City of Springfield

DEPARTMENTAL ASSISTANT

Pay Grade: 28

FLSA Status: Nonexempt

Bargaining Unit: Nonunion

Benefits Summary

GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the general supervision of a Department Director or mid-manager, provides administrative support of a highly confidential nature, and coordinates one or more major program areas and the centralized support staff activities of the office. Performs related duties as required.

Essential Duties

1. Coordinates complex program/sub-program areas, and administrative activities for the office in accordance with general directives or office policy and procedures; participates in identifying and modifying office policies and procedures.

2. Supervises and oversees department support staff activities; assigns and reviews the work of employees and recommends the hiring, dismissal, discipline, promotion, or training of assigned staff.

3. Completes special projects, as assigned by the Department Director or the Department Director's representative, by gathering and compiling data, monitoring timetables, organizing sub-programs, scheduling staff, and conducting the necessary follow-ups; performs tasks independently, as needed.

4. Maintains a schedule of appointments and events for the Department Director and other office employees by using electronic schedulers, hourly and date calendars, and internal/external information.

5. Oversees and reviews department records to monitor activities, expenditures, training, personnel actions, payroll reporting, attendance and leave for pay purposes, performance appraisal, and interaction with other departments, the City Council and its committees, and the community.

6. Answers the telephone and responds to caller by providing information or referring to appropriate individual; places and returns calls as required; may supervise the reception of visitors to the office and provides information or assistance as needed.

7. Establishes and maintains a complex filing system for the confidential storage and retrieval of internal/external correspondence, records, reports, and documents.

8. Processes correspondence from written, printed, or dictated sources, to include
letters, memoranda, records, forms, and reports; may prepare reports of project
findings or work activities for the Director.

9. May represent the Director, or other department manager, within the scope of the assigned authority and responsibility of the position.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

General Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Thorough knowledge of modern office practices and procedures; considerable knowledge of the organization, functions, rules, procedures and programs of a manager's office; considerable knowledge of the methods used in budget preparation and/or monitoring, and recordkeeping; knowledge of vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, and style that would be characteristic of communication in a manager's office; knowledge of basic mathematics and bookkeeping techniques; knowledge of supervisory techniques; knowledge of the capabilities of PCs; knowledge of data gathering and report writing techniques; ability to learn the office operations and procedures, and function as a team member; ability to gather, compile, organize, and interpret information; ability to utilize word processing, spreadsheet, and database systems sufficiently to perform assigned duties; ability to act independently and make decisions; ability to maintain the confidentiality and professionalism required by a manager's office; ability to assign and review the work of employees; ability to maintain orderly and accurate files and records; ability to prepare accurate, understandable reports; ability to receive office visitors, in person and by telephone, and provide the necessary information or referral; ability to effectively organize work in a fast-paced, multitask operation; ability to work harmoniously with other employees, elected officials, and the general public.

Experience and Training

Five years of experience in secretarial positions of increasing complexity that provided direct support to one or more managers, and one or more major organizational programs. Formal business training/education may be substituted for up to half of the required experience, or any combination of experience, training, and education that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities.

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