to meet department objectives.
• Coordinate the department-wide City Council and Commission agenda process; review staff reports for quality and completeness including spelling and grammatical errors; ensure related attachments and exhibits are included; and, coordinate agenda process with City Manager's office.
• Participate and assist in the development and administration of a department budget; prepare budget reports; compile annual budget requests; monitor and control expenditures; and, track and reconcile bills; monitor grants including budget and compliance issues.
• Independently respond to letters and general correspondence not requiring the attention of executive personnel; review mail and evaluate mail to identify those items requiring priority attention.
• Receive and screen telephone calls including complaints, and provide assistance to callers and visitors using judgment as to those requiring priority attention; answer questions and provide information to the public; and, investigate complaints and recommend corrective action as necessary to resolve complaints.
• Coordinate and make travel arrangements; maintain appointment schedules and calendars; and, schedule, arrange, attend and/or assist with meetings, seminars and conferences.
• Provide secretarial/administrative support for assigned task forces, commissions, committees and boards including posting legal notices, preparing agendas, assembling background materials, and typing minutes of meetings as assigned.
• May supervise assigned staff; plan, prioritize, assign, and review the work of staff involved in providing clerical support; conduct employee evaluations; may participate in the selection of staff; provide or coordinate staff training; work with employees to correct deficiencies; recommend disciplinary action and implement discipline procedures as directed.
• Order, track and purchase supplies for administrative operations; perform accounting clerical functions related to ordering supplies, equipment and services.
• Maintain time card and payroll records; prepare, update and process personnel action forms, employee data sheets, and position control sheets; maintain departmental records for management personnel including employee evaluations and disciplinary actions.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other City employees and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of routine analytical research and project coordination.
• Modern office equipment, methods, procedures, and computer hardware and software with emphasis on word processing and spreadsheets.
• English usage, spelling, grammar and punctuation.
• Principles of lead supervision and training.
• Principles of budget monitoring.
• Techniques and principles of effective interpersonal communication.
• Principles and methods of business letter and report writing.
• Pertinent local, State and Federal laws, codes, ordinances, City functions, policies, rules and regulations.

Ability to:

• Organize, plan, schedule and implement administrative and clerical operations and related special projects.
• On a continuous basis, know and understand all aspects of the job; organize work papers, intermittently, review documents related to department operations; observe, identify and problem solve office operations and procedures; understand, interpret and explain department policies and procedures; explain operations and problem solve office issues for the public and with staff.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk and/or stand for long periods of time; intermittently twist and bend to reach office equipment; use simple grasping and fine manipulation; and write or use a keyboard to communicate through written means; run errands; lift or carry weight of 10 pounds or less.
• Understand the organization and operations of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned administrative responsibilities.
• Assist in the development and monitoring of an assigned program project budget; project, track and reconcile expenses.
• Assist in the development of and recommend policies and procedures related to assigned operations; interpret and apply administrative and departmental policies, laws and rules.
• Analyze situations carefully and adopt an appropriate, effective course of action within assigned parameters.
• Compose professional quality general correspondence and letters; write routine analytical reports; take notes and write summaries of meetings.
• Take and transcribe dictation or transcribe from machine recordings at a speed necessary for successful job performance.
• Maintain confidentiality of a wide range of sensitive information.
• Use principles of effective office safety including use of equipment in a proper and safe manner, use of preventative personal ergonomic techniques, and maintenance of safe housekeeping in personal and common workspaces.
• Provide high quality, economical services to the Benicia community, placing emphasis on responsive customer service.
• Be an integral team player, which involves flexibility, cooperation and communication.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
• Work with a wide variety of people in a respectful and effective manner.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Operate a personal computer with proficiency and familiarity to effectively produce complex, technical reports, charts, spreadsheets and other documents and to maintain databases and records.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: 

Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:

Experience: Three years of increasingly responsible experience in administrative and secretarial operations, including one year of office management and/or lead supervisory experience.

Training: Equivalent to the completion of the twelfth grade supplemented by college course work in business, accounting or a related field. An Associate's degree is desirable.

LICENSE AND/OR SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• May need to possess a valid California driver's license and proof of automobile liability insurance as required by the position.